This coming week, March 15-19, is National Wildlife Week. 

     Sponsored annually by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), National Wildlife Week is a time to shake off the winter doldrums, to get outside and enjoy the earth coming to life in the early spring.  Even more important, National Wildlife Week is a chance to get kids outside enjoying the nature around them as well. 

   NWF urges families to celebrate National Wildlife Week by having some fun together outdoors.  NWF suggests that parents commit to spending at least an hour more outside with the kids than they typically would over the course of a week. 

     And how to spend this time outside?  The possibilities are endless.  If you’re not sure just what might be some good outdoor activities to enjoy as a family, click on http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Events/National-Wildlife-Week.aspx.  There, you’ll find descriptions of a wide range of activities and some useful resources.

     One of the best features of NWF’s campaign to get families outside in the spring is the custom Family Activity Passport.  Tailored to your geographic area, the Passport features a week’s worth of local animals and plants to watch for, tips for gardening with children, and games.  You can download fun, nature-themed activities for your area, and a list of local outdoor locations that will be fun for your family to visit.

     Here are just a few outdoor activities you and your family might enjoy during National Wildlife Week: 

• Play some old-fashioned games like hide-and-seek, red light-green light, races, and relays.
• Give birds a treat by making a milk carton bird feeder or by hanging a pine cone slathered in peanut butter and seeds.
• Take a hike.  Find a nearby hiking trail or take a walk around the neighborhood, looking for signs of spring.
• Visit a park.  There, you can play running games, shoot baskets, play charades, and much more. 
• Start preparing a vegetable garden; digging in the dirt is always fun.  And if you don’t have a yard, find out if there’s a community garden near you.
• Create a garden that will attract monarch butterflies.  To find out how, click on this National Wildlife Federation link:   http://www.nwf.org/~/media/BE79FAF8A6874F8A99F8FD5247D68B5D.ashx.

     And if you don’t have kids, don’t let that stop you from celebrating National Wildlife Week.  Get out for a hike, a bike ride, or a walk.  Feel your own juices flowing, as the earth awakens to spring.–April Moore

 

  

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 11:26 am and is filed under Act now to save our beloved Earth!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.