Individual and Family Activites
WINTER SEASON LEADERBOARD (January, February, March)
(this board resets to zero at the start of each season)
Who’s in the lead this season? Build up your Pathway Points by reporting your Landmark activities!
| Placement | Group Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walmsley Five | 11 |
| 2 | The Nature Nuts | 9 |
Early Years (birth to 5 years)
Burr! Winter is fun
Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)
We went out on a walk today around a nearby wooded area. Along the way we found lots of surprises like this burr that attached itself to a hat string. Once noticed, we quickly took out a magnifying glass to take a closer look. Right away we could see the tiny hooks that the burr was using to hitch a ride on the hat. We then had lots of fun testing out what other materials the burr would stick to!
The Nature Nuts – Jan 3, 2021
Winter Wonderland
Landmark 4 (Favourite Place Weekly)
A visit to the beach in winter – it’s not as warm as the summer. Lots of fun to be had watching the waves crash and feeling sand in your hands.
The Walmsley Five – Dec 13, 2020
Pup Treats!
Landmark 2 (Animal Friends Monthly)
Giving Ricky (family dog) some treats!
The Walmsley Five – Dec 15, 2020
Middle Years (6 to 9 years)
Flying Friends
Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)
Working and schooling from home this month has allowed us to have constant watch over bird seed that we sprinkle on our back deck each day. We have had so much fun identifying the animals that have been making regular visits to our house including chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, northern cardinals, blue jays, squirrels, nuthatches, and what we believe to be a group of sparrows, common redpolls and goldfinches. Many virtual meetings have been interrupted by the excitement over our daily visit from a small flock of cardinals (3 males, 2 females) or a blue jay’s noisy visit.
The Nature Nuts – Jan 14, 2021
Winter bird watch
Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)
Our family has been really interested in discovering the birds that have stayed in our neighbourhood over the winter. While playing in the backyard today, we noticed how many birds were flying around and calling from the trees. We quickly packed up a backpack with binoculars and a notebook and took a walk around the neighbourhood to record how many birds we could find. My daughter kept a tally of the different kinds of birds we saw and heard- including a number of chickadees, bluejays and crows.
The Nature Nuts – Jan 2, 2021
Forest Drive
Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)
Going for a drive – in the forest. This old car was on a friends property – it brought lots of joy to the driver and his sidekick.
The Walmsley Five – Dec 20, 2020
Intermediate (10 to 13 years)
Skateboarding Skills
Landmark #17 (Three New Outdoor Skills)
These little Chickadees took advantage of this amazing November weather to learn a new skill. Skateboarding at the Lakefield Skate Park is a great place to learn!!
The Chickadees – Nov 6/20
Edible Food
Landmark #18 (Natural Area Booklet, Blog or Video)
We looked around the yard for plants that were edible according to the… book.
Then we made our own reference book with what we found.
Chickadees – August 31/20
Cattails
Landmark #17 (Three New Outdoor Skills)
My mom and I went to Barnardo Park with hand clippers and cut some cattails. I only cut down 3 of them that had cattails on them because the brown cattails are the most important part of the plant because it spreads the seeds for plants to grow next year. We brought the tall reeds home and with string I showed my mom how to tie them into a cattail mat. First Nation Peoples used to use this technique to make beds, baskets and clothes. I learned this at Camp Kawartha. I also fluffed the brown cattails and put it in a bag. We brought it camping and use it as a fire starter.
Nature Ninjas – Aug 25/20
Senior (14 to 17 years)
Helping the Earth
Landmark 26 (Volunteer in Three Ways)
After a windy week, a lot of garbage has been noticed blowing around town, so the girls decided to use their break to clean it up!! Safety first of course, as they found these extended arms at the Friendly Dollar Store in Lakefield, to use. Don’t want to actually touch any of the garbage!
The Chickadees – Nov 20, 2020
True Wilderness
Landmark #27 (Wilderness Trip)
Quetico is a true wilderness park – campsites and portages are not marked, the lakes are big, and the portages can be rough.
I’d wanted to paddle Quetico for years, but always figured it was too far to drive. But we all decided it WAS worth the drive … and the drive itself was fantastically scenic for the most part..
The Douglas Family – Aug 17/20
Down the rapids
Landmark #27 (Wilderness Trip)
Our family spent a glorious 8 days canoeing through Quetico Provincial Park. Such a great way to recharge the batteries, and we went DAYS without thinking or talking about COVID. Just us, together, with our two canoes, tents, food great sense of adventure.
The Douglas Family – Aug 16/20