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This week, go bird watching!  What birds live in your neighborhood? Head outside and find out! Take along the following items:  Binoculars (optional) Pen or pencil Paper Field guide or Smartphone Find a place to sit where you have a good view of trees or bushes. Use the binoculars if your sitting far away. When …

This weekend, head outside with your camera and capture the beauty of the outdoors. For tips on taking landscape photos, check out these articles:  “Landscape Photography Tips”, National Geographic “15 Helpful Landscape Photography Tips for Beginners”, ImprovePhotography.com “Seven Tips for Shooting Nature Photos with Your Smartphone Camera”, Popular Science      Photo by Erean 

For kids in grades K – 12 (international entries too)  From the contest website:  The Art of Conservation® Songbird Art Contest™ is a new art competition hosted by Wildlife Forever, focused on sharing the wonder and species diversity of North American songbirds. Building off the successful Wildlife Forever Fish Art Contest® and inspired by the legacy of artist and conservationist …

If you’re anything like me, then summer is a time of the year that draws you outside.  With radiant sunshine, electric blue water, never-ending fields of wildflowers, and longer days, the scenery is practically demanding that we bask it all in.  Even if you live in an apartment, a park is usually close by. Being realistic, …

Head outdoors this weekend and hit the water paddling! If there’s a lake nearby, rent a canoe and enjoy the natural scenery. Not sure where to go? Check out your local state parks and see what’s available.     

Follow these steps to create your own chickadee drawing! Follow these steps to create your own chickadee drawing! To begin, draw a line curving downward for the top of the bird’s head.   Next, place your pencil on the end of your curved line on the left-hand side. Draw another curved line. This line will …

Take your workout outdoors this week! Plan your own workout circuit in your neighborhood or nearby park. It doesn’t have to be strenuous — walking counts! Then head outside with your significant other,  your children, your friend, or your four-legged companion for some fresh air and exercise!    Photo by jzlomek

It’s the first official day of summer! Here are some ideas to help you enjoy the season:  Go on a picnic Make a bird feeder Make a fairy house Go on a scavenger hunt around your neighborhood or through the woods Release ladybugs – You can buy them online and send them out into your yard …

This week, head outside to locate in search of wildflowers. You can even draw a picture or write down a description of them in a nature journal. Then, use a field guide to identify them, or try one of these internet sites:  Discover Life Wildflower Search MyWildflowers.com   Featured image by mmainco

If you ask your someone what activities are available in their neighborhood or city, they may say “shop at the mall” or “go to the movie theater”. But there are so many things to do outside as well! This week, get to know your natural neighborhood!   First, print a map of your town.  Next, mark …

Summertime is unlike any other.  As the weather heats up and the sun lingers a little longer, I find myself overflowing with excitement and anticipation about all of the outdoor fun that is soon to come.  I have taken on the “dog days” in a lot of different ways and in a lot of different …

 If you are growing a garden this year, consider bringing  a few more friends in on the project and release some ladybugs! Ladybugs are one of the best forms of natural pest control in gardens, as they eat a variety of insects and larvae that can harm your plants. You can purchase them online — even …

Do your kids have a hard time thinking of things to do? Make an outdoor activity jar! You can use slips of paper, or you can purchase some blank Popsicle sticks from your local craft store. Then write a different outdoor activity on each paper or stick. When your children can’t decide what to do …

When the weather begins to warm up, turtles are on the move. They may be searching for food or mates. Many of these turtles are females looking for nesting sites to lay their eggs. What should I do if I see a wild turtle? The best thing you can do when you find a turtle …

You don’t have to go to a campsite to go camping. This weekend, set up a tent in your own backyard. Putting up a tent together helps encourage listening skills, cooperation, and teamwork. Your kids will enjoy hanging out in the tent during the day and the adventure of sleeping in the tent at night.  …

You’ve probably heard about composting and some of its benefits, but what exactly is composting? When you compost, you are gathering organic materials that will later be added to the soil. Almost anything that comes from the ground can be composted: vegetable and fruit scraps as well as stales grains such as bread, cereal, and …

When I see a small animal that seems to be in distress, my first reaction is to catch it, take it in, and try to help it. But over the years, I’ve learned that’s not always the best thing to do. When I was about 10 years old, I came across three baby squirrels at …

You don’t have to get up quite as early to do this now! With Daylight Savings Time, our clocks have moved forward an hour. Set your alarm and slip outside to see the sunrise. You can find sunrise times in your area HERE. 

This weekend, get friends or family together and go on a group bike hike! Look online to find the bike trails in your city. If you don’t have a bicycle of your own, check to see if there are places in town where you can rent one.  Below are some safe riding tips to follow …

It’s the first day of spring! It may not be a typical spring season, it’s still important to get outdoors. During these days that seem uncertain and challenging, spending time in nature not only helps fight anxiety, but it offers many other health benefits as well.  You can find out more here.  Below are some …