Feel free to use ideas at your home, school or anywhere else you teach and play. Feel free to use one picture with a link to the original post if you are sharing this on a blog or site. Please do not repost the whole tutorial or distribute printed out content without written permission from the original author.
Investigate The Earth

If the weather permits I am urging you to go outside and enjoy this beautiful world today. There are so many things we rush past or fail to notice and if we show down, and look at it through our kid’s eyes, we’ll learn something and so will they. Today I want to show my son why we want and need to save our environment by appreciating what we have.
Nature Detectives
It’s amazing when you introduce a simple tool like a magnifying glass how outside time changes.
We looked at bugs.
We looked at weeds
We looked at flowers
If you want you can make a small notebook for your child to record or draw what they saw on their nature walk. I chose to skip that and spend the time talking about it with my son over a picnic lunch. Each time he told me what he found he’d jump up to show me exactly where in our backyard he found it.
Happy Earth Day
For More Outside Ideas
Click Here !
11 Responses to “Investigate The Earth”
Leave a Reply
- 5 minute sparklers
- 5 senses
- Acorns
- Advent Calendar
- Age 2-3 years
- Age 3-5 years
- Age 5 and older
- Age 8 and older
- Age Under 2 years
- Airplanes
- Alligator
- Alphabet activities
- Alphabet Books
- Alphabet Crafts eBook
- Angel
- Animal Activities
- Ant
- Apple Prints
- Apple Tree
- Apples
- April No Fools
- Art Museum
- Art Storage
- Author Showcase
- Author Showcase : Lois Lenski
- Autumn Books
- Awards
- Babar and Zephir
- Babies and Toddlers
- Back to School Books
- Back-to-School
- Backyard Bug Adventure
- Baking with Toddlers
- Ball Painting
- Bandage Lightening Bugs
- Bandaid Art
- Banjo
- Barnyard
- Baseball
- Basics For Beginners
- Basketball
- Bat
- Bath Poof Painting
- Bath Toys
- Beach
- Beading
- Beard
- Because Babies Grow Up
- Bed Time Books
- Begging for votes
- Beginners
- Best Board Books
- Best Of
- Big Pumpkin
- Big Red Barn
- Binoculars
- Bird Feeder
- Birds
- Birthday
- Bleach Dyed Tee-Shirt
- Blissful Kids
- Blissfully Domestic
- Blog Roll
- BlogHer
- Blow painting
- Boats
- Book Dads
- Book List
- Bookmark
- Books About America
- Books About Animals
- Books About Babies
- Books About Dinosaurs
- Books About Farm Animals
- Books About Love
- Books About Music
- Books About Shapes
- Books About Weather
- Bracelet
- Brag
- Bubble Painting
- Bubble wrap prints
- Bugs
- Build a Robot
- Building
- Bunny Ears
- Butterfly
- Button Mosaics
- Canada
- Canada Day
- Canadian Flag
- Candy
- Candy Canes
- Candy Christmas Trees
- Candy Corn
- Canvas Painting
- Car Seat Safety
- Car Wash
- Carnival of Play
- Carrie Anne
- Carrot
- Cars
- Cat In The Hat
- Cat Puppets
- Caterpillar
- Chalk
- Chica Chica Boom Boom
- Chicken
- Childcare Checklist
- Childhood Favorites
- Children's Book Reviews
- Children's Book Week
- China
- Chinese New Year
- Christmas
- Christmas Books
- Christmas Bows
- Christmas Lights
- Christmas Ornaments
- Christmas Tree
- Chrysanthemum
- Circle time Lesson
- City
- Co-operative Projects
- Coffee Filter Butterfly
- Coffee Grinds
- Coffee Shop
- Collage Shamrock
- Collages
- Color Hunt
- Color mixing
- Color recognition
- Community Activities
- Computer
- Constellations
- Contest
- Cookies
- Cooking
- Corn
- Cotton Ball Clouds
- Counting
- Counting Books
- Cowboys
- Crabs
- Crafts
- Crayola
- Crayola Beginnings
- Crayon Candle
- Crunchy Domestic Goddess
- Cupcakes
- Cursive Handwriting Practice
- Cursive Name Bugs
- Custom Alphabet Book
- Custom Roadway
- Daisies
- David Shannon Books
- Daycare Advice
- Decoupage
- Dentist
- Diaper box firetruck
- Dig and Find
- Dinosaur Day
- Dinosaur Eggs
- Dinosaurs
- Dirt
- DIY Postcards
- Dog Collar
- Dr. Seuess Hat
- Dr. Seuess' Birthday
- Dragonfly
- Dragons
- Dreams
- Dried Lentil Art
- Drum making
- Duck Duck Fish Art
- Duck on a bike
- Ducks
- Early Literacy Resources
- Earth Day
- Easter
- Easter Egg Collages
- Easter Magnets
- Easy Hair Bow
- Egg Carton Crafts
- Egg Carton Number Match
- Egg carton spider
- Elephants
- Emily Carr
- Eric Carle Books
- EverythingMom.com
- Exploring Water
- Fairytales
- Fall Activities
- Family Activities
- family field trips
- Family Photo Quilt
- Fancy Foam Fish
- FAQ
- Farm
- Farm Animals
- Father's Day
- Father's Day books
- Father's Day Card
- Feather Painting
- Feelings and Emotions
- Felt Egg
- Felt Flower
- Fine Art
- Fine Motor Activities
- Finger Painting
- firetrucks
- Fireworks
- Fish
- Fish Bowl
- Fish F
- Fishing Game
- Flag Day
- Flags
- Flashback
- Flower
- Flower art
- Fly Swatter Painting
- Foam Magnets
- Foam Stamps
- Foam Turkey
- Food Activities
- Food Books
- Football
- Fourth of July
- Fredrick by Leo Lionni
- Free Art Friday
- Free Offer.
- Free Stuff
- French Songs
- Friendship
- Frog Lifecycle
- Frogs
- Frugal Friday
- Full List Letters of the week #1
- Fun with Fruit
- Gaia Girls
- games
- Garbage Truck
- Garland
- Gas Pump
- Geography
- Georges Seurat
- Ghost
- Ghost Cookies
- Giraffes
- Giraffes Can't Dance
- Giveaway
- Glass Bead Magnets
- Gold Medals
- Good Fairies
- Grapes
- Great new books
- Green Crafts
- Gross Motor Activities
- Growth Chart
- Guest Post
- Guest Posts
- Guitar
- Halloween
- Halloween Books
- Hammering
- Hand made fish
- Hand made Wrapping Paper
- Hand Print Butterfly
- Handprint art
- Handprint Crafts
- Hanukkah
- Hanukkah Activities
- Happy Holidays
- Haunted House
- Hawaii
- Heart
- Herman The Worm
- History
- Hockey
- Holiday Card Holder
- Holiday Gift Showcase
- Home Art Gallery
- Home Depot
- Home Made Picture Books
- Hooked On Phonics
- Hospital
- Hot Dog
- House for a Hermit Crab
- Hug
- Human Body
- If You Give A Cat A Cupcake
- If You Give A Moose A Muffin
- If you Give a Mouse a Cookie
- In Flanders Fields
- Indian Corn
- Inspired by You
- Interviews
- Island
- Itty Bitty Bookworm
- Jack and The Beanstalk
- Jackson Pollock
- Japanese Cherry Tree
- Jar Lid Stamps
- Jelly Fish
- Jenny's Light
- Jewelry Making
- Jungle Animals
- Kevin Henkes
- Kindergarten and Up
- Kissing Hand
- Kitchen Utensil Prints
- Lacing Activities
- Lacing Card
- Ladybugs
- Lanterns
- Lauren Child
- Learning through play
- Leaves
- Leo Lionni
- Leopard
- Letter A
- Letter B
- Letter C
- Letter D
- Letter E
- Letter F
- Letter G
- Letter H
- Letter I
- Letter J
- Letter K
- Letter L
- Letter M
- Letter N
- Letter O
- Letter of the week
- Letter P
- Letter Q
- Letter R
- Letter Recognition
- Letter S
- Letter T
- Letter U
- Letter V
- Letter W
- Letter X
- Letter Y
- Letter Z
- Lightening Bugs
- Linky Love
- List of Free Art
- Lois Elhert
- Long Term Projects
- Look what they made
- Love Bugs
- Lowercase a
- lowercase b
- Lowercase c
- Lowercase d
- Lowercase f
- lowercase g
- lowercase h
- lowercase j
- Lowercase Letters
- Lowercase m
- Lowercase n
- Lowercase o
- Lowercase p
- Lowercase s
- lowercase t
- Lowercase u
- Lowercase w
- Lucky Gold Hunt
- Magic Shape Paintings
- Magic Wands
- Mailbox
- Make your own crayons
- Making Muffins
- Manners
- Marshmallows
- Martha Stewart
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Matching Activities
- Math Activities
- Matisse
- Media Macaroni
- Melissa and Doug
- Mess Free
- Mice
- Mini Olympics
- Mittens
- Mom it Forward
- Monster
- Moon
- Moose
- Moosetashe
- Mother's Day
- Mouse Shapes
- Mural
- Mushroom Prints
- Music
- Music Activities
- Naptime Creations
- Native American Crafts
- Nature Activities
- Nature Collages
- Nature Jars
- Necklaces
- Nests
- Newspaper Hats
- Noodle Art
- Number Recognition
- Numbers
- Ocean Activities
- October Blog Roll
- Octopus
- Ohana Mama
- Olympic Crafts
- One To One Correspondence
- Onion Printing
- Ooops
- Operation Playtime
- Orange Prints
- Outakes
- Outside activities
- Owl Puppet
- Owls
- Painting like Pollock
- Painting with a Pastry Brush
- Paper Bag Frog
- Paper Crowns
- Paper Plate Art
- Paper plate Jelly Fish
- Paper Plate Sun
- Paper plate tortoise
- Paper Plate Turkey
- Parade of Costumes
- Parent and Tot Projects
- Parents Corner
- Pasta Collages
- Pasta Dyeing
- Pasta Necklaces
- Pasta Pouring
- Patterning
- Peacock
- Pencil Holder
- Pencils
- Penguin
- Phases of the Moon
- Picture Frames
- Pig
- Pilgrim Hat Cookies
- Pilgrims
- Pinkalicious
- Pirates
- Pizza
- Place Cards
- Place Mats
- Planting Seeds
- Playdough
- Playdough Recipes
- Poetry
- Pointillism
- Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear ?
- Polka Dot Discovery
- Popsicle stick coaster
- Popsicle stick crafts
- Popsicles
- Potato Print Turkey
- Potato Prints
- Pour Feel and Scoop
- PPD
- Preschoolers
- President's Day
- Pretend Play
- Princess
- Product Review
- Puffy Paint
- Pumpkin
- Pumpkin Luminaries
- Pumpkin Printing
- Purplicious
- Puzzles
- Q tip dandelion
- Q tip painting
- Quick Activities
- Raffi
- Rainbow
- Rainy Day Rainbow- Recycled Art Project
- Reader Survey
- Reader's Corner
- Reading Readiness
- Recycle Town
- Recycled Art
- Recycled Crayons
- Recycled Rocket
- Recycled Round Up
- Recycled Sail Boat
- Recycled UFO
- Recycling
- Rememberance Day
- Remembrance Day
- Reviews
- Rhyming
- Ribbon Dancing
- Ribbon Painting
- Robert Munsch
- Robot
- Robot Costumes
- Rock Bugs
- Rockets
- Rubber Duck Stamping
- Rudolf
- Salad Spinner Art
- Salt Art
- Salt Scrub
- Sand Art
- Sandra Boynton
- Santa
- Scarecrow
- Scavenger Hunts
- School Bus
- School of Fish
- Science Experiments
- Scrap Paper Art
- Scrubber Painting
- Seahorse
- Season Sort
- Sensory Activities
- Sensory Tubs
- Sent In By You
- Sewing
- Shake shake let's make music
- Shake your sillies out
- Shamrocks
- Shape 4 Leaf Clover
- Shape Activities
- Shape Sorting
- Shape Turkey
- Shape-o-saurus
- Sharks
- Sheep
- Shells
- Sheriff's Vest
- Shooting Star
- Shrinky Dinks
- Sight Word Bingo
- Sight Words
- Snail
- Snakes
- Snow Globe Snowman
- Snowflakes
- Snowman
- Snowman Blocks
- Snowman Song
- Snuggle Puppy
- Song List
- Songs
- Sorting
- Sounds
- Space
- Special Needs
- Spelling
- Spider Cookies
- Spiders
- Sponge Painting
- Sports Theme
- Spring Fling
- Springtime
- Squirrel
- St.Patrick's Day
- Stamp Making
- Star Sponge Painting
- Starfish
- Stars
- Stellaluna
- Sticker Zoo
- Stickers
- Stockings
- Strawberry
- Stree Signs
- Submarines
- Summer Activities
- Summer Reading
- Summer Reading for School Age
- Sun Catchers
- Sun Prints
- Sunday Spotlight
- Sunflower
- Super Stars
- Supplies
- Tadpole
- Tambourines
- teachmama
- Terrific Traffic Lights
- Texture Collage
- Texture Easter Egg
- Thank You Notes
- Thanksgiving
- The Duchess Bakes A Cake
- The Olympics
- The Paper Bag Princess
- The Princess and The Pizza
- The Very Grouchy Lady Bug
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Things that go
- Three Great books
- Three Little Pigs
- Tiger
- Tire Tracks Art
- Tissue Paper Collages
- Todd Parr
- Toilet Paper Roll Airplane
- Toilet Paper Roll Art
- Toilet Paper Roll Necklace
- Toilet paper roll shaker
- Toothbrush painting
- Touch and Feel Duck
- Train
- Transportation
- Transportation Books
- Travel
- Treasure Hunt
- Treasure Maps
- Tree Craft
- Turkey
- Turkey Baster Painting
- Turkey Songs
- Turtle
- Turtles
- Twisted Tissue Paper Flowers
- Umbrella
- Unbreakable Ornament Series
- Uncategorized
- Under the Sea
- Unicorns
- United States
- Valentine's Day
- Veteran's Day
- Virginia Kahl
- Volcano
- Vote
- Watch me on MomTV
- Watercolor Crayons.
- Weather Books and Crafts
- Wedding Etiquette
- Weekend Repost
- Windsock
- Wine Cork Stamping
- Winter
- Winter Books
- Worms
- Wreath
- Wreaths
- Write to the troops
- Writing Activities
- Yarn Easter Egg
- Yogurt Painting
- You've got mail
- Zebras
- Ziploc Painting
- Zrecommends
























Great ideas! I took my class out yesterday on a nature walk! They (3 yr olds) had so much fun and loved discussing the different things they found. We happened upon a big mud puddle and I asked the kids if they knew how mud was made…they looked at me kind of puzzled and then I prompted them, “Mud is made out of water and….” and one girl pipes up, “BEEF!”
After I finished chuckling, we talked about how even though mud sometimes looks like beef (the tire tracks maybe??), it was really made of water and dirt!
Beef !?
I love it.
I was teaching about water one day when I asked my class “What happens when you boil water?” I was expecting “It gets hot” or “There is steam” …nope I got ” You get coffee!” it always makes me chuckle, she was right, just not what I was looking for.
Happy Earth Day! We made your tambourine yesterday: )
Great post. We practically live outside this time of year!
LOL, Allie! Love the coffee story
Kids are too much!
Hoping we can be outside in the backyard soon!! But the rain keeps on comin!
If the rain stops for a bit I will take the kids outside for a nature walk after naps!
My kiddos are all under 4 and we are making Earth Word Books. Each page has a different theme, trees, recycle, Earth, people etc. There are pictures for the little ones to color, places to add any nature finds from our walk, and lines for our 4 year old to write each word (Earth, recycle, people etc).
Love your little man’s shirt!!!
Such fun. Unfortunately it was still wet and icky out when Meghan went down for her nap…Bug hunts are always great though.
I wanted to let you know there is a Super Award waiting for you at my blog.
(PS when are you going to sing for us again? I love your songs…especially your frozen expression at the beginning…lol!)
Benjamin loves to “go sciencing” with his magnifying glass. I made him a nature box filled with: a notebook, various sized magnifying glasses, binoculars, tweezers and a bug catcher (like tongs with a big magnifying bubble on the end).
He even goes “sciencing” around our house (when it’s too cold or ugly to be outside) and investigates everything.
Sometimes he only discovers a dust bunny (LOL) and other times–like yesterday–he discovers a real, live flying something-or-another!
Great photos…great post!
Looks like he had fun! We did a nature journal last year, but this year, I’m thinking about doing a photo journal. Now that my girls are getting older, they are starting to get into photography. They’re not bad for 5 and 7 years old.
Jen
Sounds like you all had such great Earth Day- all wonderful ideas!
Oh and Annette- I am working on a reader requested song, I planned to have it up last week. My son’s lack of naps have been interrupting my plans