When we think about teaching nature and science, we might imagine older children doing experiments or looking through microscopes. But did you know that even babies and toddlers can begin to explore the world of nature and science? It all starts with the materials we give them and the words we use.Read More

Natalie Grebe In a classroom setting, there are many ways to engage toddlers and preschool children in age-appropriate science activities. This can be a fun and interactive way to introduce science concepts and foster a love of learning. Here are some ideas for activities that can be incorporated into a preschool classroom and spark a...Read More

By Regina Wright Close your eyes. Now use four of your five senses. Without opening your eyes, listen to the sounds of spring. What do you hear? Listen as the birds sing. Feel the heat as the sun shines brightly beneath the wind.  Now reach out with your hands and feel the textures that are...Read More

Leah Zabari Tu Bishvat is known as the New Year for trees or as I tell my children, it’s the birthday of the trees!  Just as Earth Day is a celebration of the Earth, Tu Bishvat is the celebration of trees.  This holiday occurs in mid-winter (January/February) which seems a little strange considering that the...Read More

Kelli Harris As an avid gardener, I start thinking about next year’s spring planting while I’m harvesting my sweet potatoes and the last of my other fall vegetables in late October. Over the winter months, I peruse seed catalogs and develop a plan for what I want to plant the following spring. I am fortunate...Read More

by Tracy Walter Science is both a body of knowledge that represents current understanding of natural systems and the process whereby that body of knowledge has been established and is continually extended, refined, and revised (Worth,2005). Because it’s important to understand that both elements (natural systems and the process) are essential it is important that...Read More

By Angel Avery-Wright One of my closest friends bought me a bird feeder for Christmas. I thought she was crazy. I do not watch birds, let alone feed them. It took me years to finally put it up. Something amazing happened. I discovered I have over 20 species of birds living in my neighborhood. I...Read More

By Jada Avery   Handprints, sculptures, target practice, roads, and even kitchens; it is incredible just how many things one can create using mud. After reading one of NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children magazines, I became obsessed with the idea of mud play. I even learned that there is a National Mud Day on June 29th!Read More

Kelli Harris What exactly is Earth Day? The first Earth Day occurred in 1970, after a U.S. Senator saw the impact of an oil spill in California. Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22nd and this year marks the 50th Anniversary. It is about raising awareness of the importance of protecting our planet...Read More

Beth Simon I grew up in the mountains of central PA, idyllic scenery to most, not to me. I despised it. I had seen enough trees and nature to last a lifetime. You couldn’t have paid me to go for a hike in the woods when I was a kid. Although all this nature was...Read More