Ice fishing

These two young men show off their catch of the day during one of the local ice fishing contests.

Kayaking

Two kayaks glide across the completely calm water of an open mangrove creek in Curry Hammock State Park, on the Florida Keys Scenic Highway at Little Crawl Key.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU

Wishing you and your family many wonderful days in the great outdoors

52 almost free outdoor activities with kids

Why almost free? Because for some of these activities you may need to use some things you have around the house like some paper, pencils and glue or a ball or some chalk.

• Go star gazing at night
• Look for insects: we love dragonflies and lady bugs and bees.
• Go bird watching
• Play with water
• Walk around  the whole park
• Play in the mud: read why
• Play with your shadow
• Create nature rubbings
• Feed the ducks your old bread scraps
• Draw on the footpath with chalk
• Grow something
• Kick a ball, roll a ball, throw and catch a ball
• Climb a tree
• Play hide and seek
• Collect rocks
• Create some rock art
• Play in the sand at the beach
• Make a sand castle or sand scultpture
• Visit the plant nursery
• Play in puddles
• Explore the creek
• Play the dandelion clock game
• Make a daisy chain
• Make a giant sculpture from old boxes and plaster tape
• Collect leaves
• Create some leaf art
• Collect twigs
• Create a twig star
• Collect shells
• Camp in the garden
• Have dinner at the beach
• Collect pine cones and make something with them
• Collect bugs
• Walk to the shops
• Take your bike to the park
• Throw a frisbee
• Roll down a hill
• Paint with water on the fence
• Dance
• Sing 
• Blow bubbles
• Fly a kite
• Make and fly paper aeroplanes
• Make a fairy garden or a fairy tent
• Play nature detective treasure hunt
• Explore tide pools
• Do science experiments
• Nature Art
• Cook breakfast at the park 
• Watch the sunset
• Visit the local growers market
• Learn about bees

I have linked up with

Video: Richard Louv on Children Outside

Have a picnic

QUOTE:  if you have a place where you can go and have a picnic with your family, it doesn't matter if it's a recession or not, you can include that in your quality of life.  Jim Fowler

THEORY: An easy way to get everyone together enjoying time in the great outdoors. Don't forget it can be as simple as sandwiches in your own garden. You can learn a lot on a picnic and it is a great family time together.

ACTIVITIES:
Collect some food and an old blanket, your family and friends and head for the garden, a local park or a bit further a field to a National Park or beach to enjoy some time together. Don't forget to take a ball.

EQUIPMENT:
Blanket, ball, and maybe some food and drinks.

EXTENSIONS:

• Make a full-on group cooking morning preparation of yummy food. (See book below to learn a new recipe or two)
• Bar b que - definately male bonding time.
• For preschoolers you could read "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" and take along some of their favourite bears or other stuffed animals to join in the picnic. Of course the Teddy Bears would have to have their own plastic cups or teaset.

BOOKS:

Mother Bear's Picnic by Else Holmelund Minarik.
Little Bear wants to give Mother Bear the best Mother's Day present ever - a surprise picnic. But how can he surprise Mother Bear when she won't leave the kitchen?

Good Day for a Picnic: Simple Food That Travels Well by Jeremy Jackson

Featured at Field Trip blog hop

Have you been on any great picnics lately?

Create a scarecrow for your garden

Scarecrows in a rice paddy in Japan

QUOTE:
" I am a nobleman of husks, born of a pumpkin. I am Lord Scarecrow!"  The Scarecrow (1972) (TV)

THEORY:
Some of the seeds and plants you put in your garden may not grow if birds and other animals eat them. Try building a scarecrow to protect your garden.  Scarecrows were originally intended to keep away pesky crows and the name stuck, even though their flapping limbs scare off all types of birds.
You can make a simple scarecrow, like in the photo above, without any stuffing or you can use straw, leaves or old clothes to stuff the scarecrow.

INTERESTING FACT:
First recorded scarecrow sighting was over 3,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. They were also made in Greece, Rome and Japan.

ACTIVITY: BASIC UNSTUFFED SCARECROW

• Collect some old clothes including a hat to create your own scarecrow. Bright colours will work well
• You will need garden twine and scissors and 2 poles
• Put 1 sturdy pole into the ground so it is secure.
• Thread one pant leg down the pole from the top
• Tie some string around the pants as a belt and attach to the pole
• a long branch or old broomstick will make the arms: put an old shirt or jumper onto this pole and then tie it in place with strong garden twine or wire at the intersection with the other pole
• old buckets or flower pots work well as heads and are durable too
• you could use an old pillow case for the head or a plastic bag
• Find a hat that fits your scarecrow's head
• If you wish you can draw or paint your scarecrow's face

EXTRAS FOR YOUR SCARECROW:
Corks dangling from your scarecrow's hat will give it an Aussie look. Sunglasses for a sun-wise scarecrow. A scarf, gloves or a basket to carry. Straw hair for a rustic look.

How to make a stuffed scarecrow from The Royal Horticultural Society

BOOKS:
Scarecrows: Making Harvest Figures and Other Yard Folks by Felder Rushing
Creative Scarecrows: 35 Fun Figures for Your Yard & Garden by Marcianne Miller on how to make garden scarecrows. 
Little Bear Makes a Scarecrow - Board story book - by Else Holmelund Minarik

Now don't go away because there are even more Earth Day ideas and books being shared by these bloggers today! Stop by and bookmark or even pin them all! 
Teach Preschool : Child Central Station : Living Montessori Now : Aunt Annie's Childcare : Males in Early Childhood : The SEEDS Network : Flights of Whimsy : Pre-K Pages : Kreative Resources : I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here! : Share & Remember : Music Sparks : little illuminations : Greening Sam and Avery : Putti Prapancha : Early Play : Little Running Teacher : Look at My Happy Rainbow