The weather is a little dull this morning but the forecast looks like it might brighten up a bit later, and today is outdoor classroom day, so try and get out for a while if you can. This year its all about dressing up in nature, so you could make a daisy chain necklace, or a crown out of flowers. Alternatively use sticks, stones and other things you can find to make a picture or write a message!
If you are lucky enough to get out for a walk in nature today, see how many of these things you can tick off your list!
100 Things to Look for on a Nature Walk
- Animal Tracks
- Berries on bushes or trees
- Fruit from trees
- Nuts from trees
- Fallen leaves to determine types of trees in the area
- Moss on logs, rocks and in shady areas
- Local common snakes (wear long pants, boots and never disturb)
- Insects
- Arachnids (spiders)
- Animal homes, holes in the ground or obvious dens (don’t disturb, just observe)
- Natural or man made caves or dwellings
- Creek beds and rivers
- Different types of rocks and minerals
- Rock formations
- Wild flower species
- Trails from humans or animals
- Carcass or remains of animals
- Animal droppings
- Antlers from deer
- Various types of spiderwebs
- Wild turkeys
- Wild hogs
- Different species of birds
- Lizards
- Markings on trees from deer or bears
- Evidence of fire (from wildfire or humans building camp fires)
- Cocoons from moths
- Naturally growing mushrooms
- Butterfly chrysalis
- Ant hills
- Fossils
- Natural water springs
- Trash or litter you can pick up and dispose of properly
- Geocache locations (plan your nature walk around local GPS locations of Geocaches
- Tadpoles in rivers, creeks or pools of water
- Skin that has been shed from snakes
- Fallen branches or limbs that could be used to build shelter
- Different coloured leaves
- Algae on water or ponds
- Lily pads on water or ponds
- Fractal items like leaves, spider webs and similar
- Different types of soil along the way
- Beehives
- Bird nests
- Mistletoe (it is parasite in many trees)
- Fallen logs
- Off road vehicle tracks (look for dirt bike, 4 wheeler or other similar off road vehicle tracks)
- Naturally growing herbs
- Different types of grass and ground covering
- Different smells (wood, grass, animal droppings, flowers, mould)
- Different types of tree bark
- Trees that are easy to climb
- A rock with multiple colours
- New or baby trees around older existing trees (signs of healthy soil and a tree that is dropping seeds)
- Different types of seeds from trees and plant life
- Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Sumac (you want to avoid, but it is a great way to teach kids what they look like)
- Worms
- Animals or insects that camouflage themselves
- Count the different colors you see along the way
- Look for frogs
- Squirrels nests (where they hoard nuts, berries and other supplies)
- Natural compost (areas where leaves and such are rotting to create rich soil)
- Pine cones
- Something round
- Plants with thorns on them
- Walking sticks (the insect as well as the stick for use to steady yourself while exploring)
- Waterfalls
- Vines to pretend you are Tarzan on (only with adults permission and safety precautions)
- Quartz Crystals
- Money(people often litter or drop change that animals pick up and take back to their nests)
- Eggs (birds, snakes and lizards all lay eggs)
- Snails
- Red clay
- Feathers from birds
- Arrowheads or slate rocks that could be fashioned into arrowheads
- Arrows
- Ferns
- Remnants of shells used in hunting
- Blossoms or buds on a tree or bush
- A tree growing through something like another fallen tree, rock formation or similar
- Ladybugs
- String or twine gathered by birds or discarded by hikers
- Carvings on trees from other walkers or hikers
- Signs of infestations killing plants (dead trees, grass or areas that look like something has killed plant life
- Rocks that are bigger than you are
- Something that is soft and fuzzy
- Seashells (if near the ocean)
- Something straight and narrow
- Fish in ponds, rivers, creeks, lakes or tide pools
- Clover
- Mud puddles (to splash in and have fun)
- Grassy areas for picnics
- Caterpillar
- A leaf with holes in it from insects
- A super large leaf that could provide shelter
- Sand
- Broken glass (litter from other hikers)
- Weather balloons
- Wild onions
- Cactus
