Nature Explorations

It's been C-C-COLD here in NJ - in the 30s! I luv luv the cold but everyone else here pretty much hates it and thinks I'm NUTS! Even though it's been freezing outside, our plants are still thriving in our greenhouse!

My little kindergarteners started growing plants hydroponically (in water,no soil) in the greenhouse and our lettuce has finally started growing! Yay!

My kids love the greenhouse! I made up a greenhouse scavenger hunt list for them and they looked like little botanists in there -very seriously discussing their finds- so cute! 

A nature scavenger hunt is a fun way to really get your kids thinking. It makes them stop, analyze and collaborate with others in the class. It's also a great counting and sorting activity and you don't need a greenhouse - just take the kids outside! Or just look out the window! What can they see? Cloud shape? conifers? Deciduous trees? Any birds? (Here in NJ we still see a ton of birds on my classroom feeders that have decided to tough out a NJ winter! We still have woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, red house finches, cardinals, nuthatches, tufted titmice, cute little black-capped chickadees and there is always a red-tailed hawk or turkey vulture flying high. Many times during science I have a little one screaming out to the class "BIRD ON THE FEEDER!!" They get so excited, it is too cute!) Make up a list of 5 - 10 things you know are out there and then allow the kids to explore nature. I'll be posting my outdoor nature scavenger hunts soon. For now, our greenhouse is where we explore, we have about 100 plants:

I have to wait another month to go outside with my kiddos -first day of spring is March 20th woohoo!! Do you have any fun outdoor activities you do with your kids? Please share, I would love to hear! I'm always looking for new ideas on how to get the kids outside & exploring nature!