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a nature swap and outdoor challenge mondays

2010 May 5
tags: ,
by 5 Orange Potatoes

Thanks to everyone for participating and spreading the word about the importance of getting our children outdoors!  I really enjoyed meeting so many new people and visiting new blogs from all over the world!

Let me tell you, getting my girls outdoors everyday is easy over here, but posting it everyday just about killed me! However, I will do it again next April, but for now we will change the Outdoor Challenge up a bit; keep getting out everyday, but you only need to post a favorite picture of your child(ren) or activity on Mondays. Two buttons to choose from (or keep the one Kari made, since the challenge is a little different I thought a new button might be in order). I need to get the hubs to get an http code for them.

     

If you leave me the OK that you are in for continuing the challenge leave a comment stating so. I will make a new link love list that I will tag onto my Monday posts. I will also include a participant of the week if I can, that was one of my favorite parts to last month’s challenge. If you need ideas for the great outdoors I found this great article- 50 Ways to Get Kids Hooked on the Outdoors; I especially love the outdoor game of  tic tac-toe in the dirt! (Photo below taken by Fauna)

Onward with something new- The Nature Swap

I was thinking of setting up a little nature swap as well. I could pair up everyone with a partner from a different state and we swap treasures that have been ethically collected from nature. Of course check state and country laws if in question, but you could always include photos or pictures and not the actual items. Some of our favorite gifts from bloggers have been little legal goodies found in nature or drawings of nature.

OK to trade-

  • bark
  • pinecones
  • pressed leaves and flowers
  • shells
  • arthropod sheds
  • reptile sheds
  • pieces of fur
  • rocks
  • casts of animal tracks
  • cleaned skulls, bones
  • fossils
  • cocoons or chrysalids that have already hatched
  • mushroom spore prints

Not OK to trade-

  • migratory bird feathers
  • bird nests or eggs
  • living plants and/or animals
  • dead animals
  • arrowheads
  • cave materials
  • coral
  • dried water animals
  • seeds

    • **don’t want to spread invasives

    Would be nice to include-

  • scientific drawings of natural items
  • journal entries of experiences observing nature
  • charts, graphs, reports on natural objects
  • photos
  • nature craft

    •  

    ***If you want to be included in the nature swap please send an email to me at crinklebein at yahoo dot com, please include your name and address. I will leave sign-ups open through Friday of next week. Please include the words Nature Swap in the subject of the email (I get so many emails daily, I don’t want to miss yours). Be sure to tell me ages of children as well, maybe could end up being pen pals! The swap will take place the last week of June, so everyone has a full month to gather swap material.

    Questions? Leave me a comment here.

    “That’s all.”

    from → Uncategorized

    82 Responses
    1. Shar permalink
      July 27, 2010

      Is it too late for me to join the Outdoor Challenge? I live in the Middle East, and currently the temperatures highs outside are about 45C/110F. My daughter and I are both on summer break (I am a teacher) and I need to push myself to get us outside. Getting outside to play really would be a challenge for us as we live in the middle of an absolute concrete jungle, butdoing this would also help me to start thinking about ideas for outdoor play for my little ones when school starts again mid September.

      I love your blog BTW although makes me very nostalgic for ‘gardens’.

    2. Evelyn permalink
      July 23, 2010

      I just had to come back to ask for more details about your Outdoor Challenge. I’d love to participate but I’m not so sure I’ll be able to make it every single week. Maybe more details will clarify my doubts.
      Peace and Blessings

      • 5 Orange Potatoes permalink*
        July 23, 2010

        No realy rules to it, just showing the world that your kids enjoy being outdoors. Just a single photo is all it takes, you don’t have to post weekly, only when time allows you to. I’ll add your name to the link list if you want.

    3. Evelyn permalink
      July 23, 2010

      Hello there! Your blog is so beautiful. I really love all the nature pictures. You know, I never grew up as being a nature lover. Not that I remember. This is something I’ve recently discovered about me. I feel such excitement when I’m surrounded by nature. AND, I’d love to have my kids feel the same way. Since I consider myself a newbie in this subject, where do I start from, what recommendations do you have??? I basically live near the city, don’t have a big backyard and live in a country where people constantly live in a rush.
      Hope to hear from you soon! If its not too much trouble please reply to my email.
      Peace and blessings!
      Evelyn
      2 Pequenos Traviesos

    4. Emily permalink
      June 15, 2010

      Great challenge, I am always looking for inspiring new ideas to encourage us outdoors, especially in winter here in Tasmania, Australia, it is cold at the moment, with frosts on the ground, and the sun not warming up until lunch time, but still we get outside everyday unless we aren’t well.

      http://greenappledesignstas.blogspot.com/

      Emily
      x

    5. Phyllis permalink
      June 5, 2010

      Have you figured out the matches for the nature swap yet?
      -Phyllis

    6. Rebecca@RootsAndWingsCo permalink
      May 27, 2010

      I would love to join in on this. It is actually something I have been striving to do on my own, now it will be more fun with a group! ;) I live in Phoenix so I have to start getting creative to not kill us off with the heat! ;) Thanks for the awesome idea and challenge!
      Rebecca@RootsAndWingsCo

    7. mary good permalink
      May 13, 2010

      we’re late to get in on this, so i am so pleased to participate! is it monday yet?

      best, mary

    8. Crystal @ Semi-Crunchy Mama permalink
      May 13, 2010

      I’m glad you’re extending this! I missed this week, but I’d like to take part in posting on Mondays. Thank you so much for doing this, I’ve been so inspired to do new things with my son outdoors that I’ve seen on your and other bloggers linked posts!

    9. Katie permalink
      May 11, 2010

      Thank you for extending the outdoor adventure. This is a great concept, it really makes one develop an awareness of the importance of nature.

      http://obaitori.typepad.com/obaitori/2010/05/pure-bliss-divine.html

      Most kindly,

      Katie.

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