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Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 12 - Birds and Climbing Trees

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 12 - Birds and Climbing Trees

As we entered the park today, we spent some time by the pond talking to the birds. We practiced our bird calls, and even saw a duck with her ducklings. Once we entered the sandy area, we played some of our favorite games including "Fire in the Forest," and a new one called "Bear, Salmon, Mosquito" a group-play on the traditional "Rock, Paper, Scissors." We also investigated the nearby pond and found remnants of the turtle shell we saw a hawk eat from last week! Jack took note

Fireflies: Spring 2018 - Week 11

Fireflies: Spring 2018 - Week 11

What an amazing day! It started out like any other, with gratitudes and a hike. But while we were sitting along the edge of a pond making fairy stick boats, Sadie noticed a bird sitting in a tree on the other side of the pond. While we were watching it, discussing colors, size, shape and what bird it might be, it swooped down, casually plucked something from the water and then settled in a tree right by us to eat! We waited until the hawk was finished then crept over to see w

Fireflies 2018: Week 10 - Sparks and Tunnels!

Fireflies 2018: Week 10 - Sparks and Tunnels!

Two of our friends received super cool survival bracelets for Christmas and Sadie brought hers to program and we all got to practice making a spark with her flint and steel striker! Thank you for sharing with everyone, Sadie! Almost all of us were able to make a spark! (No fires!) So. Much. Pollen! Look! A venus flytrap! Our intern, Hailey, was able to tell us what these mysterious boards are, scattered through the park - snake homes! Native pygmy rattlesnakes and copperheads

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 9 - Fairy Houses!

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 9 - Fairy Houses!

Our small group today was excited to build small structures for our fairy gnome friends! Opening circle began in the gazebo meeting area, where we built our first structures. We used pine cones, bark, and pine straw to create interesting structures. Some of our materials didn't want to be left behind! As we wandered into the park, we continued building structures. And on the way out, we saw if the particularly blustery day had knocked any of them over! We discovered that most

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 8 - Mapping Challenge, Boat Races and Stick Games

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 8 - Mapping Challenge, Boat Races and Stick Games

Its amazing how much fun and exploration we can pack into two hours at the after school program! This week we used all of the mapping skills we have been playing with to create scavenger hunts! We split up into two groups and led each other on a wander through the park. We used compass bearings, riddles, songlines and pictures to guide each other. It was amazing how much we have learned in just three weeks! We still had some time after designing and following the scavenger h

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 7 - Story Compass Hunt

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 7 - Story Compass Hunt

The land feels so different when it is as windy and blustery as it was today. Sounds are different, the trees look different and even the smells are changed by the wind. We made sure to look up frequently to keep an eye out for dead branches that might break loose- deadfalls. We also had to keep an eye out for something else - clues! The Wood Gnomes left another adventure for us and this one was particularly challenging. The Wind played a trick on the Wood Gnomes and took one

Fireflies Spring 2018 - Week 6 - Wood Gnomes and Turtles

Fireflies Spring 2018 - Week 6 - Wood Gnomes and Turtles

What a gorgeous day! The sun was warm and shining, the birds were singing and baby turtles were out! After our opening circle, we headed out on a wander and didn't get very far before finding a mysterious bottle with a message inside! It was from the Wood Gnomes and had a songline for us to follow to a treasure! The treasure would help us to discover what our Nature Super Power is. We had a few turnarounds, but Cooper found the treasure and was the first to sit quietly with i

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 5 - Boat Floats and Games

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 5 - Boat Floats and Games

The fireflies were so excited to be outside in such wonderful weather! After opening circle and sharing gratitudes, we wandered into the park, and stopped at a small pond we found along the way. There we practiced our boat building skills. We found that, given the right shaped leaf, our boats would travel just like a real sailboat! We had a great time testing out different methods of boat building, and tried out different ways of keeping them in our area of the pond! On our w

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 4 - What Floats?

Fireflies Spring 2018: Week 4 - What Floats?

It was so nice to have a warm evening for our program! The clouds cleared up and the sky was lit up with beautiful sunset colors. We started our afternoon with gratitudes and a sit spot by the bird feeders at the entrance to the park. We lost count of how many birds we could hear and even practiced trying to talk to them. We took a blindfold wander and found a cute pond and discovered that some nearby chunks of wood floated and made really good boats! We continued on to the S

Fireflies 2018: Week 3 - Animal Forms!

Fireflies 2018: Week 3 - Animal Forms!

We had such lovely warm weather this week after the chilly, chilly evening last week! Also, our whole class was present, so we really got a chance to get to know each other as a community. We enjoyed an afternoon of getting into our bodies and exploring how animals move in their bodies. Deer bounding challenge, climbing like squirrels, stalking like cougars, hiding like rabbits and investigating curious root formations. It was an exciting day! All of our activities and games

Fireflies 2018: Week 2 - Climbing Trees and Exploring the Land

Fireflies 2018: Week 2 - Climbing Trees and Exploring the Land

Wow! Does the time fly with the Fireflies! We had fun this week exploring the perimeter of the land and getting to know the place - especially where all the good climbing spots are! We also explored some interesting side trails -some connected and others just abruptly stopped. It was very curious. We played some fun games that got us using our senses. Ninja works on refining reflexes using our sense of sight. Otter Steals Fish requires us to use our sense of hearing while bli

Fireflies- Spring 2018: Week 1

Fireflies- Spring 2018: Week 1

Half of the group started the program hiking down the trails with Sierra leaving arrows for the rest of the group with Kathryn and Brinkley to follow. Not only did the arrows, help the second group was able to find the first group by following their ears! We caught up quickly following a shortcut Sadie knew! Mason, Jackson, Jack, and Sierra found a decent spot on the trail to spread out for "Fire in the Forest." Mason and Sadie helped explain the game to their new friends an

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 10 - Deer Bounding & Closing Celebration

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 10 - Deer Bounding & Closing Celebration

Today was a gorgeous day for our last fall program. Ms. Kathryn joined us, who will be taking over the program during Ms. Britt's maternity leave in the spring. The kids were excited to meet her, and wanted to start the day off showing her the teepee shelter in the pine forest they have worked so hard on this semester. Next, they led the way to the sand pit, and we played a few rounds of "Wildlife is Watching" along the way. Finally, we had a "Deer Bounding Challenge" which w

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 9 - Fox Tails & Clay

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 9 - Fox Tails & Clay

Today was quite rainy and bit on the chilly side, but our brave participants came prepared with extra layers and rain gear, so the weather didn't slow us down! After wandering to the Sand Pit we got our blood moving with a game of "Fox Tails" - which involved lots of running, so this warmed us up quick! We spent the rest of our afternoon making all kinds of creations with locally harvested clay from Old Winter Park, experimenting with different objects as tools, and making le

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 8 - Blindfold Caterpillar & Nutty Squirrels

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 8 - Blindfold Caterpillar & Nutty Squirrels

Today we explored what it's like to use our senses other than sight by playing "Blindfold Caterpillar" and "Nutty Squirrels"! Most humans rely heavily on sight to move through the world, so taking it away when you aren't used to it can be fun, but also very challenging. We had lots of fun learning how differently we perceive the world without our eyes. #Fireflies

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 7 - Nature Crafts & Teepees

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 6 - Head Honcho & Fort Building

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 6 - Head Honcho & Fort Building

One of the great things about Nature Connect is that we learn to love the outdoors, no matter the weather. Despite the cold and rainy conditions we experienced today, we had one participant exclaim at the end of program that this was their favorite day yet! The forest is like an entirely different world in the rain, and we have so much fun exploring it. On the way to opening circle, we stopped off to play in a HUGE puddle that had collected in the pathway. We noticed how some

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 5 - Nature Journals & Scavenger Hunt

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 5 - Nature Journals & Scavenger Hunt

At Opening Circle today we shared gratitudes, and then received our very own Nature Journals to use at Nature Connect for the rest of the semester! On the first page of the journals was a scavenger hunt filled with items we could try to find in the park, and use our journals to log. Some were relatively easy to find, like animal tracks (there are lots of dogs that frequent the park!), and some were more challenging, like a bird's nest. Those of us who are still working on rea

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 4 - Nature Names & Eagle Eye

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 4 - Nature Names & Eagle Eye

Opening Circle & Nature Names Today we wandered straight to the Sand Pit to have our Opening Circle since it is becoming one of our favorite places in the park. After sharing gratitudes and stretching through a Sun Salutation, we had a special ceremony where we each picked a Nature Name (or did the Nature Name pick us?) To pick our names, we each reached into a satchel of animal names, and received names such as "Yellow Bellied Slider," "Belted Kingfisher" and "Ground Skink."

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 3 - Animal Habitats & Exploration

Fireflies Fall 2017: Week 3 - Animal Habitats & Exploration

Opening Circle We started today's opening circle with a new "Circle Song" and each shared something we are grateful. One friend's gratitude for cheetahs, which is considered a "vulnerable" species at high risk of becoming endangered, sparked a discussion about endangered species. We talked about the impacts humans can have on the lives of wild animals, and how being mindful and limiting our environmental impacts can help prevent animals from becoming vulnerable or endangered.

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