By Anna Autilio
Lead Environmental Educator
In 2018, we mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, nature lovers around the world are joining forces to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.” July’s call to action is to introduce a child to nature and build their love for wild animals and landscapes…
The first step in my career as an environmental educator began at a very young age. I was 11 years old when I attended a program about owls late one night at our local nature center, and I was immediately hooked. Fifteen years later, the environmental ethic that I first started learning then has become such an important part of me that I have made a career of passing on my love and knowledge for the wild world on to others.
That moment of inspiration is out there for everyone—you just have to go and find it! Discover something new together with your family this summer. Here are a few ideas for getting kids excited to be outside in nature:
- Do some Citizen Science. Anyone can be a scientist, especially with long-running citizen science projects like iNaturalist and eBird, that allow you to document the cool things you find in nature and send your observations to biologists around the world. What’s that caterpillar on the sidewalk? iNaturalist’s community can even help you identify the animals and plants around you!
- Make a habitat for wildlife. Your backyard has the potential to be a perfect habitat for wild species. With the right food, water, shelter, and space, you can arrange even a small corner of your yard to be a friendly home to birds and other wildlife.
- Create a nature journal. Feeling artistic? Put together a few pieces of paper with a long rubber band, and find something interesting to draw. It doesn’t have to be a perfect rendering, just a sketch to remember the shape and color or your natural ecosystem.
- Cool off and discover an underwater world. Have a stream or pond nearby? Plan an adventure and visit your local freshwater ecosystem! See who you can find hiding out under rocks in the stream, or sit quietly and count how many birds you can find.
- Build something big! Balance rocks on top of one another to make a tall tower, or construct a mud house for a toad. Gather together some bark, leaves, twigs, and pine needles and create your own “fairy” house in your backyard!
- Visit your local Nature Center! Whether it’s learning about nesting birds, hiking the trails, or talking to a naturalist, nature centers have so much to offer kids who want to learn and explore. Come see what it’s all about!