It can be hard to get out in nature when the bitter weather and nagging flu season conspire to keep you inside. We rely on our birdfeeder windows quite a bit at this time of year, but this week we decided to set up a "nature station" on our deck. The station will feature different items as seasons and interests change, but for now we've set up a birdbath and some ice crafts.
Below is the heated birdbath:
And here we have the "ice mobiles" we made (pre-freezing):
I got this idea from an activity described in Nature's Playground (a fabulous book btw!) ...
We took random bits of nature easily found in our yard (and a few things from our fridge) and set them in aluminum cake pans. We used sliced clementines, cranberries, evergreen branches and cones, dried leaves and cracked corn. Then we filled the pans with water and left them out on our table to freeze.
(Note - By the time we got to the last pan I realized that taping the materials to the bottom of the pan would keep things from floating around too much in the water. I did this with the leaves but it would have worked well for the pinecones, branches and citrus slices too).
The end result was to be a collection of pretty ice mobiles to hang in the trees (I could just see them glinting in the winter sun). They'd be lovely to look at *and* provide tasty for the birds and squirrels who frequent our yard.
But we had a few setbacks. First we had a snowstorm ...
And then we had a week of near-40 degree weather! The mobiles have not yet frozen solidly enough to hang in the trees! Ah well ... such is the fickle nature of Nature. :) This activity has really drawn the boys' attention to the rising and falling temperatures this week though ...
Not that I'm complaining of course, but it looks like we are in for more "mild" weather over the next several days and then possibly some storminess next week. If and when we do get these mobiles ready to hang, you all will be the first to know!
Hope you all had a good week - ours was nice and pretty quiet. Earlybird is still fighting that cough but I think he is at last getting past it. (Last night was the first in over a week he didn't wake from coughing.) Here's to a happy and healthy weekend ... see you all again sometime soon! :)
This post was featured on The Homeschool Classroom today. Thanks for the great idea!
See it here: http://www.hsclassroom.net/2010/03/great-homeschooling-links-march-5-2010/
Holly @ Dressel Academy
http://dresselacademy.blogspot.com
Posted by: Holly | March 05, 2010 at 09:27 AM
Pop your containers into the freezer, after they are set you can put them out and watch as they melt. They will look pretty for some amount of time.
Heated bird bath! Interesting! How has that worked out?
Posted by: Melissa R | February 20, 2010 at 07:30 AM
We had the same problem with our ice sculptures! We finally got them frozen and hanging in the tree. It was a mighty fun project, especially once my girls started using some food coloring. The only downside was my 3 year old was VERY upset when it melted. :(
Posted by: Nicole | February 20, 2010 at 12:21 AM
I love the ice mobiles but I don't live in a cold climate :)
Get well soon to EB!
Posted by: OSG | February 20, 2010 at 12:18 AM
Poor EB. My little BamBam suffers from asthma, and we have spent a few weeks this winter up at night coughing :( Everyone is better for now. Hope EB is better too!
Posted by: Mary Ann | February 19, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Ah! So fun! It makes me wish I were still back home in MI instead of in sunny, warm SoCA. One can only take sunny and 74 degrees for so long before it gets boring and you lust for snow!
Posted by: Kristie | February 19, 2010 at 11:20 AM
OH! Feel better, EB!
Posted by: Jo | February 19, 2010 at 08:10 AM