What to do with the kids when it’s raining outside? At this time of year in New Zealand we can get a lot of rain. And in our house, that results in endless requests for watching TV, DVDs and…
Staring up into the sky is one of the best time-wasters I know of. Don’t laugh. I love star gazing. My son and I get a kick out of looking for shapes in the clouds. It’s fun to teach…
Ah, the ocean. What is it that is so calming about the sea? The small one and I spend as much time as we can next to it, on it, in it, looking at it, talking about it, learning…
Over spring, and now into summer, Nate has been fascinated by the innovative, yet pushy antics of the shining cuckoo (pipiwharauroa). He wanted to know why birds sing, and we talked all about communication and the kinds of things…
Last weekend I was very fortunate to attend New Zealand’s 6th annual Nature Education Network national conference – ‘The Natural Phenomena’. With a vision of ’empowering you to bring the wonder and joy of nature to young children’, this…
My three year old son is like a puppy – he needs a LOT of exercise! That’s why so many of our outdoor activities are based around ways to use up that energy and tire him out. But sometimes…
“Buzz, buzz, buzz…I wonder why they does?” mused Winnie-the-Pooh… Did you know that generally, one out of every three bites of food you eat requires the little honeybee to make it to your plate? Without bees, we’re all in…
We all have those days. And sometimes, they’re weeks. You’re in a funk. You’re in a hole. You’re just not feeling quite right about life and it is proving difficult to snap yourself out of it. Sometimes, it’s ‘simply’…
We spend a lot of time in the bush – we love walking the trails! There’s just something about being surrounded by all that green that calms and restores both me and my bouncing son. I love asking Nate…
Getting pre-schoolers outside, active, and occupied is one of the best ways to prevent feral tantrums, either from you or the child in question! Uninterrupted ‘free play’ is super-important for your child’s imagination (and many other reasons to be…
