getting muddy: play date at irvine nature center

A horrendous accident sparred a traffic jam on 83 that shut down all lanes. Mother Nature couldn't decide if it should be cloudy, rainy, chilly, sunny or a mix of all four. Party City lost our balloon order.  There was mud, mud and more mud.

Bottom line? None of it mattered. We had a BLAST at Irvine Nature Center. Thanks to all of you.

More than 125 people came out to play with us at Irvine Nature Center for our first nature play date last Saturday -- and had a chance to explore the center's brand new outdoor classroom, take a trail walk, pet a turtle, create beautiful art with everything from cereal boxes to paper towel rolls with aMuse Toys, and mix their own trail mix with Plum District Baltimore.

Forget about the weather. It was all about play. And some kiddos (mine included) made several costume changes. That's how to judge a good play date: number of required ensemble changes.

Thanks to all of you who came to play! We can't wait to see you at the next play date pumpkin adventure. Mark your calendar for October 16th and we'll post details soon!

Here are a few photos from the day:

The play date schedule. For the most part, we stuck to it. But you have to be flexible with weather and kids! Luckily, the Irvine staff is amazing.

The Make Your Own Trail Mix station. All snacks were generously provided by Plum District Baltimore.

The best part about Make Your Own Trail Mix? Perfect activity for little hands.

Everyone got to get up close and personal with the turtle -- who definitely loves the camera.

Double the turtle love!

The wooden xylophone was a huge hit with everyone!

Didn't matter how big or how little you were... making music in the outdoor classroom was one of the biggest highlights of the play date!

Another music maker!

Who said creativity wasn't messy? Making Makedos with the wonderful Erin from aMuse Toys! Don't worry. We cleaned up.

Want to see more play date pics? Check out our play date album on Facebook! Be sure to tag yourself and add your own photos by posting them to our wall!

nature play date at irvine nature center

We are SO excited to announce our NATURE PLAY DATE at Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills on Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. We'll be in their brand new outdoor classroom -- before it's even open to the public! Join us for a nature hike at 10:30 AM, an animal encounter at 11:00 AM, and creating Makedo Forests and scavenger hunt coloring courtesy of our friends at aMuse Toys from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM! Of course, there is lots to see and do and explore at the Center, and it's all FREE for play date participants!

Snacks will be provided by Plum District Baltimore but we encourage your family to bring a picnic lunch.

Start saving those cereal boxes, toilet papers tubes and scrap papers. We've got some SERIOUS nature crafting to do! Check out the instructions for our nature Makedos on the aMuse Toys blog!

The catch? You've got to RSVP by Thursday, September 15th. It's pretty easy. Just fill out this quick form!

Did we mention it's free? Can't wait to see you!

creative inspiration: fairy gardens

What can you make with a pot, some potting soil, grasses, colored flowers, glass stones, pebbles, popsicle sticks, stones, butterflies and all of those little people figures you have lying around?

A fairy garden.

What a great get your hands dirty activity to do with the kids. Take a look at some of the gardens that I 'happened across' online from U Create with Kids, Let the Children Play, Let's Go Fly a Kite and Mini Garden Guru. {Just love this idea!}

Have you ever made a fairy garden with your tot? Have a tip? Please share!

play outside: the I-spy walk

We just spent 10 days in fabulously (cool) Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Lots of hiking, biking, pony rides, lazy afternoons, swimming and unplugging.

Ever tried to hike with a toddler? In and out of the hiking backpack. Jumping off of every rock. Half a mile takes sixty minutes to walk (or hop).

The great thing about taking a toddler on the trail is that everything is so exciting, fresh and new to them. But if you want to hike more than five hundred feet or if you want to move faster than a snails' pace, you have to find a way to keep their attention.

Enter the I-Spy Walk. Just like the books, play a game of "what do you see" with your kiddo. Start by modeling the behavior for your child: "I spy a blue sky." And then ask your child what he or she sees: "What do you see?" You'd be amazed how it keeps their attention. Point out animals, colors, textures, smells -- make it a whole sensory experience.

Just be ready for a series of "I spy a red car" statements from your little one next time you walk down your neighborhood block, too.

If a trip to Teton National Park isn't in your summer plans, here are some local trails and state parks where you can get your hike on:

Northern Central Railroad (NCR) Trail
Cromwell Valley Park
Oregon Ridge Nature Center Trails
Gwynns Falls Trail
Gunpowder Falls State Park
Patapsco Valley State Park
Cunningham Falls State Park

What's your favorite local "get out in nature" spot?

tweet boom bang: exploring nature's summertime music with your kids!

Today's post is from (cool) progeny contributor Monica Wiedel-Lubinski from The Irvine Nature Center. She's sharing how to make backyard music with your kids... and we're giving you a sneak peek at a September Play Date!!

Summer beckons us outdoors. The warm sunshine and soft green grass underfoot is irresistible.
But summer wouldn’t be complete without the wonderful chorus of creatures chirping, tweeting,
screeching, and pecking.

Yes, summer is relaxing, but not quiet. Animals are busy searching for mates, food, and nesting sites. Baby birds beg for bugs while frogs chime their calls from the tree tops. All these sounds add to the energy of the summer season.

Most people enjoy this cacophony but also feel compelled to make music. To jam out. C’mon, admit it. You love to hear D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” anthem. I know you do. (Great song for an impromptu dance party with your kid, if you haven’t already done so.) But I digress.

My point here is that summer sounds are exciting and energizing. And people are entitled to make their own sounds in summer, just as other animals do.

Now, stay with me for a moment while I tell you about an incredible project I’ve been working on at Irvine Nature Center. It’s called an Outdoor Classroom. Think play ground meets nature. It’s an amazing natural space where children can explore different learning areas such as Digging, Nature Art, Climbing & Crawling, or Music & Movement.* As we move towards completing the space, I’ve been looking into instruments for the Outdoor Classroom. In my research I came across dozens of innovative ideas for making music with nature.

Visit the Filth Wizardry Blog to see how to create your own ‘music tree’ or ‘music wall’ using repurposed pots, pans, wire racks, wooden spoons and the like. If you’d like to make an outdoor xylophone or tractor tire drum, visit the Child Central Station blog! A banging post looks like a musical variation of a mayday pole at the Let the Children Play blog. Or you can drum to your heart’s content on this modular banging wall created by Get Your Mess On and made out of drumheads or baking tins.

Take inspiration from the birds and the bees and make some sweet sounds of your own. There are plenty of natural and recyclable materials for you to make a no-cost musical outdoor space for your little one!

Be sure to visit Irvine Nature Center on the web and check out the Fall 2011 newsletter article about the Outdoor Classroom. See details about our official unveiling on October 1, 2011.

(cool) tip: Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 17th! (cool) progeny is having a play date at Irvine and we get to check out the Outdoor Classroom before it's public!! More details soon.

Monica Wiedel-Lubinski is the Director of The Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center. For more great ways to share nature with your children, visit www.ExploreNature.org or check out all of Monica's (cool) progeny Nature Play contributions.

Winter's Sweet Spell

This is the last weekend to catch Maple Magic at Irvine Nature Center. (cool) progeny contributor Monica Wiedel-Lubinski shares why you and your family should check out winter's sweet spell.

Each February, we celebrate the return of another maple sugar season at Irvine Nature Center. We refer to it as "maple magic" because the sweet sap is gift flowing from the trees – one which can only be harvested in late winter. All the Native American legend and North American folklore is not enough. We need to experience the maple magic every year.

We carefully select a few trees, some of which are NOT maples, and put their "taps" in place. The taps are also known as spiles. Back in the day, these spiles were carved out of wood, though today they are metal or plastic. We trudge through snowy trails to check our sap buckets and share this miraculous process with our visitors. We even boil the sap down to make syrup in our old-fashioned evaporator (a fire-burning oven with a large, shallow pan on top). We search for tapped trees. We look for clues left by hungry winter wildlife like yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Visitors do a taste test to see if they can identify the real maple syrup from another sweetener, corn syrup (sorry, Log Cabin – you’re busted!).

As natural sweeteners go, golden honey oozing from a comb may come to mind. In fact, the honeybees that make this treat were introduced to North America during the colonial settlement. It was sap, not honey, that natives relied on to sweeten foods either by cooking food in sap or boiling it down to make syrup. Sap can also be boiled down to become sugar (and it makes delicious candy, too).



Truly special is the timing of the sweet sap. When the temperature changes and sunlight increases, that's the signal for trees to prepare for spring. The cue is cold, freezing temps at night with milder, 40 degree temps during the day. To gear up for spring, trees go into overdrive making sap. Tender new buds form tiny baby leaves with the help of the extra sugar found in sap.



Like blood to animals, sap is the life force of trees. But it is only sweet before spring arrives. Once the leaves are on the trees, other nutrients join the sap which makes it become bitter if boiled down. So the real secret is to collect sap in late winter before the buds open. And although you’ll hear the sap being called “sweet”, it’s only about 3% sugar and 97% water, which is why it must be boiled down to make syrup.


Soon maple sugar season will be over and sadly, spring will arrive. So let the maples cast their spell on you. Don’t miss maple magic this year!



Some 'sweet' stories you may want to check out with your tot:

Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola
Sugar Snow by Laura Ingalls Wilder

At Grandpa’s Sugar Bush by Margaret Carney

(cool) tip: Did you know that maple syrup is beneficial for your child's immune system (well, for everyone's immune system actually!)? It's an excellent source of zinc - - which our immune systems depend on for optimal function. And for the sweet craver in your life, maple syrup is 100% natural and 3 times as sweet as pure cane sugar with fewer calories. A little bit goes a looonnnggg way.

Monica Wiedel-Lubinski is the Director of The Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center. For more great ways to share nature with your children, visit www.ExploreNature.org or check out all of Monica's (cool) progeny Nature Play contributions.

chilly day winter play

As part of our commitment to making 2011 the Year of Play, we're sharing ideas for how to shed the structured life and integrate some good old fashioned creative play back into your family life. Today, (cool) progeny contributor Monica Wiedel-Lubinski shares some thoughts for getting some much needed vitamin D while playing this winter. We suggest you read this post with a side of longjohns. And you may want to 'plan' to set-the coffee maker before you head out so there is a steaming cup 'o joe when you return. {{Stick to hot milk for the pint sized ones}}.

Don’t let the cold keep you and your youngster indoors! Winter is a great time to observe wildlife and explore nature (as long as you are bundled up). From snow cookies to icy castles, there’s plenty of outdoor fun to be had. Try one of these wintry activities:



Winter play with children under 2


• Bundle up for a stroller or wagon ride. Stop to savor winter beauty like snow-covered pine trees, reflective frozen ice or nests visible in bare trees.


• Listen for sounds in winter. Are geese honking overhead? Scampering squirrels? Birds chattering from the shrubs? Is snow crunching underfoot?


• Walk or crawl in snowy surroundings (limit the amount of time your little one does this!). Offer beach toys or a bucket to play in the snow.


• Sing a winter song. Cuddle your little one and sing "Here Comes Suzy Snowflake" or "Frosty the Snowman" as you take a winter walk.


• Sprinkle bird seed in your yard together. The birds won't mind if it's dumped in a pile or evenly scattered - they are grateful for your offerings all winter long!



Winter play with children ages 3-5



• Take a winter walk! Bring along a backpack with items such as a magnifying glass, spray bottle with water, beach toys, bath toys, buckets, measuring cups or sunglasses. You may want your camera, too.


• Explore the winter landscape. Let your child pull out the backpack items and dig in. Resist the urge to initiate your own activities. Instead, let your child select items or locations in the yard to explore. This will provide an opportunity for her to invent a game or share her own interests with you.


• Time for snowballs! Teach your child how to compact snow into a snow ball. (Use water from a spray bottle if it is helpful.) Arrange the snowballs from largest to smallest or set up a target (dad?!) and throw them!
• Make snow cookies. Yes, you heard that right: COOKIES! Bring out old baking sheets and cookie cutters. Let your little chef make snow cookies - you can even add sprinkles on top. (If the snow doesn't pack, spray with your water bottle and let the cookies freeze. Remove the cookie cutters the following day.)Write letters in the snow. Arrange twigs to spell his name or to write a message.


• Make track shapes. Gather up kitchen objects, bath toys or blocks to “stamp” into the snow. How many shapes can you make? 


• Play ‘hide the bear’. Well they do hibernate after all, so take a stuffed animal such as a turtle, frog or bear outside and hide it from plain view. Challenge your tot to find the hibernating animal.


• Build a snow castle. Use beach buckets filled with snow to create snow castles. Make one glorious castle, decorated with icicles and stones, or build an entire village. Add holiday lights to see your creation lit up at night.
• Make a mini-snowman (or snow woman, if you prefer). It's still a snow man even if it is two feet tall! And if you build quickly, you could make a whole family. Add carrots, raisins, apple slices, cereal pieces or banana to decorate.

-Fashion a recycled feeder and hang it somewhere you can view it from a window. Try using a 1/2 gallon milk jug, oatmeal container, or cereal box. Determine how to hang it with string and cut openings to fill it with seed. The more unusual the container, the more creative you can be!
• Count birds that visit your bird feeder. (If you're like me, you may want to count squirrels, too!)


• Use drops of food coloring to create colorful water dyes. Pour them in clean, recycled spray bottles and let your child squirt rainbow art in the snow.


• Do a science experiment. Make two snowballs. Place one outside, where you will not move it. Place the other on a plate inside. Take photographs of each snowball over time. How long does it take each one to melt?
  

Monica Wiedel-Lubinski is the Director of The Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center. For more great ways to share nature with your children, visit www.ExploreNature.org or check out all of Monica's (cool) progeny Nature Play contributions.

guest post: sincere thanks to warm your soul

Many thanks to Monica Wiedel-Lubinski, who is guest posting for us today. Monica writes a monthly post for (cool) progeny, reminding us all how to get back to nature with the little cuties in our life.

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Despite the chilly weather, a heart-felt feeling of gratitude warms the soul this holiday season. After all, everyone has something to be thankful for. Love and gratitude is what the holidays are supposed to be about, right? So forget the commercial hype for a while and try these tips which encourage your family to express appreciation for blessings big and small.

Make a list, check it twice. As a family, write out a list of things you are grateful for (favorite blanket, mom’s chocolate chip cookies, or kisses from baby sister). Little kids can “write” or draw pictures on the list. Hang the list in a special place where family members will see it frequently. Older kids could write words of thanks on small stones and place them in a garden or flower pot. In the spring, plant something that will help your gratitude to blossom and grow!

Give to others. Send family members on a mission: fill up a bag with items you don’t need or use anymore. Think toys, books, clothes, food, etc. Make a family trip to donate these gently used items to a local shelter for people or animals. It’s a great way to recycle, plus there’s a bonus: we all feel more grateful for our creature comforts when we realize how much we take for granted.

Remember those who help you. There are many people who make life easier, like the people who collect garbage or deliver mail whether it’s one hundred degrees, raining, windy, or below freezing. Teachers, doctors, and dentists also help us on a regular basis and deserve our thanks. Take time to say “thank you” by writing a card or leaving a basket of special homemade treats.

A neighbor in need…Even if you don’t know your neighbors (or, especially if you don’t know them!) make a gesture to acknowledge them during the holiday season. Cut paper snowflakes from the cartoon pages of the newspaper or use recycled gift wrap and write a sweet poem or uplifting quote. Leave the snowflakes on the front door for a downright neighborly surprise!

It’s a wild life. You can encourage your children to develop respect for your local wildlife by providing nourishment for animals in winter. Use a pinecone, bagel, or stale heel of bread to make a bird feeder. Tie a piece of twine or raffia onto it first, and then slather the feeder with nut butter or shortening. Cover your creation in birdseed and hang outdoors for the animals to enjoy.

Keep them near and dear. Make a point to tell your loved ones what they mean to you. Go beyond a routine “I love you,” and state specifically what makes you feel grateful or loved. Not feeling chatty? Write a love note! Use ribbon or yarn to fasten twigs into picture frames, which can display your special messages of love.

As you share gratitude for the things you cherish, the winter doldrums will melt away. Enjoy this beautiful, snowy season and celebrate your blessings with the ones you love.

Monica Wiedel-Lubinski is the Director of The Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center. For more great ways to share nature with your children, visit www.ExploreNature.org.

guest post: Autumn Family Fun!

Today's guest post is by Monica Wiedel-Lubinski. Monica, program director of The Nature Place at Irvine, contributes a monthly article to (cool) progeny that help you explore nature with your tots! Check out her previous posts on nature play with your little one and growing respect right from the start. We love Monica's ideas for simple things to do with young kids that expose them to natural wonders!

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Now that the warm, sunny days of summer have turned to the cool, breezy days of autumn, take advantage of plentiful leaves! The colorful tree treasures are a great incentive to venture out for fresh air and marvel at the season’s beauty. Here are 12 leafy ideas to try with your little one:

OUTDOOR EXPLORATION

Head’s up. Beautiful trees are easy to spot in the distance, but we often forget to gaze up. Take in the view looking directly up at the tree top from the trunk. How tall is the tree? Are there any exposed nests? Which branches have the most leaves? Which side of the tree is the sunlight shining on?

A tisket, a tasket. Take a basket outside to gather leaves during an autumn stroll. Try sorting leaves into colors, shapes, or by size. You can encourage counting skills, too.

Leaf races. Go out on a windy day, armed with a sharpie. Mark leaves for yourself and your child with words that describe each leaf (EX. fire red or sunny yellow). When the wind picks up, let your leaves race and soar! Chase the leaves and measure how far they travel. Race again and again!

Rake in the gold. Experience the joy of jumping in a pile of leaves together. Invite your child to help you rake the yard and reward her with a load of leafy fun.

Good scents. Fall has a smell all its own. Notice the scents of the leaves, trees, and crisp air.

Rainbow Snakes. Line up leaves to create giant rainbow snakes. Where is your snake going? Will it still be in the same place tomorrow?

What’s eating you? Search for leaves that have been nibbled by tiny animals. Look closely at fallen leaves for small creatures seeking shelter (ants, millipedes, worms, slugs, salamanders, and snails).

Musical leaves. Collect crinkly leaves and stow them in an empty oatmeal can, margarine tub, or cereal box. Experiment with different sounds in different containers. Shake, rattle, and roll your new instruments! When your finished, return the leaves back to nature.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Watercolor Leaves. Let nature inspire your tot! Use washable markers to trace around the edges of your leaves on thick tag board or watercolor paper. Use watercolors to paint in the leaf shapes and background. The washable markers will fade and blend with the paint, making for a dreamy leaf picture.

Metallic leaves. Add some pizzazz to fallen leaves by painting them with metallic acrylic craft paint. The leaves can be tucked into a grapevine wreath or strewn along ribbon as festive garland.

Pressed Leaves. Find a heavy book (telephone book works great) and press leaves between the pages. Allow the leaves to become dry and flattened (2-3 weeks). Use them for animal leaf collages or leaf letter monograms.

Tree Top Mobile. This floating mobile is a nifty memento of fall. You will need: crochet hoop, ribbon, fishing line, leaves, chunky beads. Thread leaves and beads onto various lengths of fishing line, making certain that the beads cannot come loose. Tie the fishing line lengths to the inner hoop. Tighten outer hoop once complete. Tie a final length of fishing line to hang the mobile (make adjustments so the mobile is balanced in the center). Embellish with ribbon around the rim of the hoop.

Found Object Painting: Scenes from Fall

I love how (cool) progeny contributors and other parent bloggers inspire us! Last month, (cool) contributor Monica suggested that introducing young children/toddlers to natural objects like sticks and leaves is a great way to bond. Then I stumbled upon a fabulous post by MaryLea over at Pink and Green Mama about Found Object Printmaking.

Well, why not combine the two? Hence today's post.

The Bug and I took a trek through our tiny backyard gathering leaves, sticks, rocks, feathers and anything else that had an interesting texture or appealed to Lila's curiosity. Then I pulled out the fall-colored non-toxic paints and let her go to town.

What started as printmaking ended up as finger painting. But boy did the Bug have a good time!

I made one mistake though. I thought confining Lila to the high chair would help contain the mess... instead, she mistook the paint for food. Took a few minutes to straighten that fiasco out...

What fall craft are you contemplating with your toddler?

Embrace the Good Life: Grow Respect Right From the Start

Many thanks to today's guest blogger, Monica Wiedel-Lubinski, Program Director of The Nature Place at Irvine. Last month, Monica shared tips for exploring nature with your infant. Today, she's got fabulous tips for unplugging a bit and raising a (respectful) child. Thanks for sharing, Monica!

We especially like her tip "come from a place of yes." How many times have you told your toddler "no" today? Yeah. Me too. (But, Monica helpfully reminds us, none of us is perfect...)

Although we may not yet have achieved perfection, we're already superheroes! (Don't believe me? See below...)
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As an educator and the director of a preschool program at Irvine Nature Center, there are more than a few lessons I have learned about how to gently tend to children’s' needs and delicately prune behavior. By planting these little 'seeds' below, your child will develop positive, healthy habits and your family will grow in respect, trust, and love.

• Don't Kill the Joy. Let your child marvel in the minutia of life. Acknowledge your child's little discoveries and stop to ponder with your sweetie. Take time to smell the roses (literally) or watch that bitty insect buzz around. Let your child experience free play time outdoors. You will begin to learn about your child's interests and hone his skills for future learning (observation, spatial, fine and gross motor, etc.). And you send a strong message to your child: "your ideas matter to me." 


  
  
• Be Present. Turn your who-za-whats-it OFF. Yes, I know you were looking forward to this episode, or you really need to check your email about that work thing. But in the big picture, none of that matters. Your family is the most important thing in your life, so let your actions speak louder than your words. Turn off the TV, computer, phone, or IPod and enjoy this fleeting time with your child.


  
  
• Be Genuine. Give sincere, specific praise when you really mean it (EX. "I like the way you picked up all your toys! Thank you for helping!") Be ware that your praise will lose its polish if you go overboard or make sweeping declarations of praise ("You're the fastest swimmer EVER!"). Along these lines, avoid telling white lies. It sets a bad example and usually isn't necessary. If you invent little lies to cover up uncomfortable situations, you can be sure that your child will, too. She may begin to question your sincerity all the time, which could impact the trust you are trying to grow.
  
  
• Come From a Place of 'Yes'. "No, don't do that! No, leave that alone! I said NO!" No one wants to hear "no" all time. (Do YOU?) There are certainly times where 'yes' cannot be your response, but coming from a positive mindset models how to be optimistic and provides plenty of choices as to what children CAN do. Instead of "No, leave that alone!" try "That's not for kids, but let's play with ___ instead". Then, follow through with your suggestion together. If you were hoping your child would play independently for a little while longer, but the behavior continues, you may need to focus on quality playtime. Offering alternatives can redirect behavior and is very effective with the under five set, but if your child is craving one-on-one attention, redirection is no substitute for you!
  
  
• Magical Motivation. I can't say enough good things about puppets. Yes, that's right -- puppets. Puppets make any chore fun! Clean up blocks? No problem, watch the puppet. Put on your shoes? Happily, with a silly puppet serenade. If you don't have any puppets, try singing in a funny voice or make up goofy rhymes that you can both dance to. You will feel like a fool, but don't worry, your child won't mind! Not only will you help motivate positive behaviors, you will also encourage a love of music, dance, and dramatic play. And another bonus: your child will learn that mundane tasks can be fun.
  
  
• Patience, My Pretty. It's dizzying to think of all the new skills children develop through their preschool years. Despite all of the progress, there is ample frustration prior to mastering a milestone. You might be in a hurry or tired of cleaning up after your child as he learns a new task (putting on shoes, walking up steps, using the potty, or drinking from a glass). It takes nerves of steel to allow your child to make mistakes (there goes the glass of water...again!). But keep smiling, take a deep breath, and offer support for your frustrated cutie pie. Your child will learn to trust you and seek out your help as he or she gets older if they know you offer non-judgmental love and support now.
  
  
• Ditch the Schedule (yours and your baby's). Don't over schedule your tot with to-do's whether they are social, educational, or otherwise. Strike a balance between enrichment for your child and overload of activities. Remember, being present with you is what matters most. You are your child's best teacher. 

Trust is in her eyes. When speaking to your child, make eye contact. Even more difficult but equally as important, make eye contact when she is speaking. Don't interrupt to speed things up or put words in her mouth. Be an active listener. After all, you want her to listen to you, right? Now is the time to model how it's done.
  
  
• Consistent = Fair. Children learn how to be respectful in part by being treated respectfully. Consistent enforcement of rules goes a long way to teach children fairness. When a child feels he or she is being treated fairly, they develop a sense of dignity, justice, and respect. Consistent, fair treatment in a family, classroom, or social group is a key component to fostering respectful behavior.
  
  
• You're Already a Super Hero. It's true! To your child, you can do no wrong. So set an example, a good example, of the virtues and behaviors you would like your child to develop. Take a moment to write out a list of traits you would like your child to have as an adult. Scan down that list with your partner. Are these traits that you regularly model for your child? If not, discuss ways to incorporate different activities or routines into your days.
  
  
• Forgive without a Grudge. "She's ALWAYS misbehaving." "He NEVER listens." Usually the person uttering these words doesn't grasp the power of what they are saying over and over again. Negative statements like these can become self-fulfilling prophecies. (IE. Mom says I never listen, so I may as well ignore her.) After another mini-disaster when it's time to make up, set an example of forgiveness. When you hold a grudge, you relaying that you don't trust your child to correct her behavior on her own. Children rise to expectations, so believe in your little dear, and believe her when she is sorry. Give her the opportunity to redeem herself with your support and love.
  
  
• Choose your Battles. You don't want to be the broken record parent constantly scolding "No! No! I said NO!" Just as your child will tune out insincere praise, your child will also get 'no overload' if it's all you ever say. Instead, decide what truly warrants a 'no'. It may be that you need to redirect his or her behavior or remove temptation altogether. There will always be the non-negotiable "we don't poke Spot in the eye, that hurts!" but if it's not going to cause injury, try to let it go.
  

Alas, we are only human. No matter how hard we try, no one on earth could do all of these things all of the time, despite our best efforts. Let forgiveness apply to your own parenting faux pas. Though it may break your heart to apologize to him for your outburst, he will also learn how to forgive you.

NOTE: Irvine Nature Center is full of ways to unplug with your child (think Meet the Critter or Tagalong Time). You can purchase puppets there, too! Check us out at www.ExploreNature.org or come by for leisurely hike on the trails.

Nature Play with Your Little Babe

Today's guest post is from Monica Weidel-Lubinski, manager of children and art programs at Irvine Nature Center. Monica's post was inspired by her work at Irvine, and her adorable son Ethan. We're THRILLED to announce Monica will be guest posting for us once a month. Look for more fabulous nature-inspired-parent-child material from this simply savvy momma soon!
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Your baby is watching your every move and picking up cues based on how you interact with nature. If your aim is to instill respect and love for all things wild, try these simple activities with babies ages three months to two years old:

• Let baby crinkle dry leaves on the ground. Crunch the leaves with baby as he enjoys the sound.

  
  
• Visit shrubs and trees to allow baby to touch and grab at the green leaves. Smell the leaves with baby.

  
  
• Invite baby to grab and feel soil with hands and toes.

  
  
• Quietly watch birds fly overhead and squirrels pitter patter.

  
  
• Listen to bird sounds and mimic them for baby: “teacher-teacher-teacher”, “peter-peter-peter," or “caw caw”!

  
  
• Visit nearby flowers. Gently touch and smell the flowers. Say color names to baby and describe how the petals or leaves feel.

  
  
• Pick up twigs and seeds for baby to manipulate. Try tossing helicopter seeds to watch them spin.

  
  
• Blow bubbles in the wind. Listen to the sounds of the bubbles pop on blades of grass.

  
  
• Make sounds with what you find outside. Try tapping acorns, walnuts, or twigs together and invite baby to join in.

  
  
• Touch tree bark and describe how it feels to baby (rough, smooth, bumpy, scratchy).

  
  
• Pick up a worm, cricket, or ant and show baby how it moves in your hand. If baby is welcoming, let the tiny animal crawl in baby’s hand.

  
  
• Stand your barefoot baby on soft grass or moss. Encourage baby to touch the grass or moss with fingers, too.

  
  
• Play in a puddle. Stir up water with twigs, dip fingers or toes in, or float leaves in the water.

Your curious cub will develop positive feelings about nature through happy, sensory associations of nature play with you. As you explore together, you are making more than memories; you are nurturing baby’s lifelong love of nature!



Have an older child? Interested in a nature-based pre-school program? Check out (cool) progeny's article on Irvine's new preschool aged program.

Common Sense Notes about Nature Play

Always supervise your baby! Never leave baby unattended outdoors and watch closely whenever she is holding small objects. Never allow baby to taste any leaves, and do not allow baby to play in soil or grass where pesticides or other chemicals may have been applied.