Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

genuinegirly · 10-31-2010, 08:00 AM

A couple of years ago I gave my nephew a bug-collecting kit designed for young children. It included an exceptionally sturdy but small net, some plastic tweezers/forceps designed for kids' clumsy fingers, and a rough-and-tumble plastic jar with a magnifying glass built into its lid. I also gave him a children's field guide to invertebrates called "What's that bug?" which was fully color-illustrated. He had SO MUCH fun with this gift, he loved catching anything and everything, then observing their captive behavior. His excitement over bugs has continued long after the toys were beaten to a pulp.

Another gift that was a hit:

An exploration trip to the tidepools. I checked the charts and found a day near Christmas with an exceptionally low tide. I then put together a child-friendly, colorful field guide to the most apparent and colorful marine life we were likely to encounter (starfish, snails, anemones, etc), included basic large-print descriptions about their colors, habits, and geographical range, then laminated the pages so they would be sturdy enough to survive the trip. They opened packages on Christmas morning with the field guides and a certificate saying they are entitled to one trip to the tidepools. We drove out there on the special day and had a blast, climbing all over the rocks, poking anemones, caressing starfish, taking photographs, etc. It was a relatively simple way to introduce them to a fascinating ecosystem, learning about the marine life in a hands-on way, far more personal and real-life than the usual museum experience.

10-31-2010, 08:00 AM	#17 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	A couple of years ago I gave my nephew a bug-collecting kit designed for young children. It included an exceptionally sturdy but small net, some plastic tweezers/forceps designed for kids' clumsy fingers, and a rough-and-tumble plastic jar with a magnifying glass built into its lid. I also gave him a children's field guide to invertebrates called "What's that bug?" which was fully color-illustrated. He had SO MUCH fun with this gift, he loved catching anything and everything, then observing their captive behavior. His excitement over bugs has continued long after the toys were beaten to a pulp. Another gift that was a hit: An exploration trip to the tidepools. I checked the charts and found a day near Christmas with an exceptionally low tide. I then put together a child-friendly, colorful field guide to the most apparent and colorful marine life we were likely to encounter (starfish, snails, anemones, etc), included basic large-print descriptions about their colors, habits, and geographical range, then laminated the pages so they would be sturdy enough to survive the trip. They opened packages on Christmas morning with the field guides and a certificate saying they are entitled to one trip to the tidepools. We drove out there on the special day and had a blast, climbing all over the rocks, poking anemones, caressing starfish, taking photographs, etc. It was a relatively simple way to introduce them to a fascinating ecosystem, learning about the marine life in a hands-on way, far more personal and real-life than the usual museum experience. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy Last edited by genuinegirly; 10-31-2010 at 08:07 AM..