Free educational resources from the Arbor Day Foundation

Image courtesy of George Hodan

Looking for a good resource to teach your kids about trees? Arbor Day offers educational activities that are free for download and can help you, as a parent or teacher, instill a love of nature and appreciation for trees in the children you interact with on a regular basis.

The site includes:

• Tree-themed games like Treevial Pursuit and Who Wants to Be a Treellionaire?
• Tree trivia
• Activities to learn about cholorophyll, seed germination, energy benefits, and more
• The basics of tree identification
• The life of a tree

Log on at www.arborday.org/education and start downloading! You might even learn a thing or two. I know I did!

Don't you love it when resources are this easy to find and are FREE? Enjoy!

RIW -- Backyard birds and fascinated children

While at the Pennwriters Conference in Lancaster last month, I met Suzanne Walls, who wrote a lovely little book called, Backyard Birds of the Piedmont. I mentioned my blog to her and she graciously gave me a copy of her book to review.

Backyard Birds of the Piedmont contains beautiful photographs by wildlife photographer, D.W. Maiden. These creative and stunning pictures of various birds are the perfect accents to the one-page descriptions supplied by Suzanne. She complements the photos in a kid-friendly way without talking down to the kids.

After I returned from the conference, I went out for breakfast with my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter. While we we waiting for our food, I read the book to Laura, who was truly fascinated by the bird facts and pictures. The book held her interest, and mine! I actually learned quite a bit about some common, and not-so-common birds.

As we pulled up to the house, Laura pointed to an orange-breasted bird in the yard and said, "Look Grandma, there's a American Robin." I smiled as it flew away.

The bird descriptions range from their appearance to their songs/calls to their behavioral characteristics. Each page is interesting and well written. This is a book I can read again and again, and plan to as we add to our family of grandbabies. I plan to spend some time with each one of them immersed in the pages of Suzanne L. Walls' wonderful book!

Suzanne was awarded the prestigious Seal of Approval by the Young Voices Foundation for her Exploring Wildlife Series.

On her website, she says this about Backyard Birds of the Piedmont:

Explore the wonderful world of Backyard Birds of the Piedmont through the eyes of a child. In this beginning-reader, each bird speaks directly to the reader in an engaging voice, presenting simple facts that encourage further investigation into the world of nature.

If your kiddo is more into creepy crawlers instead of feathered creatures, you might want to check out Suzanne's A Child's Book of Insects.

Visit A Child's Book for more information about Suzanne and her delightful children's books and to order a book or two for your little ones. Opening their eyes to the wonders of nature is one of the first steps toward teaching them to appreciate and care for this marvelous creation.

Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!

What a beautiful Vinegar Friday in Western Pennsylvania! It doesn't get much better than this. I started my day by showering and rinsing my hair with the last of my citrus-infused vinegar, after I took my tablespoon of Bragg's ACV. Then I threw the bamboo bed sheets in the wash and my granddaughter, the lovely little Lady Laura added a tablespoon of Lulu's in the Fluff Glamour Wash, a detergent that is not only poses no threats to our health, but also poses no threats to the environment. I added 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar instead of bleach or fabric softener. Once the wash cycle's done, I'll let the sun and breeze do their magic once I hang them on the line. I can't wait to be enveloped in that amazing scent when I crawl into bed tonight! My all-time favorite smell!!

I'm sitting out on my porch right now, chatting with you, while Bill blows bubbles with Laura. It's a perfect day.

The plans are to return the fish to the freshly cleaned out pond, once Bill rinses off the pump (that is soaking in ... you guessed it ... vinegar). Then Laura and I are going to do some earth-friendly crafting from a kit I received from Green Kid Crafts, which I'll be reviewing sometime soon.

Tonight, I'll use apple cider vinegar as an astringent on my face before I go to bed.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because Sunday is the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day! What better day to start celebrating than on Vinegar Friday? We'll make it a 3-day event here at the Caye house. Using vinegar to replace common household toxins is just one way to honor our Creator by caring for His creation. 

Laura and I walked around the backyard this morning picking dandelions that had gone to seed, and doing what children have always loved to do -- blowing those fuzzy little seeds into the sky. As we were doing this, I showed her a still-yellow dandelion and told her it would turn into what she was holding in her hand. She looked at both and said, "I don't believe you, Green Grandma." And yes, she does call me Green Grandma!


This Earth Day weekend, why not take the opportunity to teach your children or grandchildren a thing or two about nature? Take a walk. Lie on the grass and look at the clouds. Sit by a stream. Pick up litter. Blow dandelion seeds into the air. And talk. Try to come up with a new way to care for the earth. After all, she's been awfully kind to you now, hasn't she?

What are your plans for Earth Day? Stop over at our Facebook page and share your ideas with the community!

Keeping it green with vinegar,

Hana

In celebration of Earth Day, Lulu.com is planting trees for each author who enters their Earth Day contest. Plus, the author who sells the most books between April 18 - 25 will win a Nook and a $475 marketing consultation (1st place) or a $350 Clarion Book Review. I'd really like to win. Why not help out Green Grandma by ordering a book or two? Through the 25th, pick up a copy of Vinegar Fridays for just $10.