Wildlife Watching Tips
Nothing's more exciting than spotting a wild animal when you're out in the wilderness. No matter how big or small the animal is, it's fun to watch it living its life‚ hunting for food, building its home, or exploring its territory. If you're patient and observant, you can catch wild animals doing some fascinating things. You might see chipmunks chase each other up and down trees, watch rabbits eating, or see a deer strolling through a field. These tips will help you have a great wildlife-watching experience.
Most wildlife encounters end because the animals scurries away. That almost always happens because it's spotted you and is afraid of what you might do. If you want to animal to stay, so you can watch it longer, you'll need to do two things: keep very quiet, and don't get too close. How close is too close, you ask? If you see the animal looking at you or adjusting its behavior because of you, then you're too close. Take very slow steps backward and you just might convince the animal that it's safe enough to stay.
Strange as it sounds, most animals of the world assume that you're a hunter who wants to eat them. If you want to see animals in the wild, it's your job to convince the animals that you're safe to be around. Quick movements seem dangerous to animals, so hold very still‚ it's handy to pretend that you're a rock. If you have to move, to scratch your nose for instance, move your hand very slowly.
Quiet is very important to wild animals. In the animal world, everything is either a hunter or prey. If it's a prey animal‚Äîan animal that gets eaten by other animals‚Äîthen it has to stay quiet to keep from being heard and caught. If it's a hunting animal, it needs to keep quiet so it can sneak up on its prey. In other words, nothing in the animal world is noisy. Being noisy would ruin its chances of finding a good meal or living another day, so of course animals are quiet! (Birds, which are less likely to be caught, can risk singing loudly. Especially when singing comes with another benefit‚ attracting a female bird.)
If you want to see animals, it's important that you be quiet, too. Animals will never come near somebody who's shouting or singing or laughing loudly. To them, that sounds like trouble. If you're having a hard time spotting any animals, try sitting down in one place and seeing how long you can keep quiet. Odds are that, before you're done, you'll have spotted a wild creature of some kind.
Animals are most active in the early morning and at dusk. If you want to see wildlife, you need to be out at that time of day, too. Compromise on this with your family. If they don't want to get up early, see if you can take a walk at dusk. If dusk is when your family's busy making dinner, ask if an early-morning hike is something everyone would enjoy.
Of course, some wild animals can be very dangerous‚ too dangerous to watch unless you're in a zoo or special wildlife sanctuary. Bears, alligators, moose, bison, wolves, and all types of wild cats (lynx, bobcat, mountain lion, jaguars) are all animals you should only watch when there are grown-ups with you. If you're out on your own and you see one of these animals, leave right away and go tell a grown up. There are safe ways to watch these animals, so if you're really desperate to see one, tell your parents and they can help you see a bear or a wolf in a safe place, where nothing bad can happen.
In the springtime, you might come across baby animals and bird that look like they've been abandoned. It's very important that you leave these babies alone. Wild animals are excellent parents who know what they're doing‚ they might be hiding nearby, waiting for you to go away so they can return and take care of their babies. Other parents hide their babies on purpose. Deer fawns, for instance, spend every day sitting very quietly, waiting for their mothers return in the evening. Sometimes baby birds that are learning to fly fall out of the nest and land on the ground. If you find a bird like this, don't worry! The parents will keep feeding the baby until it learns to fly.
Home Schooling on the Road
One of the benefits of homeschooling is the way you can take the classroom with you wherever you go. Because the teaching parent is always plugged in to what their kids are learning, school can keep on going at the museum, or on the trail, or even on the highway. Whether it's history, geology, biology, or learning to read maps, a homeschooled family can get real-world experience using and practicing these skills.
Life in the RV gives you a natural blend of hands-on experience and book learning. When you're traveling the country, you can bring history to life in museums and on battlefields, explore nature at wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, and tour great works of art at the nation's great galleries. Your curriculum can be arranged in a unique way, possibly by region. Imagine studying the Louisiana Purchase by actually seeing what President Jefferson bought! From the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to the California and Alaskan Gold Rushes, you'll give your kids a first-hand look at the events that changed our nation.
Spacial Geometry
Of course, RV homeschooling has its challenges. Space is a major consideration, both in terms of space for schoolwork and space for text book storage. As a result, a number of parents have discovered the incredible array of curriculum materials available online. With a computer and wi-fi access, you can tap into a program like Switched-On Schoolhouse, view CD-ROMS, and possibly even connect to the charter school program back in your hometown.
Keeping a Schedule
One of the most important things to create when you're homeschooling on the road is a steady schedule. Because you'll probably spend some days driving and others sitting in one place, your schedule will have to be flexible, of course. But as much as you can, establish a daily timeframe with morning classes and afternoon free time.
On traveling days, see if you can work learning into the drive. You might ask your child to read out loud to you for short spans of time, such as one chapter every hour. Ask older children to be in charge of the map and quiz them by asking the name of mountain ranges and rivers. Have them calculate distances and estimate a time of arrival based on your rate of travel. Older kids can also figure out your gas mileage and do informal tests to see if highways with different speed limits yield different results. Don't forget about books on tape and informative radio shows. And be creative!
Learning Through Living
When you arrive at your destination, set a schedule that lets your kids explore the historic sites, parks, museums, and galleries on a comfortable time frame. If you can, check the attraction's website to see if there are quizzes or scavenger hunts your kids can do while they're there. And be sure to plan for downtime and the chance for your kids to follow their own interests.
Be sure to follow good hiking ethics when you’re out. Always stay on the trail, and don’t take anything away with you—no flowers, rocks, or sticks. Don’t let your child run on the trail or shout, since this would disturb other hikers and wildlife. And most important of all, no littering. Pack out all of your trash, and your child will learn from your good example.
Ideally, let your child set a part of the schedule. For instance, if you decide the Museum of Natural History and Industry should be on Friday's menu, you might let your child pick what happens Thursday afternoon. If you're worried that they'll pick something non-educational, just give them a list of five or six things to choose from. They might surprise you!
Looking for more information and other great articles about camping with kids? KidsCamping.com has a wide variety of articles, activities, games and learning tools to inspire kids of all ages to love camping and the outdoors
Things That Go Bump in the Night - Introducing Kids Night Sounds
Are you taking the kids or grandkids on a camping trip for the first time? Many parts of the campground sleeping experience will be new to your child, from the sleeping bag to the hooting of owls outside. Discussing these things in advance will allay your child's fears and help them understand that these are normal parts of the camping experience.
A number of night noises can be scary for kids when they hear them for the first time. Yipping coyotes, hooting owls, and whirring insects are worrisome noises if you don't know what they're all about. Before you take your trip, spend some time talking about the kinds of animals that live in the area you're visiting. Are there bears, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, or other animals that are active at night? Talk about the kinds of noises these animals might make and explain that this is normal for them - the animals are just out doing what they always do.
When you're talking about night noises, don't forget the smaller critters like frogs and mosquitoes. Talk about the way frogs "sing" and explain that there will be more bugs at the campground than you normally have at home. Mention other night noises that they might hear too, like semi trucks braking on the highway or fog horns blaring in the early morning on coastal inlets.
Test Runs
If you can, let your child test out their sleeping bag at home before the trip. They can use the sleeping bag in their own bed and get used to climbing in and out of it. If you'll be camping in a tent, you can pitch the tent in your back yard and do a test run, sleeping a night or two out in the tent. That will help everything seem more normal—and more fun—when the actual camping trip arrives.
Bathroom Visits
One of the most challenging things about camping is getting up in the middle of the night. There are no lights to turn on, and bathrooms can be far away. Talk in advance about what your child should do if he or she has to go to the bathroom in the night. Is there a flashlight they can have right next to their bed? Should they wake you up? Be sure to take a family trip to the bathroom right before bed, and avoid giving your child a lot of liquids in the hour or two leading up to bed time.
Be sure to follow good hiking ethics when you’re out. Always stay on the trail, and don’t take anything away with you—no flowers, rocks, or sticks. Don’t let your child run on the trail or shout, since this would disturb other hikers and wildlife. And most important of all, no littering. Pack out all of your trash, and your child will learn from your good example.
With a little preparation, your child will know what to expect when it comes to sleeping on your camping trip. Be sure to start slow, with settings that are as comfortable for your child as possible. Before you know it, you'll have worked your way up to sleeping underneath the stars!
Looking for more information and other great articles about camping with kids? KidsCamping.com has a wide variety of articles, activities, games and learning tools to inspire kids of all ages to love camping and the outdoors
Looking for more information and other great articles about camping with kids? KidsCamping.com has a wide variety of articles, activities, games and learning tools to inspire kids of all ages to love camping and the outdoors
Introducing Kids to Hiking with Nature Walks
Hiking is one of the easiest ways you and your kids can get out and enjoy the great outdoors. You’ll see trees and flowers, meadows and streams, and maybe even wild animals and birds. Your child will get an early grounding in the fun of walking down a woodland trail, observing the natural world. If your child can walk for twenty minutes, you’re ready to go hiking!
Getting Started
Just pick a trail, throw on your tennis shoes, and go for a short little walk. That’s your first hike, and it’s the way you should hike (in very small doses) until you’re both ready for more. Hikes should be fun, not exhausting, so be sure to take a watch with you and keep an eye on your time, making sure you turn around while you both still have plenty of energy. A fifteen-minute hike is a great way to start (or even shorter, if your child is small).
Be sure to have plenty of time for your hike and be ready to stop often. Kids love to explore the world around them, and this might mean crouching down to check out bugs and leaves or looking for pretty rocks at the beach. If you can, plan hikes in a variety of places—near rivers, prairies, woods, boulder fields, beaches, and lakes. This will give your child a wide variety of experiences. You might bring a camera and take lots of pictures. And be sure to teach your child about leaving the wilderness just the way you found it, only taking away photographs and memories.
Working Your Way Up
Once you’re ready, work your way up to longer walks. When your child is ready for a “serious” hike, get them a pair of sturdy shoes. Wearing two pairs of socks—a thin nylon liner close to the foot and a thicker, heavier pair on the outside—does wonders for preventing blisters. You’ll also want to carry a first aid kit on a serious hike, plus plenty of water, sunscreen, a wind breaker, hat, sunglasses, and snacks or lunch. And if there’s any chance you could wander off the trail, pack a good map in your backpack.
Be sure to follow good hiking ethics when you’re out. Always stay on the trail, and don’t take anything away with you—no flowers, rocks, or sticks. Don’t let your child run on the trail or shout, since this would disturb other hikers and wildlife. And most important of all, no littering. Pack out all of your trash, and your child will learn from your good example.
Fun Hiking Activities
Hikes are a lot of fun, but your child could grow bored if there isn’t anything going on during a long straight stretch. This is a perfect time to sing songs, play games like I Spy and twenty questions, or work on a riddle. See how many plants you can identify, or make up a scavenger hunt.
You might also plan a hike with a specific purpose, like wildflower viewing or bird watching. It’s fun to have your child bring along a sketch pad, so they can draw the flowers they find, or a cheap pair of binoculars for looking at far-away birds. When you see birds, see if you can figure out what the bird is doing (singing, eating, looking for something to eat, resting, etc). Look for bugs or plants that bird might eat. It’s also fun to bring a bug box or other magnifying glass that will help you look at leaves, bugs, and interesting rocks up close.
Looking for more information and other great articles about camping with kids? KidsCamping.com has a wide variety of articles, activities, games and learning tools to inspire kids of all ages to love camping and the outdoors
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