New Pond Farm 2023

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Nature Activities

REDDING NATURE EXPLORERS


REDDING NATURE EXPLORERS!

We continue to partner with Mark Twain Library and Redding conservationist John McLeran on a new and exciting nature adventure for you and your family to enjoy. Since many of you have been taking advantage of our splendid open spaces, we have developed a series of activities to enhance your explorations in the natural world. This ongoing program is easy to follow and is designed to help you discover and appreciate our rich selection of local flora and fauna. While the program is geared for parents with children between the ages of four and nine, adults and children of all ages can take pleasure in these activities.

How It Works

Each month you will receive a list of hands-on activities to enjoy either around where you live or in one of our many open spaces. All the animals and plants have been carefully chosen because they are relatively common to our area and are more easily found in that month.

We encourage you to guide your child/children to respond to what they see/hear/ smell; they may wish to draw a picture of, write about, or take a photo of their discoveries. We would love to see their work, please tag us with @newpondfarm on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
OR email to info@newpondfarm.org

Do you have any nature questions?
Please email your questions to askanaturalist@newpondfarm.org

The library will have a list of children’s books that relate to the creatures featured each month.

Before You Go

Picking, picking up what you have found. In Redding’s open spaces, all plants and animals are protected by Town ordinances so please enjoy things with your exploring eyes. New Pond Farm Education Center members are invited to explore our 102-acre property, following the same guidelines (while staying on/close to trails).
Poison Ivy: We advise you and your children to stay on the trails and to learn to recognize this common neighbor; “leaves of three let it be.”
Ticks are out and about, but staying on the trails lowers your risk. Living in Fairfield County, we should all be doing regular tick checks at the end of each day.
Who else is out there? Yes, bears, bobcats, and coyotes are occasionally seen in Redding. There are no recorded interactions between these animals and people in Redding that have caused injury. Consider carrying whistles.
Masks: Please have masks with you, in case you encounter other explorers out on the trail.
What to Wear: Hats, long, light colored pants (easier to see ticks), and sneakers are okay. No need for boots unless you plan to veer off the trail into a swamp or stream.
What to Bring: Water, a basic first aid kit, bug spray (hopefully, the family friendly variety). If you plan to take advantage of Redding trails, we recommend borrowing or purchasing The Book of Trails from the Mark Twain Library.
    – Our members can reach out to info@newpondfarm.org for a digital copy of our Trail Map.

Activities & Challenges

Our members will receive the monthly list of hands-on activities via email then we will post PDFs which can be downloaded with the links below.


Scavenger Hunts for Young Nature Detectives

Scavenger Hunts for Young Nature Detectives

Please click the images to download the pdfs,
then have fun exploring as the season unfolds!




Take Your Own Spring Wildflower Ramble

    Although the Spring 2020 woodland wildflowers, “spring ephemerals”, have come and gone. Trilliums, Spring Beauties, Dutchman’s Breeches are just a few of the beauties waiting to be discovered in 2021!
    Take a look at the handy walk guide we made in Spring 2020 for the most common species found in our area or join us for our upcoming in-person Ramble, more information and registration can be found here.

Please Download the pdf Here

Want to “visit” some of our wildflowers without leaving home?

Follow the link below to watch our videos on some of our native wildflowers.

Watch the Videos Here


Make everyday Earth Day!

Earth Day has gone digital! Estimates are that over 1 billion people from over 190 countries are participating in environmental activities, showing their love and concern for our planet and making it the largest civic observance in the world.

There are always many ways to celebrate nature.

Great Ways To Celebrate 2021

Please stay tuned for more fun nature based activities you can do in your own backyard!


Local Wildlife Videos