How much do you know about your neighborhood?
Have you taken note of the flora and fauna around you?
Exploring your surroundings is a great way to spend time with your children, stimulate their curiosity, and instill a passion for learning.
An explosion of wildlife.
During the start of the pandemic, when vehicles were off the roads, wildlife flourished in my (and other) suburban towns. We began to see animals that had been missing for years, as well as some that had never appeared in the area before.
I was fascinated by the abundance of new birds in the area. I started snapping photos of the ones I didn’t know. I’d go online to identify them.
Last week I captured this goshawk hanging out on the roof of a car.
That was a first!
We’ve always had hawks in the area, but never so comfortable in the environment that they’d be stationary with a human this close.
Another first was spotting a hummingbird. Sadly, I didn’t capture a picture or video of that one.
Now, it’s your turn.
Take a walk around your neighborhood, and snap a few photos of the plants, trees, or flowers you see.
Some photos can be used for immediate identification. I suggest saving some for later identification, e.g., a bad weather day.
Go online to search for websites that list animals and plants in your area, or you can download an app that will do the work for you.
The goal is to identify the exact species.
You can combine the activity with a routine errand if you’re short on time. The point is to get familiar with the world around you and foster your children’s curiosity.
You can make a “My Neighborhood” photo album with your finds.
Not Just for Living Things
Of course, the same activity can be done when visiting a location away from home.
You could make it a contest. Who can snap a picture of the most species of trees, flowers, or birds?
You can also explore the buildings in your neighborhood, town, or city.
You might be surprised to learn the history of places you’ve passed more than a hundred times.
Note an address and research it.
The bank you know today might have been a school many years ago.
Of course, some structures have an unpleasant history behind them, but that’s life.
Go Explore
There are no rules.
Have fun!
Please leave a comment to tell what you found and identified.
Take a Look at the Night Sky
There’s a separate post about activities for after the sun goes down.
See our post about “The Night Sky.”
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