TGSG Note: You may have noticed, I’ve been on a bit of a break lately. Sadly, I was not in a hammock on an island, but on what I am calling a “Flake Break.” Sometimes, when life gets too hectic, you just have to give yourself permission to flake-out.

We adults are a lot like kids that way — we need down time, play time, time to relax, and time to just be.

So, if you haven’t just been in awhile — go ahead. I will write you a note. Bethe

OK, it’s that time again — Frolic Friday! Time to let your hair down, blow off some steam, and have some fun.

Some of us are knee-deep in a very cold winter, so getting outside may not be high atop our list. But, even a few minutes outside can help boost your energy and improve your mood. Besides, it gives us a good excuse to make hot chocolate.

This weekend, why not…

• Get your bird on! Go on a nest hunt. Winter is the perfect time to look for bird (and squirrel) nests. They are much easier to spot with all the leaves off the trees. While your at it, why not start a Winter Bird List? Alison Kerr tells you how over at Loving Nature’s Garden.
• Got the winter blues? Start dreaming up a spring garden! Check out seed catalogs or take a trip to the library and let your imagination run wild in the gardening section. Have kids? Get them in on the action, too! They can draw their fantasy garden or make a diorama.
• Looking for a fun nature-related craft? Make a gorgeous Winter Tree Silhouette, like those featured on the Frugal Family Fun Blog.

As always, it doesn’t matter what you do, just make some time for play and connecting with nature this weekend. It’s good for big and little kids alike!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: akeg

TGSG Note: I’ve had a busy few weeks on the road for my day job, so tickled to have good friends to pitch in! Thanks to the lovely Karen Wilde for giving us these great Frolic Friday ideas. See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

It’s December – nearly time for snow and I bet some of you are already blanketed in the white stuff.

Snow days are perfect days for getting some play outdoors action. Who can forget that first flake drifting from a grey sky? It seems almost everyone, especially children, LOVE SNOW!

Ideas for Snow Days:

Wrap up warm – Thick socks, no jeans, warm hats and big jackets are de rigour for snow days, keeping you toasty to enjoy all the fun.

Grab a sled – or a swimming tube or even a tin tray and get out to the nearest hill. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of whizzing down a hill before plowing into a bank of the white stuff.

Build a Snow Fort – If the snow is REALLY deep you can pack it down with your feet and cut it out to make blocks. Snow forts are perfect for hiding behind when you…

SNOWBALLS!! – Run, quick, it’s flying through the air, get behind the snow fort!

Build a Snowman – old scarves, buttons, carrots and floppy hats. How tall can you make your Snowman?

Unplug, get outside and have some FUN. Some people never see snow. If you’re lucky enough to get some this Winter, make the most of it and go play outdoors! You can always warm up with hot cocoa afterwards.

Guest blogger bio: Karen Wilde is passionate about re-connecting to nature and living a wild life outdoors. She writes for the Natural Pathways blog and can often be found under a debris shelter in the Kent woodland. She also freelances and edits the Green Pepper website.

photo credit: nightthree

You did it – made it to the weekend. Congratulations, and Happy Frolic Friday! Time to “let your hair down” and go #playoutdoors!

Why not…

• Get a good long walk or bike ride in. Watch and listen for wildlife native to your area.
• Make a thermos of hot cocoa or hot cider and go stargazing in the backyard or in a favorite outdoor spot. (@rshreeves just reviewed Taza organic Mexican chocolate at Mother Nature Network. Yum!)
• Check out a local nature center for programming — they offer nature crafts, night hikes, animal lectures and more.

As always, it doesn’t matter what you do — just unplug, and get out there and have some fun. Time in nature is a great way to reconnect with yourself and your family and friends.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: nightthree

It’s amazing the power a simple Public Service Announcement (PSA) can have. This one really knocked my socks off, so I wanted to take the opportunity to share it with TGSG readers.

We talk here so often about modeling appropriate behavior — letting the kids in your world see the capacity for joy, the appreciation for nature, playfulness, and unplugging and making time for real-life connections. These too, provoke powerful images.

Regardless of the label you wear – parent, teacher, neighbor, or aunt — you have the opportunity every day to be the best version of you and share that with the children in your world, and with each other.

Whether we like to think of ourselves as role models or not, we are all role models for someone. One a given day, it might be the person in line behind you at the store, who sees you treat a clerk with courtesy and kindness. Or your son, who sees you treat women with respect or sees the peace and happiness you find fishing at a favorite spot.

What do you have to pass on — to model? What act of joy and kindness can you share with the world today? And tomorrow?

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Across the country (and globe!), there is a movement spreading to connect the next generation — the wired generation — with nature. Jolted awake by Last Child In The Woods. people are working to create balance in the lives of the next generation and to instill a love of nature that will carry into adulthood.

From parents making the choice to limit screen time and get their children outside, to educators creating school gardens, to politicians working on legislation at the state and national level. This is a multi-layered, top-down and bottom-up movement that is as important to the planet as it is to the lives of the children involved.

Key players in the movement are the dedicated parks and wildlife refuge staff that work to not only preserve and interpret our public lands, but to spark the curiosity about, and love of nature in others, especially children.

The video below is a great example of  some of the work going on at the stunning Rocky Mountain National Park. This is just one example — there are many, many others.

Are you a part of the movement? If not, WHY not? Get involved — whether it’s making time in your own life to get your family outside, volunteering at a local park, or attending a zoning meeting on development plans in your community. Join the movement to help connect kids — and yourself — with nature.

After all, this blog is about restoring childhood, and saving ourselves in the process.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Happy Frolic Friday! Time to play, and what better time of year to get outside and celebrate the beauty of nature?

I will admit it: I am gaga for gourds. Girl loves a pumpkin patch like nobody’s business.

Orange for as far as the eye can see. Tall ones. Short ones. Fat ones…I am giddy just thinking about it.

They call to me, begging to be carved into jack-o-lanterns, baked into pies and bread, and made into savory soups. I even get lots of tiny ones to keep on the table — little orange balls of happiness.

This weekend, why not…

• Visit a local pumpkin patch and let each member of the family pick out their own prized pumpkin. After all, beauty is in the eye of the gourd-holder, so to speak. Find a pumpkin patch or corn maze near you.
• Carve a cool wildlife-themed pumpkin! WWF has great stencils you can download for free. You can even make a solar powered jack-o-lantern. How cool is that?!
• Let’s admit it — squirrels love pumpkins! If you have never had your jack-o-lantern hijacked by one, just wait. Roast a few seeds and sit back and enjoy the show!

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to another pumpkin lover. Another sure sign of fall: Linus and The Great Pumpkin. Enjoy!

As always, it does not matter what you do, just get outdoors this weekend and have some fun.

And yes, you can call me pumpkin. I won’t mind a bit.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Recently, I sat down with Danielle Marshall from KaBOOM! to discuss nature play, one of my favorite subjects.

I hope you enjoy it, and share it widely. The more parents, educators, and communities we get on board, the better.

Remember — childhood was meant to be messy! Muddy. Slimy. DIRTY!

Let’s get those kids outside! And while we’re at it — the adults, too. Nature is for all of us. Go ahead, you know you want to…

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

TGSG Note: The audio gets a bit wonky on this after the first question, so I hope you will just pop on your headphones and crank it up a bit.

TGSG Note: Readers of this blog know I am crazy about children’s books and wildlife, so I am very excited to have author Rebekah Raye stop by TGSG today and discuss both! Bear-ly there is written for children in Grades 3-6, and is full of fascinating bear facts and beautiful illustrations. I hope you enjoy the interview — and the book!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

1. What type of child were you, and how does that influence you as a children’s book author?

I had the natural curiosity that all children seem to have and would be happy drawing alone , but was hardly ever alone, being the oldest of 5 children.  My artist father is a great story teller, expressing wonderful details which always transported me to the places he talked about. I found box turtles and frogs, tried to catch a rabbit in a box tilted up by a small stick, with carrots as bait in the back yard.  My dreams were always of animals.  I loved animal stories, and drawing them. Some things seem to stay with you “forever and a day”.

2.  Why do you think spending time in nature is important for today’s kids?

Through understanding nature and the creatures in it helps us become aware and care about the world and it is the basis for understanding ourselves.

3.  Tell us a bit about Bear-ly There. Why did the story need to be told?

Wildlife is having a hard time in our day and time.  It seems if we can learn to care about and live with these amazing animals, the better for all of us.  The editors at Tilbury House felt it was important to address the problem of a bear that truly visited our backyard, which seems to happen to many others, and express some simple solutions to this issue.

4.  Name three nature activities you think all kids should participate in.

I love to encourage children to draw in nature, science journal books,  drawing detailed plants and animals.  Tree identifications, leaf and bark studies by bark and leaf rubbings on rice paper with flat crayons. Make a wildflower poster, drawing and pressing a piece of the plant and identifying each characteristic of the plant.  Taking frequent walks outside looking for birds and listening to tapes of bird songs to learn their particular songs.

5. Do you have tips or advice for parents struggling to get school-aged children to enjoy reading?

I would suggest having the child draw a character they really liked, could be their favorite pet and have that pet do something completely out of the ordinary.  Their kitty who could  go to a place from a book they read and what would he be doing. Would he be friends with the main character, would he help solve the problem in the story.  Drawing always helped me read. Reading always helped me draw.

6. OK, silly question –  but we love silly at  The Grass Stain Guru.  If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

I love the amazing Hummingbirds and their ability to fly across the oceans during migrations. Their speed, agility, and beauty. Their desire to seek out nectar from the most beautiful plants. In contrast, a black bear, for it’s survival tactics, ability to be in the shadows of the forrest looking out as we go by.

Author Bio: Rebekah Raye is an artist beloved for her bird and animal paintings and sculpture. Her warm, expressive work is derived from her affinity with the natural world around her studio and home in East Blue Hill, Maine, where she had a bear visitor not too long ago. Rebekah also wrote and illustrated The Very Best Bed, and illustrated Thanks to the Animals by Allen Sockabasin. You can follow Rebekah on Twitter.

Visit Tilbury House Publishers for more information on the book.

Editor’s Note: As part of the book tour, author Rebekah Raye and publisher Tilbury House have arranged to give out some great prizes. See all the info below. I hope a TGSG reader wins!

Blog Comment Prizes:
They will draw 9 lucky winners from all of those who leave comments on the participating tour posts, including this one, from October 16-30 to win one of the following prizes:

• A set of four art cards (2 sets available)
• A signed wildlife art print
• An original sketch from Bear-ly There
• An original sketch from The Very Best Bed
• An original sketch from Thanks to the Animals
• A copy of Bear-ly There, The Very Best Bed, or Thanks to the Animals, signed by Rebekah Raye

Winners will be announced on Oct. 31, US/Canada addresses only, please.

Twitter Prize:
Everyone that participates in the Twitter Book Party, and/or posts anything about the tour using the hashtag #BearlyThere from October 15-30 will be entered to win a complete set Bear-ly There, Thanks to the Animals, and The Very Best Bed, all signed by Rebekah Raye.

Winners will be announced on Oct. 31, US/Canada addresses only, please.

“Trees are your best antiques.”

~ Alexander Smith

Happy Frolic Friday! It’s time to put on your sneakers or hiking boots, and get out there and enjoy some much-needed time in nature. This weekend, make sure to make time away from chores and errands to play and recharge your batteries.

Why not…

• Plant a tree! Fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs, so get diggin’.
• Hug a tree! That’s right — I said hug. This is a classic activity to do with kids or even groups of adults.
• Get crafty and make leaf rubbings. I don’t care how old I get, this is still one of my favorite activities!

As always, it doesn’t matter what you do, just get outside and play this weekend. Mother Nature is waiting…

Now if you will excuse me, I am off to find the world’s most perfect maple leaf.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: di_the_huntress

TGSG Note: Parks are such a rich part of my childhood memories, and are still very much a refuge for me today. I am thrilled to have Nancy Heltman from Virginia State Parks stop by and share this post with us. Nancy is a great advocate for connecting kids and all of us with nature. I grew up in Virginia, so these beautiful patches of the planet hold special meaning for me.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

I am hard pressed to resurrect a childhood memory related to being inside. Far and away the most memorable times are keyed to having fun outdoors. From simple treats like lying on my back in the grass and watching the clouds, feeding the ducks at Ridgway Park, flying kites at Gosnold’s Hope Park, visits to Buckroe Beach, family vacations in the Great Smoky Mountains, Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Shenandoah National Parks; having fun outdoors is what I remember.

I trace the legacy of the love of playing outdoors to my parents. My mother celebrates her eighty-fifth birthday this month and often talks about her childhood growing up in New Jersey. New Jersey, often maligned for industrial areas near New York City, has great community parks and beautiful places that earn its motto “The Garden State.” Growing up, my mother was always within walking distance of a local park. She reminisces about ice skating in the winter and playing year-round in these parks with one or more of her younger siblings. During my childhood I stayed with relatives in New Jersey during the summer and still remember the many parks in walking distance.

Growing up in Hampton, Virginia, we had parks but not within walking or biking distance from where I lived. My mother worked during the week so my favorite weekends were spent at Ridgway Park and later Gosnold’s Hope Park and Buckroe Beach in the summer. My father introduced us to National Parks on family vacations and also instilled in us a love for outdoor fun like fishing, hunting and horseback riding.

My seven year old nephew does not play outside. He has a nice backyard with fun play equipment but he prefers watching TV and playing computer games. What will he remember of his childhood when he reaches the half a century mark? At seven I spent daylight hours outside jumping rope, playing hopscotch, riding my bike. I remember making a tent fort out of the clothes line and trapping lightning bugs in old mayonnaise jars.

Those of us in Parks and Recreation have rallied around Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. We already knew about the demise of free play but Louv’s book reached a broader audience and started a movement well overdue. It has inspired partnerships and major campaigns to counteract the addiction to the indoors and changes in society that have reinforced the behavior. Just last week our National Parks, America’s State Parks (via the National Association of State Park Directors) and local parks (through the National Recreation and Park Association) forged an alliance to work together to help reconnect children with nature.

Watching the Ken Burns series on National Parks it is clear that those behind the movement that created our National and State park systems had incredible foresight. Love for the beauty of nature and need to protect the wild places in this country spawned the National Park movement and America’s system of state parks. Local communities skimp and save to provide parks and recreation to its citizens. But what will be the fate of these special places if our children do not develop a love for the outdoors and the natural world?

While nature experiences certainly start in the backyard, more and more suburbia represents overly cultivated lawns and very little of what is wild about the natural world. City dwellers have the additional challenge of even finding the grass. In other words, today’s at home opportunities to experience nature outdoors are of very little interest to children when compared with multi-media experiences indoors. I grew up in suburbia and often escaped to the more wild “woods” and a marvelous borrow pit lake that freaked my parents out when they discovered I had been there. Today more than ever our local, state or national parks are the best place, if not only place, to celebrate the wild places still accessible to the general public.

Working for Virginia State Parks [http://www.virginiastateparks.gov] I love hearing the stories from adults about their visits to our state parks as children and how they are bringing their children to the same parks today. This is a legacy that your children remember and pass on for generations. If you are blessed with local parks or can work to develop them, your children will thank you. If not, spend vacations and weekends celebrating the fun you can have in simple play and outdoors. Help your children make the memories they will look back on in their adult years.

Guest Blogger Bio: Nancy Heltman is Operations Director for Virginia State Parks. While she has always loved the outdoors, she stumbled into her career in State Parks after fifteen years in private sector management. She lives in Yorktown, Virginia with her husband, David, mother, four cats and three dogs. While her job involves all of the boring indoor park stuff like budget, procurement and paperwork, her responsibilities for volunteerism and marketing give her the chance to visit Virginia’s great state parks. She is their social media guru, so follow her on Twitter or read their blog.