Nature Exploration Play Activities for Kids

Children love to explore nature and the evolution of nature at a very early age. My toddler granddaughters and early elementary grandkids love to play in the garden and explore nature, smell various flowers, dissect plants, and observe insects and bugs per the following activities:

Materials:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar book
Bug box
Dual lenses magnifying glass
Big Bunch of Bugs kit
Mini rake and scooper
Kits for raising insects (i.e. Lore Original Butterfly Garden)

Activities:

Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and ask the following:
- What did the hungry caterpillar eat?
- What would you eat if you were a caterpillar?
- Why did the caterpillar have to eat so much food?
- How did the caterpillar become a beautiful butterfly?
- Have you seen a caterpillar or butterfly in the garden? Describe what they look like and how they act?
- What did you learn from this story?
- Compare this story to another about the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly.
- Draw a picture of you as a butterfly and describe what you ate to become a butterfly.
Collect some bugs in a bug box and use a magnifying glass to observe the behavior of your collection of bugs.
- What different types of bugs or insects did you collect?
- What bugs are larger, faster, slower, or smaller?
- How many legs does each bug or insect have?
- Can you make a chart of the various bugs and insects and organize them by the number of legs they have (i.e. 4 legs, 6 legs, 8 legs, more or less legs)?
- What does each bug need to eat to stay heathy and grow?
Create an insect garden by digging up the dirt with a rake and scope and burying your plastic bugs into the dirt.
- Organize a scavenger hunt with your siblings and friends and look for the various plastic bugs in the garden. Organize them by type as you find them.
- Play math games with your bugs and determine how many each of your friends collect and how many different types each has collected.
- Make a math chart showing the different types of bugs each child has collected and list the number collected of each type.
- Read books about each type of bug to learn how to care for them in your garden. Draw bug pictures and look for these bugs in your yard.
- What types of plants does each bug like to eat?
Grow caterpillars to butterflies using the butterfly kit or another kit for building ant farms or other insect habitats to observe insect growth.
- What did you do to help the caterpillar grow? Make a calendar of changes in the daily growth of the caterpillar until it becomes a butterfly.
- Describe the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly.
- What do caterpillars eat to become butterflies?
- Research what other insects change into another type of insect.

Common Core State Standards:

Listed below are a few relevant California Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy:

Kindergarten: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Grade 1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Grade 2: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Kindergarten: With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
Kindergarten: Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. Per section “b”, use illustrations and context to make predictions about text.

Listed below are two relevant California Common Core Standards for Mathematics:

Kindergarten Counting and Cardinality: Count to tell the number of objects. Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
Kindergarten Operations and Algebraic Thinking: Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
Grade 1 Measurement and Data: Represent and interpret data. Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.

Welcome to the GenParenting Summer Blog Reading Series!

Welcome to our six-week summer blog reading series for parents and their children. Starting on Tuesday, July 10 through Thursday, August 16 we will provide three blogs each week using the Common Core Standards and STEAM activities per the following schedule:

July 10, 11, 12: Nature exploration blog, reading activity, and family play for preschoolers and early elementary children (Automobuild Workshop on August 2 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
July 17, 18, 19: Transportation and construction blog, reading activity, and family play for preschoolers and elementary children (Automobuild Workshop on July 19 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
July 24, 25, 26: Get ready for school with siblings, twins, and multiples blog, reading activity, and family play for infants and preschoolers (Automobuild workshop on August 9 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
July 31, August 1, 2: Promoting family literacy blog, reading activity, and family play for elementary children
August 7, 8, 9: Career explorations blog, reading activity, and family play for middle and high school children
August 14, 15, 16: Talking about death and difficult subjects blog, reading activity, and family play for preschool and early elementary children

Receive a Summer Blog Reading Series Certificate

When parents and their children complete a comment on the GenParenting blog site about how they used the various reading and play activities and register for weekly updates by August 20, each family will receive a certificate of participation from the GenParenting blogging team by August 31. (If you submitted this information and do not receive your certificate by email, please contact us at hello@genparenting.com.)

Attend Autombuild Play Date Trainings

Automobuild has partnered with GenParenting educational leaders to support parents’ STEAM and Common Core Standards play with their children. Workshops will be offered on July 19, August 2, and August 9. Each $40 workshop registration includes the following incredible services:

$50 worth of FREE educational toys and books for each registered child
Guidance from educational experts on how to use academic play strategies to increase your children’s cognitive and critical thinking skills
A one-hour play date with Mary Ann Burke, Ed.D., an accredited Parent Educator with over 30 years of experience with STEAM and Common Core State Standards expertise
FREE Q & A with Mary Ann after class
Participation in the GenParenting.com Summer Reading Series starting on July 3, 2018

Each workshop is limited to 20 participants. Phone Automobuild at 408-402-3818 to register immediately for various workshops. All workshops will meet at the Automobuild Store located at 100 B North Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos.

We are excited about offering this exciting series to you and look forward to your shared experiences!

Warm regards,

Mary Ann and the GenParenting bloggers

Talk About Cultural Sensitivity

During 4^th of July celebrations, we typically discuss the diversity and cultural sensitivity of our nation’s population. Through these discussions, I have learned:

“When people show you who they are, believe them” per Maya Angelou.
Be open to embrace other cultures.
We may not know a person’s cultural norms.
Listen and trust that a person does not mean ill will unless their actions speak differently.

For example, when a white person passes a black person at the office and does not say good morning, it is considered insulting and rude. It is important for a black person to understand the meaning behind this person’s behavior. The white person may not mean anything by her behavior and could be focused on completing a work deadline or errand. The white person may not realize that they have broken a cultural norm. When I am working in Los Angeles, Chicago, or Florida, my black colleagues will greet each other in this formal manner per their cultural norm.

When you want to confirm the intent behind an action, consider the following responses:

Tell me about that perspective.
Why is that important to you?
Would that be valuable to our society as a whole?
Have you considered the impact of that position?
Which local political decisions are impacting the economic conditions of the community?
Is there a more equitable solution for a community challenge or problem?

When we as a society fail to pay workers a livable wage, then we contribute to the ills of our society. This economic shortfall traditionally falls upon people of color. For me, education is the great equalizer for students to become future business owners, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Through education, we can improve our community’s economy and bolster our democracy.

Happy 4^th of July!

Yvette

Catch a Bad Case of the Travel Bug

Normally, I wouldn’t wish a germy bug on anyone, but hey, infect me with the travel bug anytime! And I’ll be the first to say that I’ll eagerly pass it on to my kids as well. Think of the many benefits of travel: You’ll gain a sense of wonder and eagerness to explore the created world. You’ll learn to appreciate different cultures and the historical significance of your chosen destination. You’ll meet new people and you’ll experience new foods and customs. So, readyto embark on a family adventure?

List dream destinations

Allow your kids to consider locations without restrictions. This will enable them to broaden their horizons and dream big. Think about local day trips, short jaunts within your geographic region, or extended domestic and international destinations. Even if international travel is out of your budget this time around, you can keep it on your wish list!

Research family activities

When kids provide input on activities, they will get more out of the family trip. It will allow them to experience the trip in the way that speaks to their heart and mind. One family member may want to visit a famous park while another may want to visit a well-known landmark. Still others may want to be a spectator at a sporting event while yet another wants to eat food at a night market! Incorporating everyone’s interest will provide more variety. Keep an open mind about different activities and you can learn to appreciate something new!

Learn about the local history

What are the historical events that have contributed to the location’s significance? Where there any well-known politicians or celebrities from the area? Maybe your chosen location’s long history of immigration has led to a change in taste for food in the local cuisine? What is your destination’s local industry? How does that industry contribute to the overall local and national economy? Are there significant and special landmarks? There are so many exciting new things to learn!

Budget for transportation and lodging costs

After imagining your dream vacation for a bit, show your kids practical math by running the numbers with them. Research different costs for flights taken during different days of the week versus the different departure times. Would traveling by train or car be more cost effective? Take a look at different lodging options. Hotels are great for families on the go, but a vacation rental or a vacation home will allow you to go incognito and live like a local!

The travel bug is quite contagious! Are you ready for some family fun?

Jaime

Staying Positive

When children get to those double digit years, they change. The sweet, playful, mischievous children become challenging, moody, argumentative preteens. Parenting becomes more difficult because these new changes wear on parents’ patience. They want to argue back, meet challenges by asserting their authority, and adjust that negative attitude.

If parents become confrontational and negative, they will eventually erode the relationship with their children. It would be difficult for preteens to feel supported when their parents are focused on the negative. A more effective strategy is to reinforce preteens’ positive behavior.

Encourage Positive Behavior

Catch your child doing something right. When they do their chores or homework without being reminded, acknowledge that positive behavior. When they show kindness to their siblings or help you carry in groceries, praise them. There will be times when they will face challenges. At these times, encourage your preteens by reminding them of all the positive qualities you have witnessed in them. Your confidence in them will help them build confidence in themselves.

Be a Model of Positive Behavior

Model respectful communication and a positive attitude for your child. Be respectful when you communicate even in times of conflict. This will establish an expectation for communication and will give your preteens the language that will make communication more effective. Invite your preteens to participate in acts of kindness, whether it be taking food to a neighbor, helping a grandparent, or participating in a community service event. These positive influences will give your preteen options for their behavior in and out of the home.

As Children Mature

As children mature into adolescence, they will have to contend with so many changes that will affect them, physically, intellectually, and emotionally. If parents can support this journey with positive reinforcement, their children will be more confident and capable when dealing with the changes they will experience.

With love and affection,

Rosemarie