backyard – Growing Green Hearts

5 Ways this May to Care for Lawn, Water, Air and Wildlife

May 11, 2020 Comments Off

1. Consider a “Bee Lawn” in care of pollinators. Truth: bugs are beneficial. Planet earth, including your food supply and neighborhood bird population would not be the same without them. Here are a few resources to check out: “Where Have All the Insects Gone?” National Geographic article at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/05/where-have-all-the-insects-gone-feature/ Pollinate Minnesota at https://www.pollinatemn.org Your Lawn […]

4 Phenomena to Explore this Fall

October 25, 2017 Leave a comment

Weird, Wonder-Filled Science Happenings for Kids this Fall Autumn has arrived! Celebrate natural changes by investigating these 4 happenings (phenomena) with children. Lead with exploration of a leaf pile, a hike, unstructured time with loose parts such as leaves, crisp fall air, dried grasses, squash and frosty grass. Emphasize the use of our senses. Collect their observations. […]

Bubble Fun. Water Care.

October 12, 2016 Comments Off

Up, up, and away! Bubbles are fun! Bubbles are a great way to teach about matter. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Matter can be in the form of a solid, liquid, gas, or plasma. The bubble making tools such as buckets, bowls, wands, strainers or serrated spoons are solids. Water […]

Storytimes, STEM & Summer Sites 2015

October 16, 2015 Comments Off

Summer Fun with Growing Green Hearts Here’s a sample of what Growing Green Hearts has been up to… Growing Green Hearts kicked off the summer by providing nature-based programming with MELSA libraries in May, June, and July. Oh the joy on a child’s face when their fingers are in the cool summer soil with tiny […]

Bird Watching with Kids

January 27, 2015 Comments Off

Tips for young birders… Bring the birds to you! When it’s cold outside you can really help out the birds by providing them with food. After all, it takes energy to stay warm. A bird feeder can be like a drive-thru restaurant for birds to get some quick energy and a quick pit stop where […]

How do squirrels stay warm up there?

November 13, 2014 Comments Off

Air, Insulation & Heat-trappers Keep Squirrels Warm How do squirrels stay warm when they sleep? Do you think that acorns and fur are enough to keep a squirrel from freezing on chilly nights? How is a squirrel’s nest similar to your snuggly bed? Taking a closer look at a squirrel’s nest of leaves high in […]

Autumn Leaf Lessons: Awesome & Mysterious!

October 20, 2014 Comments Off

Tricks & Treats That Leaves Teach Us Why do leaves change color? What causes seasons? Why are some leaves yellow and some leaves red? What makes the leaves crunch so much? The first step of the scientific method is to ask a question…so keep kids asking! Some questions are testable with an experiment. Other questions […]

State Fair Nature Play

August 15, 2014 Comments Off

Natural Playgrounds Taking Root The “Great Minnesota Get-Together” will have a natural playground in 2014! Research (C&NN) shows that combining fresh air, natural materials and power of play leads to physical and mental health benefits for children. Natural Playgrounds are popping up in backyards, schools, nature centers, childcare centers, and churches across the state. This […]

Camping with Kids

July 24, 2014 Comments Off

Tips, Types, What to Pack…and Leave Behind Outdoor adventures await you! Camping can be a fun and easy way to play outside, gain a sense-of-place, experience your environment, and practice sustainability as a family. State parks and national parks are like giant natural playgrounds for kids of all ages. Here are some things to consider […]

Arbor Month is May

May 1, 2014 Comments Off

Trees. Trees. Trees. How will you celebrate Arbor Month this May…Eat an apple? Climb a tree? Plant a tree? Enjoy the shade? Here are ways for classrooms and families to show appreciation and care for trees. Get to know a tree that you often pass by. Investigate the bark by getting a crayon rubbing , […]