Category: Fun and Learning

I have an appointment on Friday this week, so our weekly nature walk will be on Thursday instead, same time.

Important Note: I have decided to stop posting the weekly nature walk location on this blog. If you are interested in joining me for future nature walks, please let me know (either in the comments or by email) and I will keep you informed about future activities through email.

Here are the details for this weeks adventure!

When: Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: Alfred A. Ring Park, 1801 NW 23rd Boulevard (Parking at Elks Lodge).
Driving Directions: From NW 13th Street, turn left on NW 23rd Ave. Park at the Elks Lodge, which will be on the left.
Link to the map: Click here.
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: Park includes bathrooms, picnic tables, small playground. Walking trail is mostly dirt, so strollers are not advised.

I saw this fun idea for Pumpkin Printing on No Time for Flashcards, so we tried it out yesterday while our turkey was baking. Cut your small pumpkins in half, scoop out the seeds, ready your paint and paper, and start printing!

A few painting tips I recently learned from my friend, Janene.
-save plastic lids (like the ones from sour cream containers) to use for your paint palettes. They are sturdier than paper plates and can be washed and used again.
-cut up cereal boxes and use the squares as your painting canvas. Again, it’s much sturdier than paper.

As a mother of two busy little girls, I have learned a few tricks to help them be reverent when it comes to Sunday sacrament meeting. One of my best tools has been file folder games.

Garden of Eden (from Finch Family Games)

The concept is pretty simple and easy to make yourself.
1) Color the templates and glue them to the inside of a manilla folder.
2) Color and cut out the activity pieces.
3) Laminate the folder and the pieces.
4) Place a small piece of Velcro or magnetic tape to each shape in the file folder.
5) Add the other side of Velcro or magnet to the remaining parts.
6) Store pieces in an envelope taped to the back.

Ark Animals (from Finch Family Games)

The folder games I use all came from Finch Family Games. The books are available to purchase online. These games are great for Sunday because they all tie in to some gospel theme (Lehi’s Liahona Letters or Word of Wisdom Winners or Ammon’s Sheep Sorters…).

Paint Your Wagon (from Finch Family Games)

They take a little time and effort to make, but once they are laminated they are pretty durable. I would recommend using magnets to stick the pieces instead of Velcro. Trust me, the sound of peeling Velcro is pretty loud, especially during the middle of the sacrament.

Garden of Eden (from Finch Family Games)

I think I first introduced these to my daughter when she was between 15-18 months. We used them well, but then put them away for a little while when the diaper bag got too full with a new baby. I’ve been pulling them out recently to use with the Sweet Bee (2 yrs old) and the Ant Bug (nearly 5) still gets interested in them. I usually bring four or five to church with me, and they usually end up being passed among the many other families with small children who end up sitting near us.

Putting on the Armor of God (from Finch Family Games)

There are many other folder games available to go with many different themes. Many of them are free downloads online. I did a quick google search and here are a few I found:

File Folder Fun
Preschool Printables (look at the list on the left)
Mormonchic (these are already colored for you if you have a color printer)

This week we’re heading to one of our stand-by favorites, Green Acres Park. It’s usually very empty and quiet, the playground is fun, and there are a few pathways that we have yet to explore! Hopefully we’ll see you there!

When: Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: Green Acres Park, 3704 SW 8th Avenue. Access from the dead end of SW 40th Street, just south of SW 6th Place
Driving Directions: From Newberry Rd, turn south on SW 38th St, then right on SW 6th Pl. Turn left when you reach SW40th St, then park on the left as the road ends.
Link to the map: Click here.
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: Park includes a fun playground and picnic tables. After parking, follow the trail to the left to find the playground. It’s pretty sandy and my kids always end up filthy after playing here, so wear grubby clothes and plan on a likely bath when it’s all over!

We’re going to be brave this week and explore someplace we’ve never been before.

When: Friday, November 6, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: Broken Arrow Bluff, 5724 SW 46th Place
Driving Directions: Since I haven’t been here before, I’m not exactly sure of the directions. The park is located near Kanapaha Botanical Gardens and Lake Kanapaha. Take a look at this map. From Archer Road, it looks like you will turn on SW 57th Dr. and hopefully find it somewhere close!
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: This park does not include a playground, but there are picnic tables.

Hopefully we can all find it! Let me know if you plan to attend so I can keep an eye out for you.

Even in the midst of our Halloween activities this week, we’re going to take a little time on Friday morning and head to the park. If you live in the area you are welcome to join us!
When: Friday, October 30, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: Cofrin Nature Park, 4810 NW 8th Avenue
Driving Directions: From NW 34th St, turn left on NW 8th St. The park will be on the right, and the entrance is right before the tennis courts.
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: Park includes a fun playground and picnic tables. Walking trail is a dirt path, so strollers are not advised.
We had a nice time at San Felasco Park last week. I let the Ant Bug use our old digital camera to document our nature walk, so the pictures in this post are courtesy of her!

After a few weeks off, we’re ready to give the Nature Walk another try. The weather should be beautiful, so cross your fingers that we are all healthy!

When: Friday, October 23, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: San Felasco Park
Driving Directions: It is off of NW. 43rd street. For those who will be heading North on 43rd St., turn left on 43rd way after you pass Cox Cable. Follow that back until it ends and turn Left. Follow the road back to the parking lot.
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: Park includes a fun playground and picnic tables. I believe at least part of the walking trail is paved (but I’m not positive) so a stroller might be a possibility.

Give me a heads up if you plan to attend so I know to wait for you before we start exploring. Hopefully I’ll see you there!

This illness is working it’s way through our family. The Ant Bug is mostly recovered (just on medication for an ear infection), but the Sweet Bee has had a runny nose and cough for the last few days, along with a fever off and on (she’s at 100 degrees this morning). And now I’m getting the symptoms too, even though I always say “mothers aren’t allowed to get sick. They have too much to do!”

So we’ll be staying home today, and hopefully we will all be healthy soon! Go ahead without us and enjoy the park, and we’ll try again in a few weeks.

Ready to give our Friday Nature Walk another try? Here are the details for this weeks adventure.

When: Friday, October 2, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Where: Cofrin Nature Park, 4810 NW 8th Avenue
Driving Directions: From NW 34th St, turn left on NW 8th St. The park will be on the right, and the entrance is right before the tennis courts.
What to bring: Drinking water, bug spray. Maybe snacks or a picnic lunch? You might also like to bring a camera or a journal for your children to record their discoveries.
Things to note: Park includes a fun playground and picnic tables. Walking trail is a dirt path, so strollers are not advised.

*Disclaimer: My girls have been in varying stages of illness this week (between coughs and runny noses and ear infections). I’m optimistic that we will all be healthy and raring to go on Friday. But if we get struck ill with something else, I’ll do a quick post on Friday morning to let you know we won’t be heading to the park. So check back Friday morning, and if you don’t hear from me, I’ll see you at Cofrin at 10 am!

Another note: There will be no nature walk on October 9th. With family in town, we’ll be doing a little vacationing that week!