Sharing Nature with Your Children
Presentation by Julie Tubbs Luthy
Julieluthy@gmail.com
Let them love it before we ask them to save it.
Activities for Your Yard or the Trail
Hang Bird Feeders
Bring wildlife up close – even closer with a window feeder. It can take awhile to attract birds but perseverance brings
reward. Talk with the Audubon natureshop folks about the best seed and how to keep squirrels from getting it all.
Pay attention to birds
The hierarchy of chickadees vs. the flocking of finches. The intelligence and playfulness of crows. Where are they
carrying the nesting material?,
Plug in your Baby Monitor
Baby monitors work fantastic for bringing the sounds of nature into your kitchen.
Listen with Fox Ears
To better hear something, hold up your hands with fingers together. Put your cupped hands behind your ears, flaring
out the outer part of your ears and face the sound.
Learn Bird Calls
Children are ripe to learn other languages, don’t forget this one. Bird call books, CD’s, apps, the internet and plush
Audubon birds that sing when squished are all excellent ways to help.
Practice Nature Journaling
Journaling is a fun way to keep track of what’s going on outside. Some ideas of what to record: which birds visit
your backyard and when, watch for migration patterns as to when certain birds come back in spring, when plants start
blooming (if you don’t know names, make sketches), what date did you pick blueberries or blackberries in a given
year, the cycles of the moon and when the frogs start calling.
Drop everything when your child says, “Come look at this!”
Your enthusiasm is infectious and your interest will encourage them to keep looking. Keep bug boxes handy.
Look at a Spider or Insect up close
Count the legs (Insects: 6 legs, 3 body parts. Spiders: 8 legs all coming out of the head, two total body parts). What
does its’ mouth look like? Is it a boy or girl? Does it have an odor?
Keep a look out for exoskeletons, especially in a spider web.
Search for Spittlebugs
In the spring the nymph (pre-adult), stands head down on a plant stem, stabs it’s straw like mouth into the plant stem
and sucks up the juices to feed on. The excess juice comes out of its’ backend. As the goo cascades over the body,
the insect uses it’s legs to froth up the secretion.
Look for Evidence of Engravers/Bark Beetles
Tiny bark beetles live just under tree bark. They make tunnels as they eat. The tunnel of larvae start small and get
wider as the beetle grows. Look for tiny exit and/or entrance holes on the outside of the bark and to see tunnels, peel
back bark of dead trees or observe where bark has already fallen away.
Look for Evidence of Critters on Leaves
Rollers: green leaves that have been rolled or folded over. Carefully unroll these to see if the insect or spider that
made the hiding place is home.
Munchers: look for leaves that have been eaten or have holes in them. Decide if the same type of insect was
responsible for all of the holes or not.
Scrapers: look for leaves where the surface has been removed either in a race track like fashion or in blobs.
Adopt a Caterpillar
In its’ homemade habitat include a stick for the chrysalis and provide daily fresh leaves from the plant you found it on.
Not sure what it eats? – experiment, do some research and check the Washington Butterfly Association’s website.
Look for Evidence of a Douglas Squirrel’s Lunch
Douglas Squirrel’s peal the scales off of Douglas fir cones to get at the nutritious seeds inside. They drop the scales
and finally the mid-rib of the cone on the ground.
Follow a Slime Trail
Figure out if it’s from a worm, a slug or a snail. Examine the creature if you catch up. Where are the eyes and
mouth? Where is it going? Can you tell what it eats?
Include Plants as Friends
Although you don’t need to know the names of plants and animals to enjoy them, it can make a closer connection to
know a name. It also trains the observer to look more closely for certain characteristics.
Scratch and Sniff Cedar
Gently scrape a bit of the outer layer off the green scaly leaves. Now smell.
Draw a Picture with Nature’s Crayons
Experiment to figure out which plants and kinds of dirt make the best colors.
Match Nature’s Colors and Shapes
Using construction paper, paint chips, & paper cut into shapes, help your child find shapes and colors that match.
Go on a Creature Hunt
With bug boxes or containers in hand, find creatures by turning over rocks, fallen leaves and logs, unrolling leaves,
and studying the crevices in the trunks of trees. If you move things around, be sure to move them back into place.
Collect and Press Leaves
Flatten the leaves with a couple layers of newspaper to absorb the moisture, and heavy books. Replace the
newspaper at least once. Use them in artwork, centerpieces or catalog for a collection.
Plant Seeds and Bulbs
Sunflowers are especially fun to watch the flowers attract bees and when they go to seed; attract birds.
Set up a ‘Sheet Shake’
Place a 3 foot by 3 foot (or so) piece of cloth under an evergreen branch (Douglas fir works best). If you want to
catch some creatures have containers ready. Gently shake the branch and observe what tiny creatures fall out of the
branch. Observe how they move, how many legs they have, if they are fast or slow and what color they are.
The Duplication Game
Gather 4 or 5 items (cone, leaf, seed, flower head, piece of moss) and display them on the ground. Have your child
try to find the same items.
Play Nature Bingo.
Local Places to Explore
Salmon: watch adults going up-stream to spawn.
-search for Salmon SEEson on the internet for local areas and dates of salmon runs
Intertidal Life: To check for low tide Google ‘Seattle tide Table”
Edmonds Marina Beach, Richmond Beach, Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens, Myrtle Edwards Park, Along Alki
in West Seattle down to Mee Kwa Mooks Park
Discovery Park where families with children 7 and under can get a pass at the visitor center to drive to the beach.
Beavers: Best viewed at dawn and dusk but the evidence of their actions can be seen anytime.
- Northgate Community Center – Turn east on NE 105th St, north on 9th Ave NE to reach the “Beaver Pond Natural
Area”. This is along Thorton Creek and beavers move up and down this watershed.
-Meadowbrook Wetlands Between NE 105th and NE 110th on 35th Ave. NE. Park in the Meadowbrook Community
Center lot and walk across 35th Ave NE. Follow the path to the water. .
Matthews Beach South of the beach in the willows where Thorton creek flows into Lake Washington there is a lot of
evidence of beavers. A huge lodge use to stand here.
University of Washington Arboretum Search near Foster Island for beaver chews as well as along the trails near
lake Washington between the stadium and The Center for Urban Horticulture @ 3501 NE 41st street. HUGE lodges
also visible from 520. Get in the outside lane in each direction.
Magnuson Park- park in lot E1 or E2 and head into “wetlands central”.
Frogs and other wetland creatures: dip for aquatic insects in ponds or streams, lift rocks in streams and rivers;
listen for male frogs calling females to the pond in the evenings February to April.
-Lyons and McAleer creek (Lake Forest Park)
-Twin ponds 15401 First Avenue NE.
-Discovery Park – ponds are near the north parking lot and on the north beach trail
-Ravenna creek in the U-District
-University of Washington Arboretum Search for ponds throughout.
Magnuson Park wetlands mostly on the south side. Enter on 65th street.
Places to Learn More
-Seattle Parks and Recreation: Carkeek Park, Discovery Park and Camp Long
-Seattle Parks and Rec Magnuson Community Center
- Seward Park Audubon Center
-Seattle Audubon
-UW Arboretum & Botanic Gardens: reserve “Family Adventure Pack” & download seasonal Scavenger Hunt sheets
Woodland Park Zoo
Pacific Science Center
Seattle Aquarium
-Contact me, Julie Tubbs Luthy to arrange a program for your preschool julieluthy@gmail.com or 206-629-4196
Books
Beginner’s Guide to Birds – Western Region by Stokes
Golden Guide pocket field guide series includes: Insects, Spiders, Butterflies and Moths, Pond Life,
Stars, Fossils, Geology
Backyard Birdsong Guide by Kroodsma includes recordings
The Beachcomber’s Guide to Seashore Life in the Pacific Northwest by J. Duane Sept
MAC’S Field guides (laminated sheets with pictures and names)
Best Hikes with Kids - Western Washington and Cascades by Burton