This is for more complex activities that require more time and planning.

Hearts in the Snow

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  • February
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Winter

Materials Needed

  • Ice cube tray (heart shapes if possible)
  • Water
  • Red food colour
  • Freezer

Size of Group

any

Age Range

2-5 years

How to:

For a fun game with young children around Valentine’s Day, try hiding coloured ice cubes in the snow and see how many they can find.  If you can access a heart-shaped ice-cube tray, that is perfect!  Otherwise, red coloured regular ice cubes will work as well.  If it’s cold enough, you can even freeze the cubes outdoors!

Helping Bees

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  • June
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Insects, Summer

Materials Needed

  • Pollinator Plants
  • Trowels
  • Small Watering Can
  • Compost

Size of Group

1-10

Age Range

1-6 years

How to:

Children are never too young to learn to appreciate bees, respect them, and welcome them into their lives.  June is a great month to go for walks together, look for bees, and notice which plants they visit.  Share a sense of wonder about bees and the important work they do, helping plants make fruits and seeds.

Involve young children in stewardship activities by planting some flowers that bees will appreciate.  Choose a sunny location.  If you don’t have a garden space available, large pots can be used (although they will need to be watered more frequently).

Try growing plants such as black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower, blazing star and bergamot.  Even tiny children can help to water the plants with small watering cans or spray bottles.  Reinforce the concept that by helping the plants we are also helping the bees!

Water Critters

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  • August
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Insects, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Senior Years Deeper Activities, Summer, Water

Materials Needed

  • Net or sieve
  • Bucket or basin
  • Small container for scooping
  • Magnifier (if available)
Water Critters Poster

Size of Group

1-10

Age Range

3-18 years

How to:

This is a fascinating activity that children love!  If you have access to a shallow waterway such as a stream or lake, try searching the sediments to see what creatures you can find.  The poster above gives you instructions on how to approach this discovery activity.  Be sure to keep the critters in water while you observe them, and return them unharmed to where you found them.

Bees Please

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  • April
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Insects, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Senior Years Deeper Activities

Materials Needed

  • Native Plants or Seeds
  • Garden Tools
  • Sunny Location
Bees Please Poster

Size of Group

any

Age Range

4-18 years

How to:

Go on a walk looking for native bees.  Some are active early in spring, when early flowers begin to bloom.  Think about what you can do to help bees.  This could be as simple as letting a sunny space remain unmowed, or as detailed as planting a pollinator garden.  Some great native plants to start a pollinator garden include purple conflower, black-eyed Susan, culver’s root, blazing star, goldenrod and bergamot.  For more detailed information about regional plants for pollinators, visit the Pollinator Partnership Canada website.

Exploring Pond Life

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  • May, September
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Educator & Parent Workshops, Intermediate Videos, Intermediate Workshops, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Videos, Middle Years Workshops, Spring, Student Workshops, Videos, Water, Workshops

Materials Needed

  • Scoop nets
  • Bucket
  • Ice cube trays
Video Link

Size of Group

1-20

Age Range

4-14 years

How to:

Join Jacob Rodenburg in this 28 minute video to learn the basics of exploring the fascinating life in spring ponds.  Then, go outside and explore a nearby pond and see what amazing creatures you can find!  Just be sure to return creatures unharmed to their habitats afterwards.

Tell a Tale: Sharing Nature Through Stories with Young Children

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  • January
  • Activities, Books, Early Years Deeper Activities, Early Years Videos, Early Years Workshops, Educator & Parent Workshops, Language Arts, Stories, Videos, Winter, Workshops
Tell a Tell Workshop Video

Size of Group

any

Age Range

1-6 years

How to:

Early childhood experts Kate Jarrett and Nancy Doherty share their ideas for memorable storytelling with very young children.  They tell some of their favourite stories in this 1 hour filmed workshop.

Family Holiday Fun

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  • December
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Senior Years Deeper Activities, Winter

Materials Needed

  • A variety of materials - see attached summary of 10 family activities
10 Holiday Ideas PDF

Size of Group

any

Age Range

any

How to:

Check out the attached PDF for 10 great ideas for Family Holiday Fun!

Autumn Songs and Rhymes for Tiny Tots

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  • October
  • Activities, Early Years Deeper Activities, Early Years Videos, Early Years Workshops, Educator & Parent Workshops, Fall, Landmark 7, Songs, Videos, Workshops

Materials Needed

  • None!
Link to Video

Size of Group

any

Age Range

birth to 5 years

How to:

Kate Jarrett shares a wealth of nature-based simple songs, rhymes and finger games for very young children, all based on the theme of autumn.  This is a live, 32 minute video of an outdoor workshop with parents and very young children.

Songs, Rhymes and Books for Winter

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Songs, Rhymes and Books for Winter Months

Kate Jarrett, our favourite early years minstrel, has shared some of her favourite material for celebrating the snowy months.  How about a rousing chorus of ‘Hibernation’ (sung to the tune of Alouette):

HIBERNATION SONG

Hibernation (tune: Alouette)
Chorus: Hibernation, time for hibernation
Hibernation, time to go to sleep
Where oh where is little bear?
Sleeping in his den or lair
Where is bear? Den or lair
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Chorus…
Where oh where is little frog?
Sleeping in a pond or log
Where is frog? Pond or log
Where is bear? Den or lair
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Chorus…
Where oh where is little snake?
In the mud beneath the lake
Where is snake? Beneath the lake
Where is frog? Pond or log
Where is bear? Den or lair
Chorus… 

Rhymes

The Sky is Dark (Clyde Watson)

The sky is dark, there blows a storm

The fire is hot, our cider is warm

The snow is deep, the night is long

Old Father Fox, won’t you sing us a song

Winter is Cold

Winter is cold, there is snow in the sky

Squirrels gather nuts, and the wild geese fly

The fluffy red fox has his fur to keep warm

The bear’s in his cave, sleeping all through the storm

Snow on the Rooftops (Kathy Reid-Naiman)

Snow on the rooftops, snow on the trees

Snow on the green grass, snow on me

Snow on my mittens, snow on my nose

Snow on my head, and snow on my toes

Whirling, twirling, swirling down

Down and down and down and down

Winter Picture Books

 (available from the Peterborough Public Library)

Bauer, Marion.  Winter Dance

A fox watches other animals preparing for winter and wonders what he should do

Camper, Cathy.  Ten Ways to Hear Snow

A young child helps her grandma who has lost her sight explore nature through listening.

Carlstrom, Nancy.  Mama, Will It Snow Tonight?

Three mothers and their offspring – fox, hare, and human wait for the first snow of winter.

Gershaton, Phillis.  When It Starts to Snow

Various animals tell what they do and where they go when it starts to snow.

Holler, Sue.  Raven, Rabbit, Deer

A grandfather teaches his grandson how to identify a number of animals tracks with Ojibwemowin names.

McGrath, Jennifer. The Snow Knows

Introduces readers to animals both domestic and wild, celebrating wilderness and outdoor play.

Messner, Kate. Over and Under the Snow

Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter’s snowy landscape.

Sayre, April.  Best in Snow

A photographic non-fiction picture book about the wonder of snowfall and the winter water cycle.

Stewart, Melissa.  Under the Snow

A look at the amazing ways animals behave and interact with their environments on a snowy day.

Thornhill, Jan.  Winter’s Coming

A young snowshoe hare hears that winter is coming – but who, or what is winter?

Yeomans, Ellen.  Some Snow Is…

Celebrates all the different kinds of snow – from melting to packable!

Yolen, Jane.  Owl Moon.

A father and daughter trek into the woods to see a Great Horned Owl under a winter full moon.

Family-Friendly Summer Activities

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Family-Friendly Summer Activities

Getting outside with your baby or toddler is great for the whole family.  A bit of fresh air and exercise can help you and your child calm down, relax and refocus.

A hat, some sunscreen for babies over six months and a water bottle are necessities.

Sweet Summer Fun with Babies and Toddlers

Nancy Doherty, Pathway Activity Consultant

Enjoy time together, forget about the dirty dishes and enjoy some of these experiences:

baby-girl-sitting-in-grass-with-a-handful-of-dande-BN3K3BD

1. A walk around the block may be enough for your toddler, they often like to stop and pick up every stone or stick, as they explore their world.  Outdoors our senses are stimulated; see the colourful flowers, look up at the clouds, hear the chattering squirrels, singing birds, the smell of blossoms, feel of the wind touch the rough bark on the tree.

family-picnic-in-the-park-PXV97PG

2. A picnic in a park or your backyard may be a new experience.  Talk about the ants, the feel of the grass, the blue sky; introduce new words, label the colours you see.

Unrecognizable father with small daughter on a walk in autumn forest, resting and talking.

3. A visit to a stream or creek provides opportunities for watching the water flow, throwing sticks or stones in the water to see a splash, or dipping toes in the water.  Keep your eyes open for frogs and minnows or turn over some rocks to see the crayfish.

Mother sitting next to her son on the floor covered with fur rug and showing him something curious in backyard through big window

4. Set up a tent in the backyard, babies can crawl in and play some peek-a-boo, toddlers may bring their favourite toys and play or listen to a story while enjoying a new experience.

toddler-child-plays-with-water-in-a-basin-DQEBXK5

5. Play with some water, fill up a container that they can dip, dump, and discover in!  Add sponges, rocks, shells, and cups of different sizes.  Toddlers might decide to add some grass or dirt.

Water invites all kinds of discoveries; bathing dolls or toys, add a paintbrush and paint with water, fill up a watering can and water plants, climbing in the bin, and splashing. With support and encouragement from parents, children learn to love being in nature.

Do you know that the Peterborough Family Resource Centre provides programs and supports for families with children 0-6 years of age?  Check out their website or Facebook

Currently, programs are offered virtually but watch for the Summer Schedule coming soon.

Simple Summer Activities

Kim Dobson, Pathway Activity Consultant

Looking for critters in a pond or creek: For some ideas on pond studies and what you’ll find in ponds and creeks, watch the Hidden Life of Ponds with Jacob Rodenburg or Swamped with Nature Nancy. There are so many areas in and around Peterborough to take your net and container and take off your shoes and get looking: Jackson’s Creek, Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Millbrook pond and trout ponds,  the Back Dam in Warsaw, around the edges of Little Lake and Squirrel Creek. Imagine the Marsh Conservation Area, Miller’s Creek Conservation Area, Hope Mill Conservation Area, and any body of water excluding sandy beaches (you won’t find much life on pure sand).

While you’re there, try your hand at making a sand castle. You can either use the traditional buckets and shovels or try the drip method

More into land activities?

Try disc golf. Peterborough has several great courses: Riverview Park and Zoo, Hamilton Park, Ennismore Waterfront Park, and Viamede Resort. All you need to participate is a frisbee or discs!

Family hikes: Whether it’s a walk around the neighbourhood, a hike through Jackson Park, or further afield, like a hike to High Falls, nothing beats a walk in the woods with your family. Take a picnic (food is a great motivator for little ones on a hike) and walking shoes and away you go. Socks and shoes are helpful for stability but also because of the poison ivy and/or insects. Kawartha Land Trust has many areas with trails that are open to the public, from the Jeffrey Cowan property on Stoney Lake to the John Earle Chase Memorial Park on Pigeon Lake. Find maps and directions on the Kawartha Land Trust website

Become a citizen scientist this summer. Contribute to scientific data being gathered all over the world. It’s as easy as snapping a photo of anything from frogs, plants, insects, and posting them in apps like iNaturalist, eBird, Seek, Bumblebee Watch, Herps of Ontario (part of iNaturalist), Leafsnap. These citizen science apps, and contributing to research, have the added benefit of getting your family to observe what is around them, learning the names of these things, and learning more about them, which in turn will hopefully create a context for caring about these living things and taking care of them.

Create a Butterflyway:  Seven steps to creating a Butterflyway from David Suzuki’s website 

  1. Grow native wildflowers, Invest in a tree or shrub, Create a woodpile bug hotel, Leave sunny soil patches for bees,
  2. Provide a water source, Learn more about local bees and butterflies, Create a neighbourhood Butterflyway!
 

Unstructured free time: this is what summer is all about and it’s been proven that unstructured free time outdoors is very beneficial for child development and also for connecting to the environment. 

Unstructured play provides a variety of benefits for child and youth health and well-being, in terms of: physical health and gross motor skills, mental and emotional health, social health and teamwork, learning and attention at school, and resiliency and risk management skills.

The Canadian Public Health Association 
If your child is not used to unstructured free time outside, it might take time to build up their comfort level, stamina and also their imaginations as to what to do with this free time. Start with short time frames and some suggestions and build up to longer times and less “interference”. Most often, if given the time and space, kids will come up with imaginative things to do that you would never have considered. When you think that they are done, and they are saying that they don’t know what to do, give them more time and see what happens. This is often when the magic happens!

Bring the family to a Provincial Park, they are free this summer Monday to Thursday for day use. Provincial Parks in our area are: Petroglyphs Provincial Park, Silent Lake Provincial Park, Emily Provincial Park, Balsam Lake Provincial Park, and further afield Presqu’il Provincial Park.

Get out after dark and stargaze. Several wonderful apps for identifying constellations are: Skyview, Google Sky, SkySafari, Star Tracker and to find out where the International Space Station is, there is even an app for that, called International Space Station.

Even more activities for kids 5+

Nancy Thomson, Pathway Activity Consultant
1.  Geocaching, the world’s biggest treasure hunt!
 
If you like looking for treasures and discovering new places then Geocaching is for you.  All you need is a smart phone or a GPS unit, get an account and decide which treasure hunt you will start with.  There are likely many geocaches close to where you live and there are thousands in Peterborough and the Kawarthas to be found. Go to Geocaching.com and create your account and the geocache options will pop up.  Walk, take a bike or make an unexpected stop while traveling this summer. It is an amazing way to explore the land.

2. Build a Fort

A cool place to beat the heat this summer is in the forest and Peterborough has plenty of them to explore. Jackson Park is the first one that comes to mind and is the perfect spot to build a fort. Let the children figure out what will make forts strong, waterproof, warm at night, and of course stylish.  Please remember to ensure that the fort builders are aware of animal homes and not to cut live branches for their forts as we are sharing the land with so many creatures, big and small.

3. Get on your BIKE and ride!

The Great Trail (otherwise known as the TransCanada Trail) runs right through Peterborough and to the east and west.  There are many sections of the trail that are on old rail trails allowing for easy biking adventures while minimizing exposure to motorized vehicles.  You can bike all the way to Hastings and beyond on the trail, stopping for a picnic along the way.  Or, if you want to go the other way, head west towards Omemee and discover the beautiful lands around the county. Visit https://tctrail.ca/ and see the section of the trail you want to discover.

4. Canoeing and Kayaking the Canal

A canoe trip doesn’t just have to be in the vast wilderness.  Exploring the Peterborough area along the canal is a really fun and exciting way to spend a summer day.  Whether you start in Little Lake or in Lakefield, you can travel along the canal and stop for a bite along the way, at a local café or the picnic you brought to eat at your favourite lock. If you don’t have your own boat or one to borrow, LiftLock Paddle Co has canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards with a PFD included.  Explore the lock system or just paddle the lakes that make the Kawarthas a destination for many travelers.

5. Beach Volleyball

Bring a hat, some sunscreen and a beach ball (or volleyball of course) and enjoy the sand in your toes as you play a game of beach volleyball. There are 6 courts available for public use at Beavermead Park in Peterborough on a first come first serve basis.  If they are already rented when you get there, there is an amazing playground, field space, and beach as some easy alternatives to your game.  A visit to Ecology Park could also be a quick alternative but it is a worthwhile trip on its own.

6.  The Perfect Solution to a Hot Summer’s Night

One of my favourite memories, when my kids were young, were the nights when we went “off script”.  Instead of a regular bedtime routine, we planned a special evening on those hottest of hot summer evenings.  Packing up a dinner picnic with some cool treats, we headed to a park with a splash pad.  After dinner (instead of bath, book, bed) the kids would have fun in the splash pad, cooling them down after a hot day.  At the park, we would change them into their PJs, read a book, and head home where they would be tucked into bed (likely negotiating for one more book before lights out). Such special memories.

There is lots of fun under the sun, but here is a wonderful activity from our Outdoor Activity Consultant, Kelly, King, that brings you out after dark for a late-night adventure. 

Night Vision Journeys

Kelly King, Pathway Activity Consultant

Did you know? Red light helps to preserve our night vision because of the low frequency it has when it meets our eyes. At really low, or red light, conditions our eyes produce a chemical called rhodopsin which allows us to more easily see in the dark. From the last bright light, we see it can take about 20 to 40 minutes for our eyes to start producing rhodopsin. This means you’ll need to make sure you’re only using your red light and not looking at any bright lights like street lamps, cellphones, or watches for 20 to 40 minutes before you start seeing the benefits of your night vision flashlight!

What you’ll need:

Small piece of plastic (like saran wrap)

Flashlight

Elastic Band

Red marker

What to do:

1. Colour one side of the plastic with your red marker.

2. Cover the end of your flashlight with the red plastic and secure it with an elastic band.

3. Take your red light on your next night hike and note how much more you can see when you don’t have bright lights around you!