Don’t Forget Some Outdoor Fun
There are so many things to love about ponds. There are fish to feed and frogs to find. If you move quietly, you might discover butterflies resting gently on the plants surrounding the water. And on a hot day, there’s no better feeling than taking off your socks and wading right into the pond.
Here are some ideas we love for fun that you can do in your own backyard with your kids or grandchildren.
Have a treasure hunt. Make a short list of things for your children to seek outside. You could even tailor the list to include things found around your pond. How about a plant that grows in water, a shiny rock, or a fish? As they search for items around the pond, they’ll naturally take in its other cool features.
Create art. Claude Monet was famously inspired to paint water plants – why not your child, too? Bring art supplies outside and encourage your child to sketch or paint the pond.
Identify plants and animals. Go online and print out pictures of the plants and animals that make their home in your pond. Then head outside with your child and match the pictures you printed to the living things in and around the pond.
Photograph nature. In this instance, technology isn’t totally banned. Have your child use a camera, or even the camera on your phone, to take pictures of the pond and the nature surrounding it. Explore how lighting impacts the photographs, and have some fun playing with the different camera settings.
