tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73807637987461934432024-03-16T11:53:03.914-07:00early play outdoorsoutdoor play ideas for the early yearsLee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-16872641282283670502014-06-14T18:33:00.002-07:002014-06-14T18:41:32.136-07:00Growing plants from seeds with young children<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a fun activity that takes concentration and teaches patience as we wait for the seeds to arrive up out of the earth. While we wait we learn about the life cycle of a plant: what does the plant need to grow and thrive?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJek0wMPuJEgeSQVSMtZc0dBN7QrBXX7DlkCRZGSw819delJKIE4LOAdZfSIHGxHWmof8hNnKcfJfvFE8vu-18D3MGSs920b5LARWgdCCNGEo4Ch_E7LwjukVRAdEU7MsVpSFcmj0M8k/s1600/dad+and+plants+untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Growing plants from seeds for Pre K children" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJek0wMPuJEgeSQVSMtZc0dBN7QrBXX7DlkCRZGSw819delJKIE4LOAdZfSIHGxHWmof8hNnKcfJfvFE8vu-18D3MGSs920b5LARWgdCCNGEo4Ch_E7LwjukVRAdEU7MsVpSFcmj0M8k/s1600/dad+and+plants+untitled.png" height="400" title="Growing plants from seeds with young children" width="265" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">1. </span></span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Planting in the Garden: Dig the earth where you will plant the seeds into furrows or individual seed holes.<br />
</span></span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Planting in Pots: turn the earth in the pot and dig a hole.<br />
2. Each child holds a few seeds in their hand and is shown where the seed should go and they put it in. (see picture above)<br />
3. When all the seeds are planted work together to push the soil back over the seeds.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Sam, at age 4, is already pretty good at handling the smaller seeds (carrots, onions, etc.) but Avery is just on her first planting year to be involved so she just helped with the bigger bean seeds.<br />
Beans are, in my opinion, some of the best plants to grow with young kids. The seeds are big and easy to handle. The seeds sprout fairly quickly so that they don't have to be patient for too long. The beans are easy to pick off and a great immediate snack in the yard. My girls both loved helping to pick the beans last year and I know this year they will get just as into the process." Abbie at Greening Sam and Avery<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Growing from Seeds </span></span><a href="http://juniorlandcarechallenge.com.au/wp-content/themes/yates/assets/Growing%20from%20seeds.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">PDF</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> from Yates and Junior Landcare</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Looking for a helpful book about gardening with children?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1889538787/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1889538787&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1889538787&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=cowbochron-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1889538787" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1889538787/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1889538787&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20">Gardening with Children (BBG Guides for a Greener Planet) from Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1889538787" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-19553599614446623302013-05-14T20:51:00.001-07:002014-05-03T22:51:15.176-07:00Feed the birds<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">Feeding the birds in the city</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Everywhere I go lately I see families feeding the birds. I guess I do spend a lot of time at parks, most recently, yesterday, at Sydney's Centennial Park where we fed a huge flock of floating geese that then came ashore and fed on the grass as they honked along. It was a feast for the senses: the sun on our backs and wind in our hair, the noise of the splashing, sometimes bickering birds and the interesting textures of the feathers and beaks and orange webbed feet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">Feeding the birds is a simple, cheap and time honored experience that can be enjoyed by all ages. Simple as it can be done wherever you can find birds. Cheap because you use old stale bread that you would probably have otherwise thrown away and time honored as I remember feeding the birds with my grandfather and he use to do it with his.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;">For older prechoolers I really liked the 'Birds of Sydney' leaflet at the </span><a href="http://www.centennialparklands.com.au/visitor_info/getting_to_the_parklands" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;">Centennial Park</span></a><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;"> Kiosk as they can talk about and point out which birds they have seen on their trip home.</span></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #999999; font-size: large;">Come feed the little birds, show them you care<br />And you'll be glad if you do.<br />Their young ones are hungry,<br />Their nests are so bare;<br />All it takes is tuppence from you."<br />Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,<br />Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.<br />"Feed the birds," that's what she cries,<br />While overhead, her birds fill the skies.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="color: #999999;"> FROM MARY POPPINS</span></div>
<br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-34423367358256843012013-01-25T22:27:00.001-08:002015-07-31T18:16:17.436-07:00Create a fragrant garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AzjhQ2p0i_BWemWjBCScp6gstP3lFzxK0JbYgFp7L6IMAYYCnbxoN6FWefxJi2xo9XkO2TCEAJ9W8RgqrHbKS-OWdnkZtDCDgLPyCriEpqalMf7aJpxZcsa5bWHpZvq6-SVLKlXpx_4/s1600/wix+3a794711f87f3b28c3bbc5e9bc95c8db.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AzjhQ2p0i_BWemWjBCScp6gstP3lFzxK0JbYgFp7L6IMAYYCnbxoN6FWefxJi2xo9XkO2TCEAJ9W8RgqrHbKS-OWdnkZtDCDgLPyCriEpqalMf7aJpxZcsa5bWHpZvq6-SVLKlXpx_4/s400/wix+3a794711f87f3b28c3bbc5e9bc95c8db.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
This week we have been digging in the dirt and making our own beautiful fragrant garden.<br />
This is a wonderful combination of messy play and creating something lasting and beautiful that can be appreciated by all.<br />
First we started with an outing to the plant nursery. We rang ahead of time to ask which was their quietest day. We have a lovely local shady nursery with a interesting winding path and large red fish in a pond. We purchased:<br />
<ul>
<li>lemon verbena</li>
<li>geraniums: lemon, rose, lime, peppermint</li>
<li>mints: spearmint, peppermint</li>
<li>bergamont</li>
<li>pennyroyal</li>
<li>rosemary</li>
<li>lavender </li>
</ul>
Most of these plants were in the herb section. <br />
We had great fun digging and transferring the plants and smelling the leaves of the geranium plants. Scented geraniums are grown mainly for their foliage because of the wonderful scents they have when their leaves are rubbed. They work well in containers and small spaces, and can be grown successfully either indoors or out.<br />
The best fun we had though, and ongoing, was watering the plants when they were all happily planted in their beds.<br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;">“It was such a pleasure to sink one's hands into the warm earth, to feel at one's fingertips the possibilities of the new season.”</span> <br />
― Kate Morton, <i>The Forgotten Garden </i><br />
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RESOURCES: <a href="http://www.garden.org/foodguide/browse/herb" target="_blank">Herb Gardening Guide</a> from Garden.org includes guides on growing, basil, parsley, sage, dill, mint, chives, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and frech tarragon.Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-87443311144388958702012-11-23T19:53:00.001-08:002015-03-10T04:30:28.494-07:00Mud play<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="public domain image mud play" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39LA69-QZIHbrzMDoEJWwbcQgUxAV1IYXio5EFxenSWLwYUCXwqLUkYLVCc1ihFHAnjY-H6bskVM_HZhhVfcRO2OXOyflu2HnHmKM0wannJ1iQC4NCdPv_fMw1uSPbuunijNHe9h79e5w/s200/mud-day7.jpg" height="320" naa="true" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=" mud play for kids" width="316" /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Are you lucky enough to have a mud patch in your garden, preschool or child care centre?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="color: black;">THEORY:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="color: black;">Did you know that playing in the mud can make you <b>happy, healthy, smart and creative</b>?</span></span><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="color: black;"> <i>Exposure to friendly soil bacteria could improve mood by boosting the
immune system just as effectively as antidepressant drugs, a <a href="http://www.livescience.com/7270-depressed-play-dirt.html" target="_blank">new study</a>
suggests</i>.
Find out more good news about his fun activity: </span></span><a href="http://progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/10-reasons-why-we-should-let-children.html" target="_blank">10 reasons why we should let children play in the mud</a> at Let the Children Play</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">HOW TO MAKE A MUD PATCH: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/quality-in-childcare-practice-of-childcare/play/mud-play/" target="_blank">Creating a Mud Patch</a> at early childhood Ireland</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://janwhitenaturalplay.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/make-a-mud-kitchen-for-mud-day-new-guidance-published-today/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Make a Mud Kitchen for Mud Day – new guidance published today!">Make a Mud Kitchen for Mud Day </a>at Jan White Natural Play</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">ACTIVITIES FOR MUD PLAY WITH PRESCHOOLERS:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.parentingscience.com/preschool-science-projects-dirt.html" target="_blank">3 Preschool science projects exploring dirt and mud</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Even if you don't have room for a patch you can provide mud play in smaller ways suggested here:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hmGTZaMBrgm0bLms5x-p1cuLgIRcAq9Mq4j7VyeU7xbPzRT3_3UEU5mKlSrrYavVmHWxADDjJAoDt_1LwHTnzMED0esKeu__TnYvxWnALM-0EH8F2Pf0g1nNeLfdZKsKsaY6-zb8J_8/s1600/mud+cakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hmGTZaMBrgm0bLms5x-p1cuLgIRcAq9Mq4j7VyeU7xbPzRT3_3UEU5mKlSrrYavVmHWxADDjJAoDt_1LwHTnzMED0esKeu__TnYvxWnALM-0EH8F2Pf0g1nNeLfdZKsKsaY6-zb8J_8/s1600/mud+cakes.jpg" title="children's hands palying in mud" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mud wedding cakes at </span><a href="http://posiepatchworkblog.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/im-grateful-for-safe-storms.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">posie blogs</span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b79q2xGsQ1jOofTThE6MGOMMS3maQcqDJpldFACfXMPpsYpLtHpQAkMmbTtjI33EGLTmrgXZju0pVPy5qirnMuFAxN0FkLxxcfyyyBNL8nnLc4rq5MDDpERrTLhRvAnCfqPxikAzLw4/s1600/mud+152215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="preschooler play" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b79q2xGsQ1jOofTThE6MGOMMS3maQcqDJpldFACfXMPpsYpLtHpQAkMmbTtjI33EGLTmrgXZju0pVPy5qirnMuFAxN0FkLxxcfyyyBNL8nnLc4rq5MDDpERrTLhRvAnCfqPxikAzLw4/s320/mud+152215.jpg" height="213" title="child sitting in plastic container of mud" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Contain it at </span><a href="http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/mud-day.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Chasing Cheerios</span></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC-nkMm3EyzHNAmlU1RhSuZAgfSEHtRXCkKWVntwcQ9gZduySnlst1Tj3fS1JScroXmnZWAfGr5AQ2CFkWGgS_EgU3tALApmVRxaT5-0BHnWFyml4UxjNpXzEjutCYmBuSLeUY0qYIfY/s1600/mud+untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="preschool mud creations" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC-nkMm3EyzHNAmlU1RhSuZAgfSEHtRXCkKWVntwcQ9gZduySnlst1Tj3fS1JScroXmnZWAfGr5AQ2CFkWGgS_EgU3tALApmVRxaT5-0BHnWFyml4UxjNpXzEjutCYmBuSLeUY0qYIfY/s320/mud+untitled.png" height="213" title="snails created from mud" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Make mud creations at </span><a href="http://viajoy.typepad.com/my-blog/2012/05/playing-with-dirt-.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Via Joy</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.coombemill.com/blog/category/Country-Kids.aspx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Country Kids from Coombe Mill Farm Holidays Cornwall"><img alt="Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall" border="0" src="http://www.coombemill.com/images/blog/country_Kids/thumbs/th_Country_Kids_badge_transparent.png" title="Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall" /></a></div>
Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-741772816379210692012-11-01T23:21:00.002-07:002013-02-01T23:32:43.890-08:00NATURE RUBBINGS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yd12IFT1A13a5YW7Yov5BvZ8WT_987BzG8kvuhyphenhyphenrQ4xn47Mo3XGQsFqeG1JV7Idx2ljZQl0D7qFi6vs26sL6gCElUdDsLeeutWiUIJuij5Dc8_4mlIiNzXdkMfWeAFSiRnSFiU0Vdlw/s1600/bark+rubbing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yd12IFT1A13a5YW7Yov5BvZ8WT_987BzG8kvuhyphenhyphenrQ4xn47Mo3XGQsFqeG1JV7Idx2ljZQl0D7qFi6vs26sL6gCElUdDsLeeutWiUIJuij5Dc8_4mlIiNzXdkMfWeAFSiRnSFiU0Vdlw/s1600/bark+rubbing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Art and the outdoors: what a great combination.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Getting children curious about the natural world and being outdoors, even if they aren't a sporty type of person, is what this activity is all about.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Materials: Thin paper, crayons and pencils. <br />Children to place paper over objects and rub with crayons and pencils. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Try tree trunks, acorns, rocks, fences, bricks, anything with texture. Discover what works as a textural surface and what does not work, what is nature and what is man made. Talk about what are man made objects. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">PHOTO thanks to <a href="http://yell.com/">yell.com</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">LINKED AT: <a href="http://www.flightsofwhimsy-ece.com/" target="_blank">Outdoor Play Link Up</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://squigglyrainbow.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Garden Journal</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-84789470242602980642012-10-19T04:00:00.000-07:002012-10-19T04:00:54.555-07:00Feed the ducks<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1855084706272127770" itemprop="articleBody">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFRRPjKMlZ4uTW9J0EK2AlB_8uLo9RLi0K5CCiqLgtKRiFy4uy7j-zYno3K9sTr2eDBdKLHunqGgK4ssqYT6qysGmqbXdGKgvhxtoGRDseyQVjlowfYx7wLPDBrN70RNLzT7jQh9mcfw/s1600/file0001641379063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFRRPjKMlZ4uTW9J0EK2AlB_8uLo9RLi0K5CCiqLgtKRiFy4uy7j-zYno3K9sTr2eDBdKLHunqGgK4ssqYT6qysGmqbXdGKgvhxtoGRDseyQVjlowfYx7wLPDBrN70RNLzT7jQh9mcfw/s1600/file0001641379063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtnGxIhCxi28bNtihym7xmfRksJsZo3al3xly8FHh5StjTXxfaIV-qYYq6cwVoqNmNkFctYPJnoVxODTfltCahQBt5Y4rxTQ295_dpp5wJdGwDedwAj1VzQ9AJyAy199qEYOc8DvmY4M/s1600/feed+the+ducks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtnGxIhCxi28bNtihym7xmfRksJsZo3al3xly8FHh5StjTXxfaIV-qYYq6cwVoqNmNkFctYPJnoVxODTfltCahQBt5Y4rxTQ295_dpp5wJdGwDedwAj1VzQ9AJyAy199qEYOc8DvmY4M/s1600/feed+the+ducks.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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Go on - feed the ducks at <a href="http://playideas.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/go-on-feed-ducks.html"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Play Ideas</span></strong></a> and 5 reasons why you should...</div>
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Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-59431767992705911042012-10-15T01:35:00.000-07:002015-07-03T20:05:17.742-07:00Looking for insects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1ytdlJeOty9bkQGlVD0YrFCXVUv5ILtd693zWubogvYidz7TRQM_ZpWRPcR1g9z_Y0r9Drh1BvwfR_owVq2GJWxqSW0avxTfheMYlmAuAYVmaAYBM5Bu_0qBoovIDjm9FPYi6NPQU7w/s1600/simple+outdoor+activity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1ytdlJeOty9bkQGlVD0YrFCXVUv5ILtd693zWubogvYidz7TRQM_ZpWRPcR1g9z_Y0r9Drh1BvwfR_owVq2GJWxqSW0avxTfheMYlmAuAYVmaAYBM5Bu_0qBoovIDjm9FPYi6NPQU7w/s400/simple+outdoor+activity.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></strong> </div>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One day we went looking for insects with lots of large magnifying glasses. We found lots of ants, a giant dead cockroach, a dragonfly, an empty spiderweb and some buzzing flys. One boy said he was allergic to mosquitoes. We left the insects where we found them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">This activity is so simple as all you need to take with you outdoors is a magnifying glass and you can have an interesting half hour or more for all kinds of kids: artists, scientists, nature lovers, explorers...</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">I have found that the best magnifying glass for young children, has a safe large plastic lense, makes a wonderful gift and can be purchased <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SCC462/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001SCC462&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20&linkId=UVX7ZX2WLC5GTCJZ">here</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001SCC462" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SCC462/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001SCC462&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20&linkId=TK5DRUT6X5WS2NOF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B001SCC462&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=cowbochron-20" /></a></div>
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</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Later we sang about the </span><a href="http://earlyplayrhymes.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/here-is-beehive.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">bees in the beehive</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and <strong><a href="http://earlyplayrhymes.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/shoo-fly.html" target="_blank">shoo fly</a></strong> and incy wincy spider and we read the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399229191/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399229191&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20&linkId=D4OGBVPZ2C35WWCT">Eric Carle book</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0399229191" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
about the spider where you can feel the web on the page.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399229191/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399229191&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20&linkId=2JKQNONVSWPZO3X4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0399229191&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=cowbochron-20" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://52daystoexplore.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/investigate-insects.html"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Read more dragonfly ideas</span></a> can be found at 52 days to explore.<br />
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<img alt="science for preschoolers" border="0" height="133" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3w0UbUi3n71eQz7iU_oH8ck2h8di_xUlicWdgUEkWv94ZfmFOAtA8MNBMmiWnShsMreRMD1AHp1DPh8ucC76xF0VRdTHFZLd171CqEQwipudHI4ZQfkUT9AbWnv67FAN3m3Ed65V4rL5x/s200/dragon+fly+on+green+leaf.jpg" title="outdoor play idea" width="200" /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">LINKED AT: </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.flightsofwhimsy-ece.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009eb8; font-family: inherit;">Outdoor Play Link Up</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://squigglyrainbow.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009eb8; font-family: inherit;">Garden Journal</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">Yes, I am an Amazon Affiliate which means a very small percentage of money goes to me if you purchase the products that I recommend via my page. This is at no extra cost to you. Thank you.</span>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-49085750408910838642012-10-11T18:15:00.002-07:002015-11-23T00:13:45.850-08:00Sand play<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn76nQQbntjicVTMw3thtobUuUNUCLp5KrgkkYH8t5KzPzDcMjvRMF8yfSxJJ0RdVyK9F-eH5AeaijCUIp_h5qJ-rOpXetQWAcQP5zcq85syWCRbGtETnQDEspVja-GzFt1yjn8m6a5Y7-/s1600/earile5751283659038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn76nQQbntjicVTMw3thtobUuUNUCLp5KrgkkYH8t5KzPzDcMjvRMF8yfSxJJ0RdVyK9F-eH5AeaijCUIp_h5qJ-rOpXetQWAcQP5zcq85syWCRbGtETnQDEspVja-GzFt1yjn8m6a5Y7-/s320/earile5751283659038.jpg" width="259" /></a>There is nothing like wet sand on a hot sunny day. It is a wonderful open ended activity that needs nothing more than sand and hands.<br />
<b>Developmental facts about sand play: </b><br />
It is sensory and encourages exploration and imagination and social skills if done in a group of two or more.<br />
It developments muscle strength in hands and arms and in the upper body.<br />
Measuring and pouring and constructing help develop maths and science concepts such as full and empty, big and small.<br />
It develops language skills when sharing, explaining and telling stories of what is happening. Read more:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Sand Play extras</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Natural materials</b>: stones, shells, pine cones, leaves, flowers, large smooth rocks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Kitchen equipment</b>: RECYCLE: drink bottles, spatulas, rolling
pins, funnels, sieves, colanders, measuring spoons and cups, scoops, wooden spoons, plastic spoons, plastic containers, egg cartons, scales, plastic mixing bowls, jugs, plastic bowls and dishes, potato masher, plastic cookie cutters, pots and pans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Sand Toys</b>: sand wheel, bucket, spade, digger, sand combs or wide toothed combs</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-AwBFLp2mcDRbceBxmFEX52h2QjirlpeuKihhwfLjrxTmqukD6uEJzJU_uD677GnCxDT5VaX6TUnqkrpO7XR-kmaNiLksMitPZpOE2xxwrJk7txP0hpAX6qh1cPloaEOdYBEJpZNsyU/s1600/beach+toys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-AwBFLp2mcDRbceBxmFEX52h2QjirlpeuKihhwfLjrxTmqukD6uEJzJU_uD677GnCxDT5VaX6TUnqkrpO7XR-kmaNiLksMitPZpOE2xxwrJk7txP0hpAX6qh1cPloaEOdYBEJpZNsyU/s400/beach+toys.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Toys</b>: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- blocks and block people </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- s</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">hakers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- plastic animals</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- play kitchen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- magnifiers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- vehicles including trucks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- train tunnels</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- trees </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- people </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- tea set</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Household items</b>: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- pegs </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- pieces of material</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- straws </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- gardening tools and gloves </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- tubes and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">cylinders </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- child size table and chairs </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rules for the sandpit:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't throw sand</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Don't eat sand</span><span style="font-family: "tte2821518t00";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "tte2821518t00";"></span></span><br />
<b>Sandpit cleanliness:</b><br />
Sun is a great sanitiser.<br />
Cover sandpit when it is not in use or when you leave the play area.<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Books to read to pre-schoolers about sand:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792255836/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0792255836&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0792255836&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=autoimmunedisease-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0792255836" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792255836/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0792255836&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20">Jump Into Science: Sand</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0792255836" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
for 4 to 8 year olds<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064433641/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0064433641&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0064433641&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=autoimmunedisease-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0064433641" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064433641/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0064433641&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20">The Seashore Book</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0064433641" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
for 4 to 8 year olds<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061582980/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061582980&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0061582980&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=autoimmunedisease-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061582980" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061582980/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061582980&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20">Miranda's Beach Day</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061582980" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
for ages 3 to 8
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<br />
<b>Recommended toys:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015466IK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0015466IK&linkCode=as2&tag=autoimmunedisease-20">Green Toys Sand Play Set</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=autoimmunedisease-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0015466IK" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
is made from recycled plastic milk
containers that save energy, reduce landfill waste and lower greenhouse gas
emissions, all in the name of good green fun.Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-29971361639228379832012-10-03T14:53:00.000-07:002014-06-11T22:58:27.366-07:00Nature Table<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT13ilTJdTtKrLEW4FaicCBHl1P84rU4FV9OzKuXCn5n7ddLdtIZfkVuIrzHQJZ2CdXMxvPdyWCOgXAqQ5t9Mw33k1CjHfhxGKUybU5bsy6bPpupBsnqS4224iwGZ7kcyyvpSbn8OQpU/s1600/koori+kids+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_6uh0ef="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT13ilTJdTtKrLEW4FaicCBHl1P84rU4FV9OzKuXCn5n7ddLdtIZfkVuIrzHQJZ2CdXMxvPdyWCOgXAqQ5t9Mw33k1CjHfhxGKUybU5bsy6bPpupBsnqS4224iwGZ7kcyyvpSbn8OQpU/s320/koori+kids+001.JPG" height="320" ox="true" width="269" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://earthskyseachild.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/nature-table.html">at earth sky sea child</a></div>
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NATURE's WONDERS</div>
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Creating a nature table in your home or centre is a wonderful way to get children and parents interested in the big wide world outdoors. It is an excellent activity for all ages, from the very young and also those in wheelchairs and other children who do not consider themselves sporty or active. </div>
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It gives a focus to the days activity: <em><span style="color: #b45f06;">Today we are collecting things, at the park, to place on our new nature table.</span></em></div>
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When we had a nature table,at one of the centres I worked with, we found that parents were taking their children for walks or planning more visits to the national parks and creeks and beaches and they were as excited as the children when they brought in an abandoned bird's nest or some ancient coral that had washed up on the shore. When children discover these natural treasures they feel more connected to something larger and wondrous.</div>
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Linked up at <a href="http://weeklykidscoop.com/kids-co-op-june-7/" target="_blank">The Weekly Kids Co-op</a></div>
Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-52903066443008543682012-09-30T02:49:00.002-07:002014-07-03T03:53:23.411-07:00Gardening with Children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJSFoewxThC_ZNKNtYSqu_avUdnG2qHeUgfcztuh9H8zJcxgdJL54ksV3qzfMnAI8qse2D12ITwkawvI2IY_36R5QM5eqbEo3ShawOr6JkVkc6q5KikgdrQH8sh3xetj3yAK1sJW_nMk/s1600/61qpDdGPafL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gardening with Children book review" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJSFoewxThC_ZNKNtYSqu_avUdnG2qHeUgfcztuh9H8zJcxgdJL54ksV3qzfMnAI8qse2D12ITwkawvI2IY_36R5QM5eqbEo3ShawOr6JkVkc6q5KikgdrQH8sh3xetj3yAK1sJW_nMk/s1600/61qpDdGPafL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" title="Gardening with Children" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1889538787/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1889538787&linkCode=am2&tag=cowbochron-20">Gardening with Children (BBG Guides for a Greener Planet)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1889538787" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<em>The gorgeous illustrations on every page of this book make learning about nature simple and fun. While children do fun indoor and outdoor plant and garden activities, they will glean important lessons about natural cycles and processes. Bravo to Brooklyn Botanic Garden for publishing this great guide!</em> <a class="noTextDecoration" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A10SS7SBJN1ARV/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp">Nico</a>
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Brooklyn Botanic Garden—home of the oldest continuously operating children’s garden in North America— has created this handbook that helps parents, teachers, and community gardeners introduce kids to the pleasures of gardening. In addition to growing common plants from seed, children will become more aware of nature’s cycles and earth's ecology, and enjoy a variety of fun projects.
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1889538787/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1889538787&linkCode=as2&tag=cowbochron-20" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1889538787&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=cowbochron-20" /></a></div>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cowbochron-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1889538787" height="1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Linked up at <a href="http://myhometruths.com/2014/06/i-must-confess-what-im-reading-right-now/" target="_blank">I Must Confess</a><br />
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Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-81734916494386432052012-09-30T02:31:00.001-07:002014-05-04T06:29:50.722-07:00Grow some tomatoes<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWaC0FRhrQVMljR4AXO4SiilatQmkDSI9_legQTZwZGmx7aJWNN8U2qzbJopqgLtggsK7wWhRPN0zRQLYUKgtvQeqC-H5ZLaBb4OAH8Lwtp3N6twOGr3nRphMhA0uKJJvMY0v9uyk0po/s1600/kids-tomatoes-227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWaC0FRhrQVMljR4AXO4SiilatQmkDSI9_legQTZwZGmx7aJWNN8U2qzbJopqgLtggsK7wWhRPN0zRQLYUKgtvQeqC-H5ZLaBb4OAH8Lwtp3N6twOGr3nRphMhA0uKJJvMY0v9uyk0po/s1600/kids-tomatoes-227.jpg" /></a></div>
Kids love to dig in the dirt so you can involve them in planting veges and herbs from an early age. Cherry tomatoes are a good plant to start with as they are quick growing, visible and can be eaten straight from the bush. If you don't have a large garden they can be grown in a pot on the verandah.<br />
All tomatoes are great growing, in Australia, right now as they are so expensive in the shops. <br />
Kids can help prepare the soil, dig small holes, plant the seedlings or seeds, and water the garden. Later they can mulch around the plants.* It's the waiting that's the hard part, but we all need to learn patience, right? <br />
It's also a great way to get them interested in eating salads and learning what their favourite tomato sauce is made from. <br />
When you visit to see how your tomato plants are growing don't forget to pinch off the suckers that grow inbetween the two branches. They don’t make any fruit and just take energy away from the rest of the plant.<br />
* Let the soil warm up before you mulch to keep the warmth in as tomatoes thrive in a warm environment.<br />
Don't forget to wash hands well with soap and water after handling potting mix, soil or compost.<br />
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MORE IDEAS: <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1769474.htm" target="_blank">Fact Sheet about growing tomatoes</a>: Pete's Patch at Gardening Australia<br />
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<a href="http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to/gardening-with-kids/kids-and-tomatoes/a/1334" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">PHOTO THANKS TO CANADIAN GARDENING</span></a>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-9450897666552512692012-09-30T01:46:00.000-07:002015-03-02T01:41:46.433-08:00Blowing Bubbles<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIvEuFCC90WYMeQ8cw4raz-Uc2rBAjaSiwag6-PZh3i9GWEnM0-ESY86oe08eRVuxf2jr8VM0xiXLR8bthEBposdX-I8v7NfcBbIhRVVgdWo30A5Enmu5VhnHBXzYJ2Y7NJSv55Sgl4U/s1600/blow+bubbles+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bubble blowing activities" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIvEuFCC90WYMeQ8cw4raz-Uc2rBAjaSiwag6-PZh3i9GWEnM0-ESY86oe08eRVuxf2jr8VM0xiXLR8bthEBposdX-I8v7NfcBbIhRVVgdWo30A5Enmu5VhnHBXzYJ2Y7NJSv55Sgl4U/s1600/blow+bubbles+2.jpg" height="340" title="Blowing Bubbles" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Bubble blowing is a wonderful activity for all ages, to watch or create, from babies to great grandads and grandmas. We always have a wonderful time of learning and discovery whenever we make up <a href="http://echildhood.synthasite.com/bubbles.php" target="_blank"><strong>our bubble blowing mixture</strong></a> for outdoor play time.</span><br />
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<strong>For avid learners who want to know more about the science of bubbles</strong>: <br />
A soap bubble is a thin film of soapy water that encloses air, forming a sphere with an iridescent surface. <br />
When light shines onto a bubble it appears to change colour. The colours seen in a soap bubble are from interference of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of the film. Depending on the thickness of the film, different colours are seen.<br />
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RECIPES for bubble mix, ACTIVITIES, SONGS, BOOKS and the SCIENCE OF BUBBLES all at <strong><a href="http://52daystoexplore.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/blow-bubbles.html" target="_blank">52 days to explore</a></strong><br />
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<em>I'm forever blowing bubbles...</em><br />
<em></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9__Jl_brXhEfh4IF5f8dFzBm8jR6C6Z_XRoGaxVpsqj7dBiOI0MAiY2MBLGJMFODIB5PSQZLwe3BLjEmdwHRWEf_941n5hNW61HPuWQGxQ5RgftwwXogEBgF2LbvnyaCoUmXMFshn1Q/s1600/Bubble+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bubble blowing activities" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9__Jl_brXhEfh4IF5f8dFzBm8jR6C6Z_XRoGaxVpsqj7dBiOI0MAiY2MBLGJMFODIB5PSQZLwe3BLjEmdwHRWEf_941n5hNW61HPuWQGxQ5RgftwwXogEBgF2LbvnyaCoUmXMFshn1Q/s1600/Bubble+Collage.jpg" height="106" title="Blowing Bubbles" width="400" /></a></div>
<em></em><br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-66442127484771311112012-08-08T02:36:00.002-07:002014-05-04T05:04:43.183-07:00Shadow Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3ikodrgugMinoZNERrUjuSCD4GzCNH7UrCXdLXh-_WBJGIwig844nAaWsDUkbnSnrA21dOBjVp8UWDedy4oZ51U5ngirxAiK8A73HqTzG8B1XkG9Xajt0MzYqRkv51jMiJ0AR9dzFJaW/s400/baseball.jpg" height="400" r6="true" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">On a sunny day watch your shadow and see what it can do.</span></span><br />
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HOW TO: </span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Find a sunny open area to
stand in with no trees or big structures around. </span></li>
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</span></ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Find the sun and turn your back to it.</span></li>
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</span></ul>
<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Your shadow should be in
front of you. </span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></ul>
<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A lot depends on what time of day it is: </span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - if the sun is low in the sky your shadow will be long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - if the sun is
high in the sky your shadow will be short.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">MORE ACTIVITIES: </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">If you are feeling patient, stand very still and see if someone can draw around your shadow.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.questacon.edu.au/activities/shadow_shapes.html" target="_blank">Shadow Shapes</a> for older children</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<a href="http://scienceplay.questacon.edu.au/light/shadowpuppets.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shadow puppets</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> at night</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Me and my shadow,<br />Strolling down the avenue,<br />Me and my shadow,<br />Not a soul to tell our troubles to . . .<br /><br />And when it’s twelve o’clock,<br />We climb the stair,<br />We never knock,<br />For nobody’s there . . .</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Perry Como</span></i><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></span></b><br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-30224818674327762162012-08-08T02:35:00.000-07:002014-05-04T05:10:30.987-07:00Hand and foot painting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3IOoQq7oJXFfV6sfK7GHLlPO6hVKLsNIUQOczjOJXPSoE4K3uvRGnUjJCwGrXcOV8OVgYPi9Ub6rjKwebUfb0Fy5T8OiMqIyTbCCNaPwURk1VgAt90r0eMLyK3eFRGBa8hHk-3DO85KT/s1600/play+game+image.jpg+Idea+go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3IOoQq7oJXFfV6sfK7GHLlPO6hVKLsNIUQOczjOJXPSoE4K3uvRGnUjJCwGrXcOV8OVgYPi9Ub6rjKwebUfb0Fy5T8OiMqIyTbCCNaPwURk1VgAt90r0eMLyK3eFRGBa8hHk-3DO85KT/s320/play+game+image.jpg+Idea+go.jpg" height="263" r6="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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We love hand painting and foot painting outside.<br />
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Photographer: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=809"><span style="color: #2288bb; font-size: x-small;">Idea go</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> from </span><a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/"><span style="color: #2288bb; font-size: x-small;">FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET</span></a>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-34121997326830603992012-04-29T05:43:00.001-07:002012-08-08T01:36:44.695-07:00Why we need outdoors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92zlOHIRoyVcJBKepW3ydLyE5X7UX5SbyKVsaRUg0fRYPNdujNcCZTegoXlR8Cwujp2_qNxmgyqHhZIU9ywyl_clZyN72Dr9AblY6QqXmi7qCoOzUPBIkQiCZkOX1VFU02jF_vSrpYBY/s1600/earthday145x145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_h3pj2v="29" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92zlOHIRoyVcJBKepW3ydLyE5X7UX5SbyKVsaRUg0fRYPNdujNcCZTegoXlR8Cwujp2_qNxmgyqHhZIU9ywyl_clZyN72Dr9AblY6QqXmi7qCoOzUPBIkQiCZkOX1VFU02jF_vSrpYBY/s200/earthday145x145.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://earthskyseachild.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/we-all-need-vitamin-g.html" target="_blank">Theory behind why children need the natural world</a> </span></div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-71712923428319957692012-04-29T05:14:00.003-07:002012-04-29T05:14:58.837-07:00Enhancing your outdoor space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEj0wclN85_rQQ2yR0MuuT4Aom7r1bnfRcxztvFQku7nPmr2khaul_AqPBCxOpNBumnf6tiD1Cia96BvUHOwtQx1BFLHBtHKOpU6blWixzuPnwyK5OerBbk6DrbJNFZ7dlkYf-srOi0E/s1600/The_Secret_Garden.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEj0wclN85_rQQ2yR0MuuT4Aom7r1bnfRcxztvFQku7nPmr2khaul_AqPBCxOpNBumnf6tiD1Cia96BvUHOwtQx1BFLHBtHKOpU6blWixzuPnwyK5OerBbk6DrbJNFZ7dlkYf-srOi0E/s320/The_Secret_Garden.png" width="216" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">10 TOP TIPS FOR ENHANCING YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">at </span><a class="rsswidget" href="http://bodysmartblog.org/" title="From Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play"><span style="color: #339933;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">The BODY SMART Blog</span></strong></span></a></span></div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-59149475937326224322012-04-29T04:59:00.001-07:002012-10-01T17:01:08.286-07:00Hula Hoops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2axeTFVTGLr4u2iB_aiAjjhEe3otSeXpAMrRrOPiKlpcKLsMwfddNah9d-9j7-LermNKEGb7bDoVzHad-QthJ2sSXunCu3GEVleJBJbWK8plg4Hc6chNkyo6PL0oCB7On1KxHO3pq8jE/s1600/hula+hoos+at+early+play+outdoors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2axeTFVTGLr4u2iB_aiAjjhEe3otSeXpAMrRrOPiKlpcKLsMwfddNah9d-9j7-LermNKEGb7bDoVzHad-QthJ2sSXunCu3GEVleJBJbWK8plg4Hc6chNkyo6PL0oCB7On1KxHO3pq8jE/s1600/hula+hoos+at+early+play+outdoors.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We found some great <b>hula hoops</b> that are shiny, multi coloured and make a noise when you shake them or spin them or roll them. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We put out 6 and the children had lots of fun making up things to do with them without any adult input.</span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_08-UIj8_PjlwNduLwdsnoX3-K0P0BA2GfJo3DN9e_y2gMteMOcwE0QX0X4BIqpdJ6IrWJFD2SUBy1Tnfo_yhkTbBa3p44QiOaSrUMH6QCeideUk9bHNO0svnCjfndzA6TXGrXf0SLQ/s1600/playinghoops1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_08-UIj8_PjlwNduLwdsnoX3-K0P0BA2GfJo3DN9e_y2gMteMOcwE0QX0X4BIqpdJ6IrWJFD2SUBy1Tnfo_yhkTbBa3p44QiOaSrUMH6QCeideUk9bHNO0svnCjfndzA6TXGrXf0SLQ/s320/playinghoops1.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with hoops: public domain image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-69120409467352543572012-04-28T23:17:00.001-07:002015-08-27T21:09:15.291-07:00Leaf hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbeep5y59diIJ-8B3Gi4nvvGWsHnPEB5QG4ry7lYXXtcGfCMACwu6nO-VGA2OjmhsXKgNjSuSSuu_j3e2dCrJlgvUDaNFq3KPMQpYuDkiStTsS5COLMJvIik7YtBGZiz7Q-u6xGfGdQu0/s1600/Holly+hardcastle+photography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbeep5y59diIJ-8B3Gi4nvvGWsHnPEB5QG4ry7lYXXtcGfCMACwu6nO-VGA2OjmhsXKgNjSuSSuu_j3e2dCrJlgvUDaNFq3KPMQpYuDkiStTsS5COLMJvIik7YtBGZiz7Q-u6xGfGdQu0/s320/Holly+hardcastle+photography.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go on a leaf hunt. This is a simple activity but full of learning about observation, nature, the environment and how things work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you know the names of the plants that the leaves come from then this is a good place to start. If you know if the tree is <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deciduous - a plant that loses its leaves in winter, or Evergreen - a plant that keeps its leaves throughout the year, even better</span>.</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Science basics</strong> for young children. a leaf is connected to a trees branch. A leaf helps feed the tree. Most leaves are flat so that they can collect the sunshine, water and nutrients to feed the tree. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDbvpCmmF_hNiQR2fv_2nYK48zZu88lPc6zQ4xFsU4fCY1f6C8BscS0LFjW2d0QkHpyrbGENpLywQJd-Q0RNwTUsoidI4zb7AtMzQv9x3CIhW2Xh-EtLKenBRS3Yd6clyyKIwEPjEwiE/s1600/test-tree-knowledge-plants-animals.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDbvpCmmF_hNiQR2fv_2nYK48zZu88lPc6zQ4xFsU4fCY1f6C8BscS0LFjW2d0QkHpyrbGENpLywQJd-Q0RNwTUsoidI4zb7AtMzQv9x3CIhW2Xh-EtLKenBRS3Yd6clyyKIwEPjEwiE/s400/test-tree-knowledge-plants-animals.png" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get this worksheet at <a href="http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/test-tree-knowledge/" target="_blank">Education.com</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>To extend this activity</strong>:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">learn the correct names for some <a href="http://theseedsite.co.uk/leafshapes.html" target="_blank">basic leaf shapes</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">learn <a href="http://sciencewithme.com/learn-about-leaves/" target="_blank">more about leaves</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">create a collage with your collection of leaves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">create some <a href="http://earlyplayart.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/leaf-art-creations.html" target="_blank">land art with your leaves</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">photograph your leaves. Children love to take photos too</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">make a science display about different kinds of leaves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">create a mobile using string and leaves and sticks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">organise your leaves into groups by colour, size or shape</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">count your leaves</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You might also like to see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://earlyplayoutdoors.blogspot.com.au/#!/2012/04/collect-rainbow.html">Collect a rainbow</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://earlyplayoutdoors.blogspot.com.au/#!/2012/04/commune-with-flowers.html">Commune with flowers</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Linked up with <a href="http://1000homesofhappiness.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/frogs.html">1000 Homes of Happiness</a> </span>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-28542298355330875092012-04-28T23:17:00.000-07:002012-04-28T23:17:02.463-07:00Outdoor gift ideas<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZOLn23RKCi081GRU_qtZC7X9SL9ImJKBFLTFK2unw1kMg7sYFFH7hjgwefFJnZeWs6sEIDeinjeYesgWblZwOqFQcVMDC5Z4pS9c5oDZFkw_jhRIlytoI0vkqCLs-08MWorcww1fRVI/s1600/Tenting_at_Joseph_A__Citta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_whyw67="28" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZOLn23RKCi081GRU_qtZC7X9SL9ImJKBFLTFK2unw1kMg7sYFFH7hjgwefFJnZeWs6sEIDeinjeYesgWblZwOqFQcVMDC5Z4pS9c5oDZFkw_jhRIlytoI0vkqCLs-08MWorcww1fRVI/s320/Tenting_at_Joseph_A__Citta.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://earthskyseachild.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/great-outdoor-ideas-for-children.html">Gifts that encourage kids to get outdoors</a></div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-80563541349079893232012-04-28T23:16:00.002-07:002012-04-28T23:16:48.910-07:00Painting outside<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPh18F1G9M2DKgQuEhpfFKu9X2VK98-qDCqPqbnvTNT1U0Kgcq12AM3SnGni6BUI7ljhWNPCD3ftrSFpgew9nZhjVQ4466-HForSe5YL7wh2NHh24OKaY1aMZ_RZTpc7n2gnTcBqJQw8/s1600/paint+images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_gu803f="3" height="212" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPh18F1G9M2DKgQuEhpfFKu9X2VK98-qDCqPqbnvTNT1U0Kgcq12AM3SnGni6BUI7ljhWNPCD3ftrSFpgew9nZhjVQ4466-HForSe5YL7wh2NHh24OKaY1aMZ_RZTpc7n2gnTcBqJQw8/s320/paint+images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://playideas.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/outdoor-painting.html">Suggestions for where to paint outdoors and how.</a></div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-34685333637281351602012-04-28T23:16:00.001-07:002012-04-28T23:16:27.343-07:00Make a bird feeder<span style="color: #335d6e;"></span>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzigwvoonAGwXrSeMnGmu7CS960nq_0uRy7OnNFqmUn0HupM38Yzc05hDESga3WmlgjKbr4BSgRaYIkctoLuMeEMqctGizesMfql5wrIbiOh7qxk_0Bf132alWoNMtdrEHJ3XVSA-ksZg/s1600/bird+feeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_uid_8c1sf7="2" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzigwvoonAGwXrSeMnGmu7CS960nq_0uRy7OnNFqmUn0HupM38Yzc05hDESga3WmlgjKbr4BSgRaYIkctoLuMeEMqctGizesMfql5wrIbiOh7qxk_0Bf132alWoNMtdrEHJ3XVSA-ksZg/s320/bird+feeder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family
Fun<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Attract birds to your garden with this bird feeder </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://earthskyseachild.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/bird-feeder.html">made from recycled materials</a></span></td></tr>
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</div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-7991328090448702232012-04-28T23:16:00.000-07:002012-04-28T23:16:06.718-07:00Parachute songs and games<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QrFceG2yeQkUGmwb2-O2PgD45R2towR30oOALoLZhsG345WBs375NgVUVSRNsTbk7cWA4x10Iw6YknVIgqC3jfwfdmx1PoXPbisBAYNu0mlL7p7koArYvtEqgpsxex8R2Ie7-5P62GVG/s1600/park+parachute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="147" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QrFceG2yeQkUGmwb2-O2PgD45R2towR30oOALoLZhsG345WBs375NgVUVSRNsTbk7cWA4x10Iw6YknVIgqC3jfwfdmx1PoXPbisBAYNu0mlL7p7koArYvtEqgpsxex8R2Ie7-5P62GVG/s320/park+parachute.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://echildhood.synthasite.com/games.php"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Parachute songs and games</span></a> are great to do outdoors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You only need 2 or 3 ideas to keep everyone involved.</span><br />
<br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-59911956494852743122012-04-27T21:11:00.004-07:002012-04-27T21:11:39.140-07:00Commune with flowers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdbJDmBzb0IYudPyNcznC1vidGgus5_S6WdWTy1Bd5UiOpSn3pnseprJ7etA-vUvy8k_cV9jKq7FajkCrqke_eoI2OdApNs_JrVd1UWGNGlIAftP2T5auEBAKl8yql6FzebZ48JwqK6TE/s1600/earfile000801404206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdbJDmBzb0IYudPyNcznC1vidGgus5_S6WdWTy1Bd5UiOpSn3pnseprJ7etA-vUvy8k_cV9jKq7FajkCrqke_eoI2OdApNs_JrVd1UWGNGlIAftP2T5auEBAKl8yql6FzebZ48JwqK6TE/s320/earfile000801404206.jpg" width="226" /></a><br /><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">VISIT THE PLANT NURSERY AS AN EXCURSION</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="color: #444444;">Some plant nurseries are amazing places to wander about and enjoy the flowers and other plants. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="color: #444444;">As soon as your child can understand not to touch, this is a great outdoor excusion that is free. You do not have to buy a thing and some larger chain nurseries often have a sausage sizzle or a jumping castle to attract customers.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-9987149921669647922012-04-27T20:59:00.002-07:002012-04-27T21:03:32.988-07:00Collect a rainbow<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKwRHsN885W-mpzJS5Zy62-5QC1JyqbAy6NfbnPGfx8VgkQm7JfHIGm_QkcRZyBLTzUqDckm0Z1mJYSrdj5GjwVYY6oJTO5neNBqs_lid_bueYeW9PSd4rcUsizttYlY0pf4mpZwssdE/s1600/chalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_v7cg0p="3" height="235" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKwRHsN885W-mpzJS5Zy62-5QC1JyqbAy6NfbnPGfx8VgkQm7JfHIGm_QkcRZyBLTzUqDckm0Z1mJYSrdj5GjwVYY6oJTO5neNBqs_lid_bueYeW9PSd4rcUsizttYlY0pf4mpZwssdE/s400/chalk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://52daystoexplore.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/collect-rainbow.html">Collect a rainbow</a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Teaching colours through nature</div>
</div>Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7380763798746193443.post-76608762787245831362012-04-27T20:25:00.002-07:002012-04-27T20:26:17.864-07:00Puddle play<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A-jmLq39R4nK7iLHqOml7w-kJbnQfMnvODQOjt946BCmxEKoZhPUgp4HRZEBsiybBnuELvYeY9I36pyVspit9hD8ARIoWVV53pw2HturHle_qcA9Fqae4MVHPbF1MksadEnZJZo9P2E7/s1600/earfile0002010398688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A-jmLq39R4nK7iLHqOml7w-kJbnQfMnvODQOjt946BCmxEKoZhPUgp4HRZEBsiybBnuELvYeY9I36pyVspit9hD8ARIoWVV53pw2HturHle_qcA9Fqae4MVHPbF1MksadEnZJZo9P2E7/s200/earfile0002010398688.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://earlyplay.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/water-play.html"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Play in puddles</span></a></span><br />
There is nothing quite like free play in a puddle<br />
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<br />Lee Goodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911261310514786271noreply@blogger.com0