Wonderfull Earth

"Snow is a gift to the tracker: a blank page upon which nature writes its stories." Paul Tappenden Dear Reader, Freshly fallen snow is the perfect blank slate on which the stories of nature can be written. Whether it be loop-de-loops around the yard, impact craters in nearby snowbanks, or trails leading to treasure troves and food stores, kids, adults and animals alike are tempted by a layer of fresh, clean snow, just asking to be tracked upon. So with all this in mind, we hope this issue of Nature Net News inspires you to go out and trailblaze your own set of tracks! Enjoy! Kathe, Sarah & Brenna The Folks at Nature Net Did You Know..... There are many different types of tracking in addition to finding footprints. For example, Large Scale Sign, used by the United States Search and Rescue Task Force , involves reading the landscape for traces of activity and habitation, such as resources an animal needs (food, water or bedding), signs of animal dens, or the presence o...

What are your favorite outdoor games? Nature Net has great suggestions on fun ways to engage kids outside . From leaf rubbings and windchimes, to scat tracking and bird calls, these activities are great for kids (and adults!) of any age. The Animal Game (which consists of thinking of an animal and getting other players to guess it - as described here ) is another simple classic. Other fun ideas include: collecting nature smells in small jars or unused film canisters and having others guess what they are. cloud gazing or star gazing. Who can find the most shapes or constellations? using magnifying glasses or your own eyes to see who can spot the most bugs in one tree/leaf pile/cup of soil/patch of grass. sack races, May poles, tag and other fun games will get your kids running around and burning off energy! Comment below with some of your family or schoolyard favorites!

Calling all photogs and shutter bugs! Send us pictures of your family or students enjoying nature, and you may win a Nature Net prize package. * Submit digital images (5MB or less) to info@naturenet.com . Include names and ages of photo subjects along with a brief caption. Submissions must be received by February 28, 2011. [*Winner will be selected by Nature Net staff. All photos become property of Nature Net and may appear on Nature Net websites, newsletters or other promotional materials.]

Welcome to the very first Nature Net blog post. Nature Net is a non-profit consortium of nature centers, parks and museums in south-central Wisconsin, devoted to integrating fun and learning with the marvels nature and the outdoors. Our members offer hands-on environmental adventures for families, children and teachers, and are dedicated to cultivating an appreciation of the natural world. Here we will share the same great resources found on naturenet.com , including news from our members, event updates , and information from our monthly Nature Net News . Plus, we will have frequent tips, fun facts about nature, and posts from special guest bloggers. We also hope this site serves as a meeting place for families, teachers, and others to share great ideas, fun activities, and special events going on in the Nature Net community. Most of all, we hope this resource is helpful to you. Please contact info[at]naturenet.com with suggestions, comments or feedback!