Over the weekend, we went to Sacramento to help my parents plant their vegetable garden. The garden has historically been my mom’s project. However, as my parents have become older (they are now entering their 80’s), the yard work has become more difficult for them. My mom uses a walker, and getting down to theContinue reading “Gardening with Grandpa”
Category Archives: Homeschooling
Creating our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Four, Homes for Wildlife
We’re on the final step of creating our backyard wildlife habitat! For those of you who don’t already know, we’re following the guidelines provided by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in their Certified Wildlife Habitat program. So far, we have completed the following steps: Provide food Supply water Create cover The final step is toContinue reading “Creating our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Four, Homes for Wildlife”
Creating our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Three, Create Cover
Today was day three of working towards making our backyard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat, per the guidelines provided by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). So far, we’ve completed step 1 (provide food) and step two (supply water). Our focus today? Create cover for wildlife. This step in the certification process requires that a backyardContinue reading “Creating our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Three, Create Cover”
Creating Our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Two, Supply Water
For those of you who are following us, you know that yesterday my son and I started to create a wildlife habitat in our backyard, following the guidelines set by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Yesterday our focus was on providing food sources for wildlife. Today, we worked on step two… supply water for wildlife.Continue reading “Creating Our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step Two, Supply Water”
Creating Our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step One, Provide Food
Today my son and I began working towards making our backyard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat, per the guidelines provided by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). I figured it would be best for my four-year-old if we only focus on one aspect of certification at at a time. Our focus today? Step one: Provide FoodContinue reading “Creating Our Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Step One, Provide Food”
Attract Wildlife to Your Home – Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat
After struggling with what to do with our little backyard for the last several years, I think I’ve finally found a solution. The main constraint for us is an oak tree that covers our entire yard with shade, making vegetable gardening difficult. The only plant thriving in our yard is rosemary. Kale does pretty well,Continue reading “Attract Wildlife to Your Home – Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat”
Walk, Run, Bike, Scooter….Alamo Creek Trail, Dublin
I found the Alamo Creek Trail in the center of Dublin when my son was about four months old, and this great little trail has grown along with him. While he was a baby, I would put my son into the ERGObaby carrier and walk around, showing him the little things we saw along theContinue reading “Walk, Run, Bike, Scooter….Alamo Creek Trail, Dublin”
Look for Lizards
As the weather has been warming up, we’ve been seeing more and more lizards on our walks. I believe these little guys (they are about 3-5 inches long) are Western Fence Lizards. We have them all over the place here in the East Bay. Maybe your child(ren) would like to go on a walk toContinue reading “Look for Lizards”
Take a Trash Collecting Walk
To celebrate Earth Day today, my son asked if we could walk around our neighborhood and collect trash. He’s been totally into this activity since last summer, when he earned his Junior Ranger badge on one of our visits to Yosemite. The ranger made a big point about continuing to be a ranger after weContinue reading “Take a Trash Collecting Walk”
Family Hike, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland
After several days stuck home due to sickness, my husband, son, and I headed out today for a short hike through the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills. The 1.7 mile Huckleberry Path seemed about the right distance, and I’ve heard from many sources that it’s a great hike to do with aContinue reading “Family Hike, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland”
Amazing Animals Scavenger Hunt, Oakland Zoo
We’ve had a membership to the Oakland Zoo for over three years now. We visit frequently, as it is a beautiful place to run around, with a great Children’s Zoo for the kids. And what better way for a child to see, in relatively close and safe proximity, wild animals from around the world. UsuallyContinue reading “Amazing Animals Scavenger Hunt, Oakland Zoo”
Take a “Signs of Spring” Walk
The wildflowers are starting to bloom, new leaves are growing on the tips of branches, gardens are beginning to sprout… this is the time to take the kids out for a walk to look for the signs of spring. This can be a quick walk around the neighborhood or the park, an exploration of yourContinue reading “Take a “Signs of Spring” Walk”
Simple Outdoor Play: Go to the Park
Need a bit of healthy, energy-expending outdoor time for your child(ren), but not sure what to do? Keep it simple. Go to the park. Any park. Just let them run around. Bring a bike or a scooter, and let them ride. Bring some balls, and kick them around. Climb on the play structures. Swing onContinue reading “Simple Outdoor Play: Go to the Park”
This Saturday… Sunol Wildflower Festival!
One of our favorite Bay Area festivals, the Sunol Wildflower Festival, is being held this Saturday, April 14th. We attended this the last two years, and my son (then age 2 and 3) and I both loved it. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to attend this year, but I’ve been telling everyone I know toContinue reading “This Saturday… Sunol Wildflower Festival!”
Urbia Adventure # 1: Treasure in the Hills of San Francisco
Aargh, Batman… there’s treasure in yonder hills! OK, so pirate speak and Batman don’t really go together, but I can’t seem to get my little one out his Batman raincoat these days… not even for a bit of treasure seeking. We had an unexpected break in the rain today, so we drove into San FranciscoContinue reading “Urbia Adventure # 1: Treasure in the Hills of San Francisco”
Outdoor Art: String Painting
We did this art activity at the Chabot Space Center‘s Tyke Explorer class last week. When I asked my son if he’d like to do this again at home, he said, “yes, but we’ll have to do it outside.” I asked him why, and he said, “it would be WAY to messy to do inContinue reading “Outdoor Art: String Painting”
Urbia Adventures: Exploring Nature in San Francisco
A friend recently told me about some fun-looking educational treasure hunting booklets created and sold through the Urbia Adventure League. These booklets were created based upon the concept of letterboxing (which I wrote about last week), but add so much more. Each booklet has at least ten pages packed full of information and activities designedContinue reading “Urbia Adventures: Exploring Nature in San Francisco”
Nature Walk, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
My favorite spot in the San Francisco East Bay to take kids for a nature walk is Redwood Regional Park, but, for a variety of reasons, we haven’t visited the park for a few months. We had a break in the rain late this week, so we headed to the park for a walkContinue reading “Nature Walk, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland”
Letterboxing: The Search for the Gingerbread Man
I’m happy to report that our first letterboxing experience was (mostly) a success. For our first outing, I wanted to do a search that was, 1) relatively easy, and 2) close to home. After searching on letterboxing.org for boxes hidden in Dublin, California, I was glad to find there was a box hidden in DublinContinue reading “Letterboxing: The Search for the Gingerbread Man”
Letterboxing: Getting Ready for the Hunt
Letterboxing has been around forever (well, at least, a few hundred years), but I just learned about it within the past year. Though I’ve been interested in trying it out with my son, it somehow seemed a bit overwhelming just to get started. But now I’m ready to begin. If you’re new to letterboxing, likeContinue reading “Letterboxing: Getting Ready for the Hunt”
hike.wander.wonder 