Nature's Way Preschool

We have had wonderful weather in Central Texas lately, which hopefully has inspired you to explore outside! However, we must remember that we're sharing space with many kinds of wildlife, some of which might cause harm if you get too close.  For today's Teaching Tuesday , let's learn about some nature neighbors you might spot that need plenty of space! Use this handy infographic to teach children how to identify potentially dangerous arthropods and plants. Tomorrow we will share another safety post with snakes and spiders!

Today's Mindfulness Monday activity is making Rice Snakes, also known as Lap Snakes or Sock Babies. These heavy toys provide extra sensory feedback for children. They can help calm a child or improve their focus! These Rice Snakes can be used in a peace corner, for anxious children to hold, during group time to help them listen carefully, or anytime a child needs to wait! Children are often more interested in using toys they make themselves, so encourage your child to decorate their 'snake' however they'd like and even help you pour the rice (or dried beans!) into the sock. Hope you and your children enjoy your Rice Snakes and they help build mindfulness into your daily routine!

Have you ever been outside and heard an animal that you couldn't see? This happens all the time, even for those who spend every day out in nature! Learning the calls of different animals, especially birds, can really come in handy sometimes.  Use the graphic below to learn and practice making your own bird calls for today's Five Senses Friday !

Birds seem to be one of children's book authors' favorite topics to write about and I can see why- they have beautiful patterns and colors, sing enchanting songs, do interesting dances, most can fly, and you can find them in your own backyard! Below is a list of some of our favorite books about birds. For today's Tales from the Trail Thursday , see if you can find a few of these at your local library. Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why by Lita Judge Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston A Bird is a Bird by Lizzy Rockwell Birds by Carme Lemniscates

Today's Wild Wednesday is all about nests. At Nature's Way, we have our very own Black-Chinned Hummingbird nest on the play yard, complete with a nesting mother and eggs! That nest was very hard to find (they are only the size of a golf ball), but many nests are much easier to spot. Have you tried looking for bird nests in your neighborhood? It can also be fun to gather materials to make your own nest. You can use mud like a Cliff Swallow, stack straw and sticks like a Pigeon, dig a hole in the ground like a Burrowing Owl, or maybe use something a bird has never thought of before!

Especially in springtime, Austin is home to a wide variety of colorful and unique birds.  Use the graphic below to see how many flying colors of the rainbow you can find for today's Teaching Tuesday ! Did you notice that most of the birds shown are male? I wonder why that is...

Do you know what a sit spot is? It is a peaceful spot that you can return to periodically throughout the year. It can be a place for meditation, nature observation, or a spot just to think! Some people even like to bring a journal with them to draw what they see and how they feel.  For today's Mindfulness Monday, go find your own sit spot in nature!