Explore & Discover

Planet Earth is a beautiful and wondrous place. Did you know that humans are still discovering new species of plants, algae, bacteria, fungi, and animals in air, waters and on land? Hone your observations skills by exploring the great outdoors. Here are some tools & resources to get you excited.

Naturalist Gear - don't leave home without these:

parent/guardians

Always explore with an adult

common sense

safety first!

hydration

Bring along water in a reusable bottle

sun protection

hat & sunscreen

your senses

Did you know you have more than 5 senses?

magnifying glass

binoculars

recording tool

journal, parent's phone, camera

Citizen Science Activities:

5 Minute Naturalist

Spend 5 minutes everyday or once a week outside at the same spot just observing. Change the time you go to observe differences between morning and dusk. Sit in the same spot or walk around the perimeter. Record what you see, hear, smell, feel. Over time you'll deepen your understanding of how nature works.

Leaf Collection

Do all leaves look the same? Observe the shapes, sizes, thickness, patterns, textures and colors of leaves around you.

Start a leaf press collection.

Watch video here.

Identify Plants & Wildlife

Using the Seek app or Google Image, learn about the nature that surrounds you. Are they native or invasive species?

Websites:

Audubon Kids aims to bring together activities to educate children about birds and their habitat.

NASA Climate Kids tells the story of our changing planet through the eyes of the NASA missions studying Earth. Targeting upper-elementary-aged children, the site is full of games, activities and articles that make climate science accessible and engaging.

National Geographic Kids features educational games, videos, and other activities, centered mostly on animals and the natural world.

The Kids Should See This is a collection of educational videos for curious kids exploring the topics of science, art, nature, animals and more.

Kid Friendly & Safe Apps:

Seek

"Use the power of image recognition technology to identify the plants and animals all around you. Earn badges for seeing different types of plants, birds, fungi and more!"

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