REDDING NATURE EXPLORERS
REDDING NATURE EXPLORERS!
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
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.
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.
Want to “visit” some of our wildflowers without leaving home?
Follow the link below to watch our videos on some of our native wildflowers.
