All Middle Years

Landmark 8 (Nature Art Weekly)

Ethan and his mom went around the garden collecting plants for Adventure 4: World of Colour. He was careful not to take too much from each plant. He learned about the different names and then worked together to make an art piece of his family in the backyard.

Jackson Family – September 5, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

We were able to back-country camp in Kawartha highlands from Saturday- Wednesday with family and friends. We let the kids stay up later and watch the planets, stars and satellites. The kids were able to find Mars as it is a red planet and they also identified a few other stars. It was also very interesting to see Star Link. We had a great discussion about meteors, meteorites, and shooting stars. Headlamps were used to create shadows on the rocks and to tell spooky stories around the campfire.

The Nancekivell Clan – August 27, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

We searched our yard to find the milkweed plants that we had previously found monarchs on. There were no eggs or caterpillars this year. But we did see some other butterflies on our flowers. Monarchs have a special place in our hearts. A few years ago we brought in some eggs and hatched out the caterpillars and continued to feed them fresh milkweed until they crawled up their enclosures and created their chrysalis. We were heading to my grandmothers funeral and that morning the Monarch who we had affectionately named GG (great grandma) hatched out of her chrysalis, by the time the funeral was about to take place she was ready to fly so we let her go near my grandmothers gravesite. GG monarch landed on a nearby rose as if to say thank you and then she flew off and lingered in a tree watching us all for awhile and then flew away. Such amazing creatures.

The Nancekivell Clan – August 30, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

We grabbed our friends and rode on a new bike path from Trent university all the way to Lakefield. We enjoyed seeing all the different trees and hearing all the birds along the way. We took a photo of the children on the bridge overlooking the water where we were looking for signs of fish, frogs, bugs.
The Nancekivell Clan – July 22, 2022

Landmark 6 (Play in Nature a Full Hour)

Ethan builds a fort in his favourite local forest which we call, the wacky woods. He was very proud of his design.

Jackson Family – September 3, 2022

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Ethan celebrated the night sky by having a fire with his family. We practiced lighting fires safely. We looked at all the stars and identified constellations using the SkyView App. We then had fun in the dark spotting bats and using sparklers.

Jackson Family – July 29, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

We stayed up late to explore nature at night time. We enjoyed playing with sprinklers and afterward we watched the sky. What both boys noticed was the change of noises and they noticed some nocturnal animals including bats. They both commented on how calm it made them feel.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 18, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

Every year we spread milkweed seeds and check them as they grow. We found a caterpillar munching on one today and saw some butterflies at our flowers this weekend.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – September 3, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

We collected dandelions from our lawn and made dandelion honey. We enjoyed the honey on toast and in our tea. Mmm!

The Jacksons – April 7, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

Today we planted some new trees on our property and after reading about how to propagate a weeping willow we decided to try to propagate ours so that we can have more willow trees.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 28, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

We visited an Ontario Park with friends where we played in the sand, swam and learned about paddle boarding. My youngest also noticed all of the birds. He has been noticing them more since we went on our bird walk last week.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 25, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

We used the Merlin Bird app to listen and identify local birds while on a walk.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 23, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

We have started to look for signs of the seasons changing. Today we found a leaf that is changing colour and our tomatoes that are ready to harvest. We also watched a bee as it pollinated a Bee Balm flower.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 23, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

Our family walked down to Roger’s Cove with our furry friend Frankie. While we don’t have a pet, our friend does and we spent time helping Frankie to practice their skills. Arthur is interested in getting a pet one day soon, and enjoyed the chance to spend time with Frankie.

The Walmsley Five – August 16 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

Adventure #5: We are visiting the West Coast this week and have enjoyed comparing the different trees that grow in BC compared to those we find in Ontario. One of our favourites is the arbutus tree. It has rough, scaly bark that naturally peels away to reveal a smooth, orange layer underneath. It often has strong, twisty branches which make it a fun tree to climb!

The Nature Nuts – August 7, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

Adventure #6: While on vacation in British Columbia this week, we have been spending all of our mornings exploring the low tides. We have found a variety of creatures that live in the Pacific Ocean- sea stars (ocher, leather), crabs (purple shore, spider, red rock, hermit), moon snails, sand dollars, mussels, clams, oysters- just to name a few! When the tide is high we head off swimming and paddle boarding to spot different fish, seals and even a river otter!

The Nature Nuts – August 14, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

Camping in Kawartha Highlands. A weekend of exploring the creatures and plants in our local wilderness areas. As well as Arthur’s favorite portage – only 10m!

The Walmsley Five – July 16, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

Rope Swinging! Fun for kids, using all of their balance and strength, or at least most of it boys climbed up the tree (along the Trent-Severn Waterway between Peterborough and Lakefield) and enjoyed the power of momentum!

The Walmsley Five – August 8, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

GreenUP Bike Night! The boys were excited about the bike course with lots of different terrains to practice their biking skills. Dad was excited to try out a friend’s electric-assist bike, which was made harder to steer by unruly passengers!

The Walmsley Five – August 9, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place)

A first time visit to a not too far away location. We had never been to Quarry Bay Beach and decided to explore there on a sunny day. As is often the case fishing was of interest for the boys, however, the beach is abutted by private property on each side and there isn’t a lot of space for safe casting. Not to worry! The boys carried their fishing gear above their heads like adventurers traveling through the jungle. Out on the dock they had lots of space to cast out into beautiful Stoney Lake. A bit of a far drive, so maybe just a once-a-summer kind of trip!

The Walmsley Five – August 12, 2022

Landmark 13 (Travel a Familiar Route)

It’s an adventure by body power! Scooters, bikes and feet. We packed up our trailer full of fishing items, and made our way towards the top of the Peterborough Lift lock. At the the top of the canal the boys fished and watched as the boats went by. Marcus had built his own fishing rod with a stick and rope he was very excited when his rod worked. We hadn’t planned on going for a swim, and so without towels the boys did jumping jacks to stay warm. A great exploration morning by person power!

The Walmsley Five – August 15, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

We made our annual visit to a local blueberry farm to pick berries that we can eat all year long! We discovered a bird nest in one of the bushes and we were careful to leave lots of berries there for the bird.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 11, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

We visited their grandparent’s farm where the boys helped their grandfather collect eggs, went fishing in the creek on the property, and help to take care of the gardens with grandma.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – July 30, 2022

Landmark 10 (Grow and Eat Food)

Today we went out to our Garden and Elliott helped me to collect some ground cherries to eat. He has been helping me to plant, weed and water the garden all summer.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – August 8, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place)

After walking in our village late at night to see fireworks we waited and took in all of the stars and then decided to sleep on the trampoline. Conversations about stars, galaxies, satellites etc. went on for quite some time before sleep. Picture in the dark are difficult and not as beautiful but the sky was stunning that night!

Friesen – July 29, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

We spent hours looking for “sea creatures” in Rustico Bay, PEI. The kids spotted mussels, oysters, razor clams, and crabs. They were determined to find the large lobster that lives under the dock of the kayak shop, but decided it must have been too tired to play.

Hipgrave Family – July 21, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

A favourite new family activity is learning to skip rocks on the water!

Hipgrave Family – July 21, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

We had a blast kayaking around Rustico Bay! This was the first time in a tandem kayak for two of us. We spent the afternoon exploring the red rocks and spotted many different birds, including herons and eagles.

Hipgrave Family – July 21, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

We built a ‘Saloon’ for the local birds to come for rest and refueling and mounted it on a tree in our backyard.

The Jacksons – July 28, 2022

Landmark 10 (Grow and Eat Food)

We planted seeds and waited and got nice little tomato plants.

Page/Fulford family – July 22, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

This weekend we spent a full day at Warsaw Caves Conservation Area. We rented a canoe and spent two hours paddling along Indian River. It was our first time exploring this river and the first time in a canoe for our youngest. The river is really easy to paddle and the surrounding scenery is so beautiful. We saw lots of turtles, dragonflies, minnows, crayfish and birds. Afterwards we enjoyed a picnic lunch and swim at the beach. We then spent the afternoon exploring the caves, kettles and hiking trails. Needless to say, the kids slept very well that night! That day was a huge highlight in our summer so far!

The Nature Nuts – July 23, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals))

We went for a walk in our neighbourhood (we are rural) and looked for faces in nature.

McIntosh-Brittain Family – July 16, 2022

Landmark 12 ( Nearby Plants and Animals)

Ethan and Ella try Adventure 2, Person Power. They walked through the neighbourhood and along the beach, paddle boarded, kayaked and road bikes together. We talked about climate change and how our neighbourhood would look different in different seasons. We used our Seek App to learn about new plants in the dog park near the house.

Jackson Family – July 20, 2022

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

We had a great time taking two long nature walks and finding faces! We ended up finding 18 faces by exploring around our neighborhood, and a nearby park.

The Nature Nuts – July 14, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

Ethan and Ella went looking for faces in nature for Adventure Quest 1. We walked for over an hour through our neighbourhood, to the Ecology Garden and along the beach. We found faces in many different places and had so much fun.

Jackson Family – July 14, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

Quest 1- we walked around our neighbourhood and local path and discovered a few faces. The faces we actually found were animals and our family! We found a rabbit hopping by and a poor mole that had passed away. We love walking together and discovering new things. Mushrooms hunting is also a favourite of our family so we were searching for those, as sometimes they look like faces!! This week we made it out camping to Killbear and were able to experience a lot of outdoor fun!

The Nancekivell Clan – July 13, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

I took the kids and dog on a nice walk threw Jackson’s park looked at all the different things nature brought to us. We found some faces in trees and played in the creek.

Fulford family – July 11, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

We are so fortunate to be a part of the Peterborough Water Festival this year. Today, we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. We learned about species of turtles native to Ontario, and how the OTCC helps to protect Ontario’s turtle species.

Queen Elizabeth Gr 2/3 – May 11, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

We made use of a beautiful Easter Monday to explore another new hiking trail. This one had a long washed-out road we had to walk down just to get to the trail. Once in the woods, the kids quickly sourced the best tree for climbing!

The Nature Nuts – April 18, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

We discovered a new hiking spot today and had a lot of fun exploring the route. The loop we tried out even had a lookout deck that we stopped at. We’re headed back tomorrow to try one of the other loops.

The Nature Nuts – April 17, 2022

Landmark 14 (Five New Outdoor Activities)

Rainbow Walk! (Suggested by Nancy Thompson.) Our challenge was to find as many things in the woods behind our school that represented the colours of the rainbow. After spreading out with various friends in the class and searching the forest, we gathered back in a circle to share our discoveries. We didn’t quite create a colour wheel, but we took turns adding our items to a spot in the middle of our circle. We were amazed at some of the unusual items found, including a bright red “skin,” on a fallen tree (beneath the bark,) a partial pink plastic scissors handle, snack wrappers, and dead leaves with bits of yellow. It was a great spring board for discussion about nature vs. human treasures in the woods, what we leave behind when we visit somewhere, and how what other people leave behind makes us feel.

St Catherine CES Gr 3 – April 12, 2022

Landmark 9 (Special Outdoor Place 2X/Month)

We walked on our favourite trail, the Elderberry Trail in the Northumberland Country Forest and Trail system. We looked for birds and talked about the life of trees and how to protect them. We also spent time with our pup.

Jackson Family – April 15, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

We went on a hike today to enjoy the spring weather. While on the trail we came across a small pond and decided to explore. While there we saw a male mallard duck going for a swim and heard spring peepers and chorus frogs happily croaking. We tried rolling some logs in search of a salamander but didn’t find one. All in all we had a great time exploring and plan to return back soon.

The Nature Nuts – April 15, 2022

Landmark 15 (Garden, birdfeeder, insects etc.)

We tried the Cobourg Public Library ‘Grow Your Own Pizza Garden’ activity. We planted tomatoes, oregano and basil in egg planters. We learn about how to care for our plants. How much water we needed and how much sunlight. We also practiced math by counting out the seeds.

Jackson Family – April 10, 2022

Landmark 10 (Grow and Eat Food)

Collected sap and boiled into syrup 🙂

Riel Family – March 26, 2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

Snowshoeing, crafts with natural items, and learning to build fires using traditional methods.

Robert Laite – 02/19/2022

Landmark 12 (Nearby Plants and Animals)

Connecting with nature has been more difficult during online learning. Today, we did a virtual field trip to Ripley’s Aquarium to learn about North American Lobsters. We learned about how climate change is impacting Lobster populations, lobster reproduction, lobster moulting and the many lobster appendages. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada runs live education videos weekly on their YouTube channel.

Queen Elizabeth Gr 2/3 – January 13, 2022

Landmark 11 (Celebrate Each Season)

With the first big snowfall, comes the first snowmen of the season! We dusted off our snowman kit and got to work rolling out each snowball. We came close to using all the snow in the front yard, but it was worth it. While our snowmen didn’t last long in the sun, we can’t wait to rebuild them when the snow is just right again.

The Nature Nuts – December 4, 2021