Education

Did you know that there are already wildflowers blooming on the trails? These little treasures can be a great incentive to get out with your kids for a hike.

There’s so much we can learn about weather and climate — all it takes is a few tools and a little bit of observation.

We are in the depths of winter here in North Central Washington. Sometimes it can be hard to motivate kids to get outside and explore the natural world when it’s cold, dark and gray. These winter science experiments help explore the science of winter from the comfort of your home.

Holiday gifts — the source of a lot of joy, and sometimes a lot of stress. Why not turn this yearly project into some fun, nature-based bonding time with your kids?

Change is in the air this time of year. The leaves are changing, and we’re hearing the familiar honk of Canada geese as they pass overhead.

One day this summer, a group of kids and I were hiking along on a local trail exploring the world of insects, when we came across a lizard. It was basking on a rock, and, we assumed, keeping an eye out for insects as well.

I don’t know a kid who does not have a rock collection, even if it’s just one favorite stashed on a shelf somewhere. I personally have piles of rocks all over my house. Rocks fascinate kids — it’s not hard to get them excited about a cool rock.

I think we can all agree that spring in our corner of the world is pretty special. Our fields of wildflowers and blooming orchards combined with green hillsides and snowy mountains make my heart sing every day. What a great place to raise children to love nature.

In the last month, mornings outside my window have gone from relatively quiet to a cacophony of sounds. Robins, swallows, finches, juncos and more have arrived and begun singing their little hearts out.

Listen for the song of an American dipper while standing under a four hundred year old cedar tree. Feel the fur of beavers and the soft grey feathers of a great blue heron. Share lunch with a new friend in the breezy shade of a ponderosa pine. Learn from local experts, and find new places close to home to return to time and again.