Nature Explorers

Happy Spring!!! Today the Little Explorers celebrated the equinox with a story, spicebush muffins, and redbud lemonade. Every year Ms.Jane harvests the tart pink flowers from her beloved redbud tree for this tradition.
It’s magic to watch the chemical reaction between the acidic lemon juice and the anthocyanins in the “redbud tea”.
It was a chilly, wet, and windy first spring day… 🥶 but we also saw many MANY flowers closed up waiting for the next warm day. They will stretch open their petals and share sweet nectar with the pollinators 🐝 🦋 How do YOU celebrate spring?

Foraging 101 was a hit today! Ms.Judy brought edible plants from her yard and the adult students got to closely observe the harvested species, learn their names, how to work with them/cook them, practice identification in the wild, meet others interested in connecting with Nature, and sip delicious Wildly Healthy tea from ! Poison ivy was identified, and she taught about for treating exposure.

Our next Foraging 101 class is on May 10, but before that is Hickory Bark Syrup on April 26th.
Link in bio!

(And remember-foraging is not allowed in the Warner Parks)

Joyful digging today!

To prepare for snack, we wipe hands on dewy grass, get the rest off with wet wipes, and sanitize for safety!

We also sometimes use !

First day back of Little Explorers ! Sun, snow, teamwork, and imagination abound!

After our quiet moment of morning observation, we hiked up into the forest to play around a beautiful fallen black cherry tree.
The children climbed, gently dug in the soft winter soil, and built shops and homes.
Next, we hiked back to our Circle for lunch and story telling about everyone’s winter break.
Highlights:
“I went to a jazz gig and met a lot of new people”
“I got activity beads!!”
“I learned about this guy who rode a unicycle ALL over the WORLD!”

So glad to be back together 🥰

First day back of Little Explorers ! Sun, snow, teamwork, and imagination abound!

After our quiet moment of morning observation, we hiked up into the forest to play around a beautiful fallen black cherry tree.
The children climbed, gently dug in the soft winter soil, and built shops and homes.
Next, we hiked back to our Circle for lunch and story telling about everyone’s winter break.
Highlights:
“I went to a jazz gig and met a lot of new people”
“I got activity beads!!”
“I learned about this guy who rode a unicycle ALL over the WORLD!”

So glad to be back together 🥰

First day back! Cold, sunny, and snow still left, hooray!
We begin our 2025 our homeschool tutorial with an archaeology block about Ancient Tennesseans using one of ‘s Traveling Trunks! A fantastic program that supports teachers in bringing hands-on history curriculum that meets Tennessee state standards!

Between flying snowballs, conversations about winter break adventures, plus a hike, the students:
-Learned about the basics of archaeology
-Worked on spelling
-Practiced critical thinking
-Built group work skills
-Notated their findings like real world archaeologist!

What a fantastic start to the year!

Exited to harvest and cook together again!

Potato or Puffball?

THIS Saturday, the rains have blessed us with the opportunity to teach about foraging for mushroos!
Join master forager Alan Powell and our very own naturalist Judy Scoville for a special class.
Link in bio