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Help your kids (and you!) hone their balancing skills! Even if the weather is chilly, they’ll enjoy using a slackline. A slackline is a  two-inch-wide nylon webbing strip attached to two trees with a ratchet tension system. As you practice  walking and sitting on the slackline, you’ll find you’re not just building up core strength, …

This weekend, plant some flower bulbs that will bloom in the spring.  American Meadows has a webpage with a complete listing of spring bulbs as well as a regional planting map to get you started. 

Pumpkin seeds make are a delicious and nutritious snack! So this weekend, roast the pumpkin seeds from your carved pumpkin.  Taste of Home is just one site with tips on how to roast them.    Photo by MaxStraeten

Enjoy the cooler weather of fall by attending a fall festival. Just look online for festivals in your area. Your local library and chamber of commerce may have listings, too. 

The next time you see a goldfish, whether in an aquarium at the pet store or a fishbowl at your friend’s house, know that the humans in its life will determine if it stays a harmless pet or develops in to one of the most destructive forces in a wild ecosystem. Most goldfish are members …

Hopefully the autumn season is bringing some cooler weather to your area. You can take advantage of the lower temperatures by hosting a field day in your own backyard or local park. And remember, field days aren’t just for kids! You can invite family members of all ages, neighbors, and friends.  Activities Here are some …

It is tempting to sleep in on Saturdays, but if you can get out early and catch your local farmers market around 9 am, you will beat the crowd and have the chance to see things first and meet some amazing small business owners.

If you haven’t ridden a horse before, this could be the weekend to try! Do a quick search on the internet to find places near you that offer riding services. Then hit the trail with the whole family!    Photo by jade

This weekend, visit one of the 41 Audubon Centers in the U.S. Although they are all a little different, each provides opportunities to learn about birds and their habitats. Click HERE to find an Audubon Center near you.    Photo by davidpwhelan

This weekend, head out to a nearby county, state, or national park, and volunteer to help. You can pick up litter, greet visitors, conduct tours, work at special events, work in the gift shop, or maintain a beach, waterway, or trail. Check out these websites to get started:  US Forest Service Volunteer Program  Volunteer Events …

This weekend, find out just what kind of trees are growing in your yard and around your house. First, create a “map” of your yard, indicating where each tree is located. Next, gather small sandwich baggies to collect several leaves from each tree. Number each baggie with a black sharpie. Now it’s time to head …

This weekend, make plans on how to celebrate the 4th outdoors! You could host a get-together with food and games, visit a new park, go on a bike ride, hike a new trail — it’s up to you! With a plan in place, you’ll be ready to celebrate! 

Now that summer’s officially arrived, celebrate with a splash party! Invited friends and neighbors over to cool off with some of these ideas:  10 Fun Ways to Turn Your Backyard into a Water Park DIY Water Wall  DIY Water Blob Kiddie Car Wash Sponge Bulls Eye Water Gun Cup Races    Photo by lisaleo

It’s officially the first day of summer! Here are some ideas you can try to celebrate the season: Go on a picnic Go swimming 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 …

Let your creativity flow and build some fairy houses!  There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Here are some ideas to get you started:  Create a fairy house using just mud, twigs, and grass; Or you can use a few extra supplies such as glue, hot glue, a sharpie, and string; or you could start off with a basic structure and add natural embellishments.   Then find the …

Dust off your fishing pole and tackle box. Then head to a local lake or pond and go fishing. Be sure to check fishing license requirements for your state before you go.    Photo by joelpyle

This weekend, get together some friends or family members and learn a new game! Here are some you may not have played before: Bocci Ball Disc Golf Kanjam Horseshoes Cornhole   Photo by garrygraham  

This week, create a class memory book about the activities they did together outdoors. You can have each student create their own page. They might write about their favorite activity, a new experience, a special memory, or something funny that happened. They can include drawings and other designs. Older students can create their pages on …

Summer is the perfect time to catch up on all the books you’ve been wanting to read. It’s also the time libraries sponsor summer reading programs. So this weekend, create a special reading space in your backyard or on your patio. It could be as simple as finding the perfect tree or hanging up a …

This week, have the students write letters to themselves reflecting on their outdoor experiences.  Or, have the students each write a letter to a new student who will be in your class next year. What can they expect when they head outside together? What kind of helpful advice can the current students give the new …