Talk a Walk Through a Book on the Garden’s Pollinator Pathway
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.”
Better Know Your Bugs with These Fun Family Activities
Kids love bugs! Whether creeping, crawling, fluttering or flying, insects are fascinating—and they’re a great opportunity to learn about the natural world as a family. ith Butterflies in the Garden on-going and David Rogers’ Big Bugs opening this month, now is a great time to interest your family in insects with some great books and easy home activities.
Which Came First, the Butterfly or the Flower? The Answer: Both!
If you’ve ever taken a high school biology course, you may have learned that pollinators such as butterflies and bees evolved alongside flowers for their mutual benefit. The result of generations upon generations of plants and pollinators evolving side by side are what botanists have called “pollination syndromes.” These are fascinating systems that have much to teach us about the natural world—but recent research reveals they may not be as simple as botanists once thought.
Celebrate Butterflies in the Garden as a Family with these At-Home Activities
Children find butterflies magical. The fluttering wings and brilliant colors bewitch kids of all ages—and adults are hardly immune! If your family plans a trip to see the butterflies this spring, make the experience last and add a little STEM learning to the fun with activities from our education staff.
The Science of Pollination and the Role of Butterflies
People of all ages watch the brilliantly colored insects with awe and wonder at Butterflies in the Garden. What many don’t realize is that while we value butterflies for their beauty, they also play an important role in the ecosystem. Along with bees, birds and various other insects, they help flowering plants reproduce.