Search Results for: blog play with snow science

Once Upon a Time Recap: Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide

I confess that Once Upon a Time has become one of my new favorite shows, because it brings fairy tales to a whole new…reality. In case you haven’t watch the series yet, let me catch up up on the premise. In a land far, far away, and evil queen puts a curse on the land of familiar fairy tale characters. Everyone is then transported to the modern world, where they live their lives together, never aging, unaware of their fantastic history. As they play their lives out, only one little soul, Henry, knows the real deal, and he strives to … Continue reading →

Tire Out Your Preschooler In the Snow!

As the snow line creeps closer down the mountains where we live, we’re anticipating the first snow of winter. I like the snow because it blankets everything, making the whole world silent. It also tires out my preschooler, which leads to some beautifully silent nights! What large motor activities can you do in the snow with your preschooler? Go for a snow stomp. For fun, put on snow shoes or create some yourself using thick cardboard. Make monster feet that slip over your real shoes and stomp around. Make a snow tunnel. If the snow is deep enough, move your … Continue reading →

Play With Snow Science

Yippee! As we looked at the raindrops that landed with a decided plunk on our windshield yesterday, my daughter and I both realized that it was very, very close to snowing. Since we don’t generally get a lot of snow here in the Pacific Northwest, the first snowfall is an exciting event. How can you and your preschooler play with snow this year? It’s time for some snow science, of course! Grab a magnifying glass and head outdoors, preferably with a plastic or acrylic-coated jacket on. Or set out a tablecloth to collect the snow. You want a surface that … Continue reading →

Snowball Launchers, Giant-Pumpkin Growers, and Other Cool Contraptions – Tom Fox

Snowball Launchers, Giant-Pumpkin Growers and Other Cool Contraptions by Tom Fox really does have cool contraptions. Yet I hesitate to show the book to my children. Most of these are not instant projects. Most of them would require a trip to the hardware and maybe the electrical parts store. I do think they would they would be worth the effort. These projects are just the types of things to capture the imagination. There are directions for creating a secret drawer lock that can only be opened by passing a 9 volt battery in front of it! Another project is building … Continue reading →

Study: Global Warming Plays a Role In Western Wildfires.

Western U.S. wildfires have gained a lot of public and political attention in past few years. It seems the fires have been more severe, much larger and for more damaging to homes and natural resources. Fire-fighting costs for wildfires now routinely exceed one billion dollars a year. It appears that around 1987, the region shifted from the infrequent large wildfire which lasted an average of one week, to more frequent and longer-burning wildfires lasting an average of five weeks. In the mid-1980s, the length of the wildfire season which was typically March through August was extended by 78 days compared … Continue reading →

Preschoolers Benefit From Process Art

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What kind of artwork does your preschooler bring home? The art could be a free-flowing expression of your child’s exploration of art materials. Or, it could be something easily identifiable that your child’s teacher set up and your child happily pieced together. One of these two types of art is much better for preschoolers than the other. Project art could be described as a “craft”. The preschool teacher presents kids with the exact amount of supplies they need (included pieces that have been pre-cut by the teacher). Kids are to use those pieces in a precise way to make an … Continue reading →

Have Fun with Old Man Winter

Old Man Winter is alive and well in Wisconsin. After sleeping in for a few weeks, the season has reared its bitterly cold head and dumped nearly a half–foot of snow in less than 24 hours. Fortunately, there are ways to heat things up while keeping the kids entertained. While you may be tempted to let your little ones warm up by the glow of the TV, you’ll find that you can a lot more fun if you get out of the house and experience the following winter boredom busters: Park It: Head out to a local park to take … Continue reading →

Fitness Programs for Pets

Just like with humans, one half of the key to pets losing weight is for them to receive more exercise. Did you know that many veterinary centers and other groups across the country actually offer pet fitness programs? If you’re not sure how to help your pets lose weight, if everything you’re doing just doesn’t seem to work, or maybe you just don’t have the extra time to spend to help your pet shed those pounds, check to see if you have any such programs in your area. Public pet fitness programs have the added benefit of being extra social … Continue reading →

Disney Scientists Learn the Language of Elephants

I expect a lot of things from Disney, but science isn’t one of them. Well, I should amend that statement. Disney’s known for innovation in artistic fields, and sometimes that bleeds into the sciences with the architectural and other advances made by the Imagineers or at Pixar/the Animation Studio. But I never expect to hear of new scientific discoveries made, and published in professional scientific journals, by Disney employees. That’s just what happened this past year, however, as scientists from Disney’s Animal Kingdom teamed up with Oxford University and the zoological group Save the Elephants to study a herd of … Continue reading →

Are School Gardens Leading Children Astray?

I was a little coldish today. Nothing serious, but we stayed home for the morning instead of going to preschool. My daughter played in the garden, blowing bubbles, looking for snowdrops, and trying out her kid-sized skateboard. She was delighted. It was a beautiful day, and later on she went out into our front yard and picked a couple of primulas, excited about the smell. Am I doing wrong by letting her play in the garden instead of going to preschool? According to all of my common sense, no. She’s getting fresh air, free play time, and physical activity. According … Continue reading →