mohaus: Exploring Nature with Children

Showing posts with label Exploring Nature with Children. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Nature Day at Green Gorge with Both Boys

We changed things up a bit today. We woke up and it was 31 degrees but was supposed to get up to 70F by the afternoon.

So we waited until after we picked up Isaac from preschool to do our nature hike and Isaac got to tag along.

We chose Green Gorge because it’s a short hike and I knew Isaac could handle it.

It also follows a creek the whole way, so I was pretty confident that Isaac would stay interested.

Of course Jack wanted to run ahead the whole time and Isaac didn’t like being left behind, but he did the whole hike himself (even after sticking a foot in the water!).

The weather was perfect and now I know we can keep hiking this summer when Isaac is out of preschool.

The focus of today's lesson was the plant life cycle.

Jack’s favorite thing about seeds getting dispersed is that animals can eat seeds and poop them out later

Check back on Tuesdays to see where our nature studies have taken us...
Previous Nature Hikes with Jack:

September: Green Gorge, Althaus Park, and Mabbit Springs

October: Reflection Riding Center (Monday Nature Day with friends) ⎮ Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Among Trees (hike we did as a family) ⎮ Greenway Farms Nature Day (family archery lesson and hike)
November: Glen Falls ⎮ Mushroom Rock (with Mommy and Daddy) ⎮ Raccoon Mountain

December: The Boulders ⎮ Toccoa River (family hike)⎮ Amnicalola Falls (family hike)

January: Green Gorge ⎮ Rainbow Lake
February: Stringers Ridge ⎮ Green Gorge ⎮ Mushroom Rock ⎮ Green Gorge ⎮ Mushroom Rock (family hike) ⎮ Possum Creek (family hike) ⎮Greenway Farms
March: Creative Writing Exercise on the Mushroom Rock ⎮ Vernal Equinox Hike at Green Gorge ⎮ Mabbit Springs ⎮ Nature Week: Ritchie Hollow, Greenway Farms, and Big Soddy Gulf ⎮ Rainbow Lake

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Rainbow Lake

Jack and I headed to Rainbow Lake for this week's nature hike. We were observing leaves as they come back on the trees.

This hike is a favorite because it includes a rock climb up through a chimney in a bluff, a waterfall that cascades over an old dam, and a creek crossing with a swinging bridge.

On this particular day I found myself inspired by the way the light played through the trees and the way the water cascaded down through the rapids of Middle Creek.

I love the way the light dances through the trees.

I love listening to water rush below me as it makes its way through the rocks in the creek bed.

I love climbing up through a crack in the dark rock and feeling the coolness of the earth against my hands.

I love laying next to the stream and staring up at the naked trees and bright blue sky and imagining what could be.

I love these moments with my oldest son.

Notes from this hike:
Location: Rainbow Lake on Signal Mountain, TN
Date: April 10, 2018
Time: 9:30-11:15
Weather: 40F and sunny

Observations: Beautiful day, everything is really growing. Enjoyed laying quietly next to Middle Creek which was really flowing.

Check back on Tuesdays to see where our nature studies have taken us...
Previous Nature Hikes with Jack:

September: Green Gorge, Althaus Park, and Mabbit Springs

December: The Boulders ⎮ Toccoa River (family hike)⎮ Amnicalola Falls (family hike)

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Mabbit Springs

This morning Jack and I did our nature hike at Mabbit Springs.

It was 44F and cloudy (but we kept warm while walking and climbing all the rocks in the creek).

We are learning about snails this week but this cold snap meant no snails were to be found on the trail. So we spent our time exploring this little gorge on our mountain.

Jack likes to make his own path (just like his daddy), hopping over rocks to cross the creek as much as possible.

It was a short hike, but we still enjoyed our time together in the woods.

While I often have an agenda of what we are going to learn about each week, I am trying to give freedom to Jack on the trail and I follow his lead instead of getting caught up in what I think we should be doing or learning on Nature Days.

I also am allowing myself moments of silly. I hope Jack looks back fondly at this time together and thinks about a mom who wasn't too uptight and could do unexpected things.