Girls are strong, curious, passionate people who are always growing and learning. The Girls’ Nature Workshop series gives them a strong, sturdy base from which they can grow their love of nature. This fall, girls ages seven to 12 have two opportunities to branch out in new directions at our Girls’ Nature Workshops.
The previous three years have taken a toll on the mental health of all Americans, but children have been particularly hard hit. Symptoms of depression and anxiety doubled during the pandemic, with 25 percent of children experiencing depressive symptoms and 20 percent anxiety symptoms, according to a public health advisory issued by the U.S. Surgeon General. “Fort Worth loves its kids and wants them to grow up healthy and happy,” says Tracy Friday, Garden vice president of education and volunteers. “So we’re inviting families with children to Nurtured by Nature at the Garden.”
As part of its commitment to advance environmental-STEM education for North Texas-area children, the Garden has doubled the number of Homeschool Day and Homeschool STEM Studio programs offered this school year.
The start of a new school year can be both stressful and thrilling. Certainly for families with school-age children, it’s a time of nervous preparation, of anxiety about the year ahead, of shopping and scheduling and strategizing. But mixed into that stress is excitement about new things to learn and new friends to meet. To foster excitement and reduce anxiety, Education Program Coordinator Joanne Howard encourages families to mark the start of the new school year by establishing family traditions.
The education team is putting the final touches on a new STEM initiative starting in September and aimed at helping fourth-grade teachers meet state standards for energy, organisms and environments. The program, funded by a generous grant from the Sid Richardson Foundation, combines professional development workshops, field trips and peer support.
School is out for the summer, and caregivers are always looking for fun activities to keep kids happy, busy–and learning. One suggestion from the Garden’s family education team: go on a StoryWalk®. “In a StoryWalk, the pages of a book are placed along a pathway to propel the reader along,” says Early Childhood Program Manager Cheryl Potemkin. “It makes reading an active experience involving movement, attention and reflection.”
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, when Americans are urged to recognize the toll of mental illness, fight stigma and advocate for better support for the millions of people affected. One increasingly important area of focus: Children. Mental illness among children is caused by a bewildering array of factors, but no matter the exact situation, parents and other caregivers can adopt one simple strategy to buttress the mental health of the children and adolescents they love. They can foster a connection to nature.
You can teach your children about spring in many ways. You can watch trees and shrubs leaf and bloom, explore patch of bluebonnets and dance in a spring rainstorm. In quiet moments, you can also read some of the great children’s books about the season.
Registration has opened for the Garden’s summer camps. S.E.E.D (Summer Exploration, Engagement, and Discovery) Camp in the Garden offers fun and stimulating experiences for kids from preschool to high school. Camps sell out every year, so make sure to sign up today!
Spring Break is just around the corner, and now is the time to sign up for the Garden’s Family Workshops. These sessions are a great way to get out of the house, play with your kids and learn something along the way.
FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
(817) 463-4160
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BOTANICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXAS
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We respectfully acknowledge that the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is located on traditional lands of Indigenous Peoples. We honor the ancestry, heritage, and gifts of all Indigenous Peoples who were sustained by these lands and give thanks to them. We are grateful that these lands continue to provide enrichment for many people today. [More…]
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