Summer Wildlife Adventure

No matter how much kids might wish for summer during the school year, they inevitably start getting bored within two or three weeks of that final bell. Finding ways to keep the summer doldrums at bay by coming up with fun and educational plans to keep their bodies and their minds active can sometimes feel like a real challenge for parents. Moments like this are perfect for an activity such as this super simple, but really fun summer wildlife adventure!

What You’ll Need

Everything on the list below is optional and meant as more of a suggestion of some things to make your adventure fun. Hopefully it will encourage you to come up with more personal ways to tailor your adventure to your children’s own unique interests, as well as to the specific locations that are available to you.

• Magnifying glass or multi-tool
• Binoculars
• Baskets/boxes/bags for collecting interesting finds and souvenirs (rocks, leaves, flowers, etc.)
• A digital camera for taking pictures of interesting birds and animals that your kids want to remember to learn more about later.
• Water bottles, juice boxes and snacks
• Notebooks to use as Trail Journals for sketching or note of the wildlife you’ve seen and experienced on your adventure.

Where to Go

One of the best things about this adventure is that it can really take place anywhere you choose! There are plenty of things to look for and learn about, even in your own backyard.  It’s all about encouraging your kids to look at the wildlife and nature that might even be familiar to them in a new light. Or make it a whole new experience by choosing to visit a park or trail that you or your kids have never been to before!

Keep the Lesson Going

Once you’ve explored, stop for a picnic and ask your kids about all the animals you’ve seen that day. A great way to follow up this kind of activity is with a trip to the public library to find books about local parks and the wildlife that can be found there.  This will reinforce what they’ve learned that day, as well as give them ideas of what to look for on your next adventure.

This activity is great for getting the kids out of the house and providing them with great imagination fuel while also encouraging them to take an interest in learning about the world that is directly around them. And you’ll probably learn something new too!