Our family loves exploring the seasons! Each change brings a variety of experiences and educational opportunities.  What joy we share in the wonder of creation in our ever-changing, beautiful world! Here are some of our favorite annual adventures:

Winter

The trees give opportunity to teach about the circulatory system of a tree. How delightful to discuss how maple syrup is made! The fallen leaves provide a blanket for the plants and ground below which can create wonder about the little hibernating animals beneath the soil. It's time to go:

  • Build a snow fort/igloo.
  • Create snow angels.
  • Play family games, especially educational ones (Bananagrams, Inklings, Quiddler, Mathwar, etc.).
  • Bake a gingerbread house from scratch or a kit.
  • Stroll in the snow enjoying the snow effects.
  • Build a snowman (teach balance, size, body parts).
  • Bake winter treats (practice measurements, order, following directions).
  • Read aloud together, silently, or together in parts or plays (encourage reading skills, expression/comprehension, patience).
  • Make Christmas gifts (jams, candy, or from pinecones)

Spring

What a fresh and beautiful time of  year! We take time to examine the buds on trees, spring flowers, bushes, and almost every green plant. The melting snow brings questions on water in lakes, rivers, and even our faucet! The animals begin to chatter and sing looking for food in the new growth. It's time to go:

  • Plant a vegetable garden or spring flowers.
  • Buy/start a butterfly garden (talk about their life cycle).
  • Fly kites (learn about wind and flight).
  • Build bird houses and supply food.
  • Raise chicks or rabbits (teach about animal needs and care).
  • Take nature walks examining new bud growth.
  • Plant new trees (fruit, shade, evergreen—discuss their usefulness).
  • Buy an ant farm (discuss their work ethic and needs).

Summer

Warm days cause plants to mature and produce. We investigate our flower and vegetable gardens and are fascinated with the bees pollinating our plants and with spiders and garter snakes slithering through eating destructive bugs. It's time to go:

  • Visit parks with splash pads—each one seems to have new things to explore.
  • Travel to National Parks (request Junior Ranger books for your children by age).
  • Swim at a local pool (bring water toys, treasure to find and balls for volleyball, or water polo).
  • Take a hike and explore with your senses (stop, look, and listen).
  • Lie on the grass on a cloudy day and find pictures in the clouds.
  • Explore your local zoo (create continent notebooks and have children write or draw animals in their correct continent location).
  • Enroll in community outdoor education (track, tennis, soccer, swimming, etc.).

Autumn

How fun to gather the harvest of vegetables and fruit we grew! Baking, grilling and eating them is a delicious adventure! We collect acorns, pinecones, cattails, and leaves for fun art projects. Watching the animals scurry and collect food for winter reminds us to prepare for the brisk breezes that will soon bring snow. It's time to go:

  • Make applesauce from fresh-picked apples.
  • Cook a harvest stew (use your own herbs and veggies if possible).
  • Have a leaf raking contest; largest pile wins!
  • Collect pinecones for Christmas gifts.
  • Make an autumn arrangement from leaves, vines, cattails, and flowers, etc.
  • Visit a farm (If possible, have kids collect eggs, milk a cow, or feed the animals).
  • Go hiking or walking (scavenger hunt for categories: flowers, animals, wild fruit, insects, or rocks/minerals).
  • Examine animal homes (birds, squirrels, rabbits, and foxes prepare for colder weather).
  • Catch falling leaves (practice counting and sorting; make booklets with the variety).
  • Put together a map, art, or history puzzle.

Many of these activities can be extended with trips to the library, digging deeper into the subjects. Learn together and enjoy each season's amazing wonders!

--Cynthia