Afterschool Express: On the Hunt for Spring

Grab your camera  and off we go! 

A new season is starting to sneak up on us... at least down here in the South. 

Teaching our children to become observers is a vital lesson in life.  We're going on a walk around our neighborhood to see if we can spot signs of Spring.  Do you see it yet in your neighborhood? 

Grass is turning green
Bushes are sprouting new leaves
Trees are blooming
Bushes are blooming
Tree are growing tiny leaves
Roses are growing red leaves
Seeds are starting to sprout in the garden.
Bird are making nest in the trees
Baby duckling have even arrived at the Duck Pond. 

Take your child on a nature walk and see what they can discover with their own observation skills.  Find a way to document this change with them over a time period.  Using a kid friendly camera from their view is fun.  We used this Hunt for Spring Checklist to write down what we saw.  Here are some of our favorites from our walks this week afterschool. 

This is what we saw on our walk to my sister in law's house... a Peach Tree

This is what we saw on our walk by the pond...ducklings

This is what we found in the back yard...a Strawberry Blossom 

We transplanted some strawberry plants and by the end of the week they had a blossom!  Time to make our Plant Labels for our Learning Garden.  We even followed Amanda's post about planting Potatoes, my daughter's class planted them too at school.  It will be fun to compare.  

Create a Spring Journal
Later in the week we would come home and write in a Spring Journal what we observed.  Observation is a great skill to use.  When creating your own Plant Journal, have  them illustrate it first , it will be fresh on their mind and in the camera for reference.  Then they can write about what they saw.  Encourage them to include details.  Go out a few days later and observe with them if things have changed. 

More Journal Ideas:
Make a spring collage out of pictures from magazines or real objects
Glue the discoveries you find onto a page and then attach the words. 
Younger children doing this activity can cut out and add spring words to their pictures.
Practice finding the beginning sounds of spring objects they draw.



To Print your Own Spring Journal, Spring Observation Sheet and Words of Spring Click Here

Not quite ready to see outdoors changing yet? 

Start an indoor garden!  Don't forget Your Plant Journal!

Additional Resources for Spring
Julie from Just Playing Around has a Great Idea for Observing Spring with her children. 
Spring Treasure Box from Little Wonder Days
Sharing Birds with your Child 
First Day of Spring!  Share your Spring Photo on our facebook page! 
I wonder how spring looks in different parts of the world?

This week's party is hosted by Mama Smiles

The Afterschool Blog Hop is co-hosted by:

Just Playin’ Around

Little Wonders’ Days

Mama Smiles 

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

The Educators’ Spin On It 

What Do We Do All Day?

Come Join the Fun and Grab our Button!

LOOKING FOR MORE ACTIVITIES?

                    

It's Spring!  Let's Get Out into the Garden!  Here's our Kids in the Garden ideas 
Here's our  After School Activities and Adventures  

We've linked up!  

Linked up to the All Year Round Carnival-Spring