Giving Our Kids a Summer to Remember – Part III

This is the third in a three-part series. Click for & .

What haven’t we done yet this summer? School is still a week or two away, camps are over, yet there is still time to fill before our schedules change for the fall. Let’s consider one more great way to spend a day with our kids, and let’s keep the cost to a minimum.

One of our favorite places to go is Irvine Nature Center. If you’ve never been there, it is a wonderful local destination that offers a great combination of nature and education for kids as well as adults. Focusing on nature will not only give your kids an opportunity to explore and learn, but also to get away from the television and digital media that so often distracts and makes us detached from the real world.

In inclement weather or if you just want a break from the summer sun, you can roam through the indoor portion of the center, complete with small animals and exhibits that show the diversity and importance of our local ecosystem. Turtles, birds, snakes, fish, frogs and a viewable beehive are just some of the things your kids will gawk at as they learn and appreciate the nature that surrounds them.

Outside, there are scenic hiking trails on 116 acres of woodlands and a natural playground that can inspire them and yield imaginative play opportunities that no app or television show could ever mimic. Beyond these, Irvine offers a calendar of special events they define as “experiential learning opportunities in many forms, including: Programs for children, families and adults; Field Trips; Nature Birthday Parties; The Nature Preschool;  Summer Nature Camps; Special Events and Green Weddings.”

Many events are free, whereas others are free to members or have a small cost for non-members. General admission to the center is free as well, though donations (or memberships) are encouraged, as Irvine is a non-profit educational organization. Details can be found on their website, but it’s also worth noting that there are sometimes membership deals to be found on sites such as Groupon, Living Social, Certifikid, etc., if you keep an eye out for them. There is even a store on the premises, where you can find nature-related gifts and supplies, along with books and educational materials to supplement your experience and sustain your enthusiasm beyond your visit.

With this in mind, we considered ways to take what we learned so that our experience would outlast the few hours we spent there. One such way is to pick up a nature field guide. These can be found there at the nature store, bookstores, local library (free), or even phone/tablet apps. As my kids enjoyed looking at birds on our hike and within the center, we set up a bird feeder in our back yard within sight of the window. As an extra activity when you get home, you could make one.

Now, each time we see a new bird, we try to identify which one it is. This has become a fun and educational experience for all of us and the kids get excited trying to name every bird we see now. To take it further, we have started doing the same thing with butterflies and bugs as well. All of this yields a greater appreciation for nature and being outdoors, while promoting a healthy, active lifestyle for the whole family. We didn’t just spend a nice afternoon at Irvine - we came home with a new family hobby.

Paul Katz is a freelance writer based in Owings Mills and a stay-at-home dad with four-year-old twins. You can see his local contributions to Patch, and you can follow his parenting blog at http://stuckwithdad.com or on Twitter @stuckwithdad