Howdy my favorite nature detectives! It’s time for the very first Mystery Critter of 2012. My how time flies!

Nature. Wildlife. Critters. Life just isn’t the same without them — especially childhood. That’s what inspired my Mystery Critter series oh so long ago.

So put on your best thinking caps and let’s get to it. And remember — no peaking at the answer before you take your guess!

CRITTER CLUES:

1. You can see me or one of my cousins in most of North America.
2. I can make my home in a variety of habitats — meadows, forests, grasslands, swamps and prairies.
3. I am a favorite of children.
4. I am solitary.
5. I can run up to 15 miles per hour.

Make your guess then go here for the answer and more interesting facts. Or here, for an even deeper look.

Did you get it right? 

If not, no worries. You will have another chance soon!

For some extra fun for the kids, check out the great site Earth Rangers. Critters really are amazing!

Remember, when looking for wildlife, keep your eyes and ears open! Look high and low, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.

Exploring the natural world with children is a special treat. Get lost in the wonder and awe that only Mother Nature can provide.

What critters can you spot in your neck of the woods? Be sure to tell us!

And don’t forget! Join the Wildobs community and share your wild adventures with the world.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: USFWS Mountain Prairie

photo credit: celine nadeau

This year, instead of vowing to go to the gym more or give up caffeine, make a resolution that will impact your physical and mental health and that of your children – PLAY MORE!

Make a resolution to:

1. Get down on the floor and play with your kids more often.
2. Pick up a new hobby or dust off an old one.
3. Laugh harder and dream bigger.
4. Start a garden in your yard, on a balcony or in window boxes.
5. Get in the kitchen and cook with your kids. Start a family recipe book together!
6. Unplug and connect with your family. Substitute game night for another night in front of the TV.
7. Spend more time in nature – hike, ride a bike, camp, fish – whatever you and your family enjoy.

Need a little inspiration? Check out this beautiful video that will have you ready to head outdoors and enjoy a beautiful day with the children in your world.

Happy, happy 2012, my friends! xoxo

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Challenge Update:  I am excited to tell you all that the #XmasBoxChallenge now has prizes thanks to the nice folks at OgoSport! See below for details! Have a creative and happy holiday, all! ~ Bethe 

I have a challenge for you all. 

After the paper is all torn and the bows are tossed aside. After the stockings are empty, their booty blundered by skilled hands, no matter how small. After the buzz of Christmas fades into night and the hangover from all of the holiday excess kicks in (for kids and adults alike!), I want you to step back and get back to basics.

Here’s my idea…

Take the Christmas Box Challenge!

1. Gather all the cardboard boxes leftover from the holiday bonanza. Big, small — whatever you have.

2. For younger children, they should need no encouragement — just let them at the boxes and see what they get up to. Push them, build forts, create puppet theaters and everything in between.

3. Get tweens, teens and the adults in on the fun too! Make it a bit of a contest. Set a 60 minute time limit see who comes up with the most outstanding cardboard box creation!  Set up as many categories as you like — most useful, funniest, etc.

4. Share your Christmas cardboard box creations with me — and Twitter! Use the hashtag #XmasBoxChallenge — and post pictures if you can! If you have a blog, I would love for you to challenge your readers to join us and post about your family’s Christmas Box Challenge.

Prizes:

• 1st prize: $100 + an OgoBild POD set + 1 Mezo Disk Set
•  2nd prize: $50 + An OgoBild POD set
• 3rd Prize: An OgoBild POD set

Deadline: 

To be considered for the prizes, all entries must be posted by January 2nd. 2012.

How to enter: 

There are three ways you can enter The Christmas Box Challenge and enter to win great prizes!

1. Tweet pictures of your creations with the hash tag #XmasBoxChallenge

2. Post pictures of your creations to OgoSport’s Facebook page and tag them #XmasBoxChallenge.

3. Blog about how your family took the challenge! Post a comment with a link to this post and/or post a link to your blog post to OgoSport’s Facebook page and tag them #XmasBoxChallenge.

Want to see just how fun a box can be? Check out Simon’s Cat. And trust me, us humans find them just as entertaining when we give ourselves permission to PLAY like we mean it.

Look, even advertisers get the magic of a cardboard box!

I would love to see this idea really take off, and even become a holiday tradition. Help me spread the idea and don’t forget to use the #XmasBoxChallenge hash tag.

Happy holidays, my friends. You mean the world to me. xoxo

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

8 – 0. 80. This is our 80th case together — can you believe it?!

Nature. Wildlife. Critters. Life just isn’t the same without them — especially childhood. That’s what inspired my Mystery Critter series oh so long ago.

So put on your best thinking caps and let’s get to it. And remember — no peaking at the answer before you take your guess!

CRITTER CLUES:

1. I am a real beauty (um, if I do say so myself!)
2. I will be hard to spot this time of year since I tend to head to Mexico for the winter
3. My name sounds like it was given to me by an artist
4. I like to be by the water
5. In the summer, you can find me in parks and open woodlands

Make your guess then go here for the answer and more interesting facts.

Did you get it right? 

If not, no worries. You will have another chance soon!

For some extra fun for the kids, check out the great site Earth Rangers. Critters really are amazing!

Remember, when looking for wildlife, keep your eyes and ears open! Look high and low, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.

Exploring the natural world with children is a special treat. Get lost in the wonder and awe that only Mother Nature can provide.

What critters can you spot in your neck of the woods? Be sure to tell us!

And don’t forget! Join the Wildobs community and share your wild adventures with the world.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: Mr Lujan!

“Children are born naturalists. They explore the world with all of their senses, experiment in the environment, and communicate their discoveries to those around them.” ~ The Audubon Nature Preschool

It’s that time again  – time to put your wildlife knowledge to the test with this week’s Mystery Critter.

So, let’s get down to business, y’all. Put on those thinking caps and remember — no cheating! 

CRITTER CLUES:

• My habitat is marshes, swamps, forests and woodlands
• I am typically brown or orangish brown
• I am bigger that my common cousin
• One of my subspecies is on the endangered species list
• I have been introduced in states like California and Washington

So, what am I?! 

Make your guess then go here for the answer and more interesting facts.

Did you get it right? 

If not, no worries. You will have another chance soon!

Remember, when looking for wildlife, keep your eyes and ears open! Look high and low, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.

Exploring the natural world with children is a special treat. Get lost in the wonder and awe that only Mother Nature can provide.

What critters can you spot in your neck of the woods? Be sure to tell us!

And don’t forget! Join the Wildobs community and share your wild adventures with the world.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: Tim & Selena Middleton

“Childhood is the fiery furnace in which we are melted down to essentials and that essential shaped for good.”

~ Katherine Anne Porter

As a speaker and writer, and I hope, a thought-leader on childhood issues, I spend a lot of time speaking to parents, educators and other grown-ups. People who work with kids, have kids, care about kids.

But today I want to speak to the kids. Because they deserve to be part of this conversation too. As we advocate for a healthy, happy childhood let’s keep those we are advocating for in the loop.  Hopefully, some of their grown-ups listen in.

10 Things I Wish for Today’s Kids:

1. That the media stops scaring the crap out of your parents 24-7, so that they think the only place you are safe is tucked away in the house.

2. That the decision-makers get down to business with true education reform so that you have the opportunity to learn to LOVE to learn, and not just learn (um, maybe) what will be on a test.

3. That we “grown-ups” stop being so lawsuit happy, so that liability is not the first thing on the minds of educators, parks and recreation professionals, community associations, and other parents. I hope with all my might that you are actually allowed to play, take risks and have fun in this life.

4. That you realize that you have choices, and the right to make mistakes — and the world will not stop spinning when you do. I promise, even when it feels that way.

5. That your parents set a limit on screen time. I know, you don’t want to hear this, but trust me on this one – it’s a must. The view on life when you lift your eyes from the screen is amazing.

6. That you learn to LOVE to read. Even if they do make a movie about it, you can bet the book is better. Learn to get lost in a story and try your hand at writing your own.

7. That you spend every moment you can outside. Check out the woods, the beach, the mountains, and everything else in between. Let nature awe you.

8. That you learn to be fearless, bold, and let your freak flag wave. I don’t mean live dangerously — but I do mean have the guts and gumption to really live and don’t be afraid to be yourself.

9. That you don’t get everything you want, that things don’t always come easily to you, that sometimes you fall flat on your face, and that you figure out (um, eventually) that these are all good things. (And that your parents LET you fail sometimes.)

10. That you get the freedom to breathe and the space to explore the world and figure out who you are in it.

So, that’s it. I have a lot of hopes and wishes for you guys, but what I want most of all is for you to grow up knowing how to appreciate life as the rich and fascinating ride that it is, and to know how to dust yourselves off and pick yourselves up when things get tough, because they will.

Oh that, and to really know how to laugh – deep, from the belly, bone-stirring laughter. It’s one of the greatest skills you can ever learn.

Enjoy the ride and great good luck, kiddos. I will be rooting for you.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: Dottie Mae

TGSG Note: Welcome to a special edition of Mystery Critter! When my friend Cheecker said he wanted to stop by and play I could hardly stand myself I was so excited. Celebrity spokes-squirrel in da house! Enjoy! ~ Bethe

OK fellow nature lovers, it’s time to put on your thinking caps and crack this week’s case. Can Cheecker stump you, or are you a master nature detective?

Let the games begin! And remember — no cheating.

CRITTER CLUES:

• I live mostly in the Eastern part of North America. I shy away from urban forests and only spend my time in wooded areas and brush lands.
• I’m an omnivore, so I eat everything from berries to grasshoppers to mice!
• I have really good hearing and can hear even the smallest animals digging underground.
• They say I’m sly, only because I’m very cautious and can learn from my experiences.
• I have rust colored, bushy fur and a long tail with a white tip.

What am I?

Make your guess, and then go here for the answer and more interesting facts. Did you get it right?! If not, no worries — you’ll have another chance next week!

Have fun exploring the great outdoors! ~ Cheecker

Cheecker’s Bio: As official spokes-squirrel for the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council’s Re-Connecting Kids with Nature campaign, Cheecker is looking to get more families to discover their nearest forest or park. He shares his tips and tricks on where to go and what to do in the forest daily on Twitter. Aside from acting as forest steward, Cheecker enjoys climbing trees, running fast and hoarding acorns for winter. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is up to.

Cheecker is only one of many resources the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council have developed to get families back out into nature and ultimately create the next generation of environmental enthusiasts. For more information about this campaign visit: www.DiscoverTheForest.org or www.facebook.com/discovertheforest.

 photo credit: treehouse1977

TGSG Note: There is nothing I like more when readers become part of the family, and that’s just what reader, blogger and great mom Stacy has become. I know you will be as delighted and inspired by her story as I was. Make sure to follow her on Twitter @STeet and check out her bio below.

Thanks for sharing, Stacy! See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

When I heard Bethe had an opening for a guest post, I literally *jumped* at the chance. I first stumbled on to the #playoutdoors twitter stream sometime in 2009, and I have been hooked on her and everything she stands for ever since. As a mother of three, an Environmental Science major and a homeschooling mom I fully embrace any effort to connect a child with nature.

I planned to tell you all about the Park a Day challenge my kids and I are doing this summer with KaBoom, but when I saw Bethe’s post on International Mud Day last week it brought back a flood of memories so strong in my mind there was no way they could go unspoken.

The story begins in a crowded mini van on a hot summer day in Central Texas. My husband is away on business, again. Errands are done, kids are cranky and mommy could use a little break. We’re about 35 minutes from home, but there’s a favorite park of ours just minutes away … I turn the car around. I’m relishing the idea of getting them all outside, burning off some energy and maybe even relieving a bit of stress myself.

We were about 500 yards away when the heavens opened up and the sky fell down on top of us.

A torrential down pour, I cruised passed the kiddie park, still coming down in sheets. I slowed a bit near the slides, the rain was only getting harder. But, it was now or never I had to do something. I made my choice and pulled in to the playground parking lot.

Families were still scouraging to get their belongings and children in to the dry abyss that was their cars and looked at me more than a little strangely as I put the van in park. I looked back at the kiddos, their eyes wide wondering what was going on. I asked if they still wanted to play at the park and so began our day outdoors.

We huddled all together and sprinted for the play structure. We were soaking wet and laughing and enjoying every second of it! Soaked already, we made a split decision to take our shoes and socks off and get really good and dirty.

At first the kids were were cautious, not quite sure if they were going to get in trouble, but after a few twists of the arm from Mom -I convinced them it was all OK and we got right down to business.
It was a Texas thunderstorm, powerful but brief. It didn’t take long for the waterworks to stop and the real fun to begin.

We found a few empty containers on the grounds, relics of picnics gone by and turned the slide in to our very own mud kitchen. We were whipping out cakes and muffins with the greatest of ease.

We played for hours, till almost dark. Using all of our senses to explore the park in a whole new way and while this memory has been some time ago now, it is still every bit as vivid in my mind as it is in these photos.

Just me and my littles doing what we do best: laughing, be silly, getting dirty and playing together. Life is good. Oh Texas, how I wish it would rain! We could use another afternoon like this.

Guest Blogger Bio: Stacy is seeing the world in a whole new way – through the eyes of her children. She writes about the little things, the big things and all the “stuff” in between at Kids Stuff World.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I have been a bit discouraged lately. I have met so many children in the last couple of years who have no idea to play — or at least no interest.

I’m not gonna lie, it breaks my heart.

Whining about being bored. Showing no interest in non-electronic play. Melting down if they are told they cannot watch TV, surf the web or play video games. Children in national parks who never look up from their hand-held devices. Sadly, I could go on. But I won’t — you get the picture.

My little grass-stained heart needed a lift. And lucky for me, I got one.

I was lucky enough to spend a week in the English countryside with four amazing children ages 8 and 10 who really knew how to play. KNEW. And not only did they know how, they initiated it.

No really. And I have the proof. Check it out!

Wands were whittled and spells were cast.

Rocks were tattooed, then hidden around the garden for the best rock hunt ever.

Soap was made and Crazy 8s were played.

Masterpieces were drawn and secrets were shared.

Nature was explored and cherished.

HOURS were spent in the tent engaged in flights of fancy. And sometimes even sleep.

The swam until they were pruney. The played games with no names. They went for nature walks. Point is, they played. Real, honest to goodness play. And related to each other.

No batteries required.

Thanks to these wonderful, spunky, funny and slightly kooky kids — and to the parents who are raising them with screen time limits and unscheduled time to just play and be kids.

You all did my little grass stained heart good.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru