Bumble Bee Watch

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  • June
  • Activities, Citizen Science, Insects, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Landmark 22, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Senior Years Deeper Activities, Summer

Materials Needed

  • Camera with zoom
  • Access to website
Website Link

Size of Group

1-20

Age Range

7-18 years

How to:

Ontario is home to many species of Bumblebee, and June is an excellent time to go looking for them.  Bumblebees are social bees, and only their queen survives the winter.  The queen works hard in spring and summer to collect pollen, nectar and to lay eggs to build her colony.

Bumble Bee Watch is a Citizen Science program that encourages people to go out looking for bumble bees, learn to recognize species and to report what they’ve seen.  Visit their website, and get started learning about the fascinating world of bumble bees!

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!

Turtle Patrol

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  • June
  • Activities, Animals, Intermediate Videos, Intermediate Workshops, Intermediate Years Deeper Activities, Landmark 28, Middle Years Deeper Activities, Middle Years Videos, Middle Years Workshops, Senior Videos, Senior Years Deeper Activities, Student Workshops, Summer, Turtles, Videos, Workshops
Turtle Video #1
Turtle Video #2

Size of Group

any

Age Range

8-18

How to:

June is a month when many turtles are travelling from their wetland homes to drier places to lay eggs.  This can be a perilous journey if they must cross roadways.  The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre teaches about the species of turtles in Ontario, why they are in peril and what we can do to help (Video #1 – 11 minutes).  In Video #2 (6 minutes), older students can learn about turtle rehabilitation and get involved as volunteers.

Shadow Fun

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  • June
  • Activities, Early Years Quick Activities

Materials Needed

  • A sunny day
  • Sidewalk chalk
Sunny Shadows Poster

Size of Group

any

Age Range

2-7

How to:

Playing with shadows, now that the sun is shining more brightly, is an easy game that
encourages imagination and movement.  Once children notice their shadow, see how they can make their shadow move.

Can they wave with one arm and with two? Does your shadow chase you? Can they jump up and down, wiggle their fingers or make a heart shape? Try tracing each other’s shadows with sidewalk chalk.

Person Power

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  • June
  • Activities, Intermediate Years Quick Activities, Middle Years Quick Activities, Senior Years Quick Activities

Materials Needed

  • Some mode of non-motorized travel:
  • (Bicycles and helmets)
  • (Canoe and life jackets)
  • (Foot travel!)
Person Power Poster

Size of Group

any

Age Range

5 years and up

How to:

How many ways can you think of to travel without using gasoline or electricity?  Bring your whole family to an outdoor place you’ve never been before. Choose how you’d like to travel (no motors allowed). Bring a picnic and spend at least an hour exploring this new place. While you’re there, make a list of the sounds you hear. Find three different kinds of trees or shrubs and take a photo of each. Find 3 different wildflowers and 3 insects and take a photo of each.

Faces in Nature

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  • June
  • Activities, Early Years Quick Activities, Intermediate Years Quick Activities, Middle Years Quick Activities, Senior Years Quick Activities, Spring, Summer

Materials Needed

  • No materials needed!
  • (Camera optional)
Faces in Nature Challenge

Size of Group

any

Age Range

any

How to:

Have you ever looked for faces in the natural world?  In the trees, in the rocks, in the clouds – anywhere you look!  Go exploring together and see how many faces you can find.  If you wish, take some photos to share.

Flower Art

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  • June
  • Activities, Arts, Early Years Quick Activities, Middle Years Quick Activities, Spring

Materials Needed

  • Flower Petals
  • White paper or cloth
  • Board
  • Hammer or mallet
  • Paper Towel
Flattened Flowers Poster

Size of Group

1-20

Age Range

3-10 years

How to:

Go for a walk together when plenty of flowers are blooming.  Collect a variety of colours from plant leaves or flowers.  Be careful not to collect too much from any one plant, and only collect where there are many flowers.

Lay a piece of paper or white cloth on a board.  Spread out your plant pieces in an attractive way on the paper.  Cover with a couple of layers of paper towel.  Take a hammer or mallet and carefully hit each bit of the paper that has plant parts underneath.

When you’ve finished, carefully peel away the paper towel and plant pieces to see your lovely work of art, with thanks to the plants that provided the colour!