Backyard Nature

I have been reading (I'm always reading) about things to do with Ethan and Hannah outside now that the weather has warmed up.  I've seen a few lists and one that I really like is at Go Explore Nature (here).  She has come up with 50 different things you can do in your backyard to explore nature.  It is a wonderful list..  I am not nearly ambitious enough to write a list that long.  So I decided to select 10 things I thought we could try in our backyard and around our house.  Hannah loves doing things outside.  Ethan likes to come along for the ride.

1. Plant something.
2. Take a color walk.
3. Jump in puddles.
4. Build a Fairy Garden.
5. Make leaf, rock, or bark rubbings.
6. Make a bird feeder.
7. Start a nature journal.
8. Paint Rocks
9. Go on a bug hunt.
10. Press Flowers.

We already painted rocks and it was probably best described as toddler with a paint brush gone wild.  She LOVED it.  I stood back in horror and watched as chaos ensued:

Started out well, she chose her rock!

Started painting on a little paint.

She worked quietly for quite a while.

Then she decided to MIX the colors.

Yes that is a lovely shade of gray.

She seems to have perfectly matched her eye color with the color on her cheek.

An artist working.