Toolbox Training: nature

Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Book: 100 Nature Activities for Kids

These activities focus on rocks, leaves, plants, animals, and other aspects of the outdoors. On many of the projects, kids can observe and experiment. Some activities bring in an art element while others, such as the camping activities, lend themselves to dramatic play. These 100 activities have been compiled and edited with school-agers (5-12 years old) in mind, but can be adapted to other ages.. Catalog number: NTBK0515; Price: $9.95

Also available from Amazon.com.

Friday, May 1, 2015

May 1: Plant a Flower Day

image from musingsfromoz.typepad.com

Milk Carton Gardens

Materials:

variety of seeds
milk cartons or egg cartons
potting soil
spoons
water
water can or cups

Directions:

This activity can be done in or outdoors. If done inside, use plenty of newspaper underneath.
Discuss different types of seeds. See if children can guess what grows from each kind.
Let children choose which kind of seed they would like to plant.
Put small holes in the bottom of the cartons.
Children should label their carton.
Fill the cartons with potting soil and then plant the seeds.
Water and place in a sunny spot.
Observe the seeds over the summer and discuss any changes that may occur.
Don’t forget to water periodically!

Source(s): Toolbox Training’s 100 Nature Activities for Kids card set (activity F4).

Check out the full May calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

Monday, September 22, 2014

September 22: First day of Autumn

image from betterbudgeting.com

For the first day of autumn, try out this activity to help understand why leaves change colors.

Chlorophyll and Autumn Colors

Materials:

Plant (geraniums work well for this)
Black paper
Paper clip or tape
Alcohol

Directions:

Cover half of a leaf (still attached to the plant) with black paper.
Put the plant in sunlight for 48 hours.
Remove the black paper and one half of the leaf should be yellowish.
Chlorophyll, which is what makes a plant green, will break down if it does not receive sunlight for an extended period of time. The base color of many leaves is yellow, which is why some leaves turn yellow in the autumn; the other fall colors are due to chemical changes within the leaves.
Remove the leaf from the plant and soak it in warm alcohol until the chlorophyll has been removed from it. If the leaf is now dipped in iodine solution, the part that has received sunlight will turn blue, as iodine turns blue in the presence of starch.

Source(s): Toolbox Training’s nature card set (activity E11). Adapted from bizarrelabs.com. Also try activity F8 from the Toolbox Training book 100 Music Activities for Kids.

Check out the full September calendar to see the month at a glance as well as floating holidays, specialty weeks, and themes for the month.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

September 17: Collect Rocks Day (actually yesterday)

Actually, yesterday was Collect Rocks Day, but that got trumped because it was also the day of the birth of Play-Doh. Check out activity K1 in the construction card set and C1-C7 in the nature card set. Among the activities in the nature set are a rock hunt, rock displays, pet rocks, making a rock necklace, and estimating weight with rocks, and playing the games I Spy and Categories. Here’s directions for I Spy:

I Spy: The Rock Version

Materials:

· Variety of rocks

Directions:

1. Children go on a rock hunt and gather as wide a variety of rocks as they can find.

2. For the game, lay out the rocks in a space where all the children can see them.

3. One child is chosen to be “it” and secretly picks one of the rocks.

4. Other children try to guess which rock was picked by asking questions which can be answered either “yes” or “no”. Examples: “Is it smooth?” or “Is it gray?”

5. When a child guesses correctly, he/she becomes “it”.

Other Holidays and Events Today:

Citizenship Day
Apple Dumpling Day

Check out the full September calendar or get more ideas from books and activity card sets at www.toolboxtrainingonline.com.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Product Spotlight

Many of the activities featured here on the blog are taken from the activity card sets available from Toolbox Training. These activities include:

· Art

· Construction

· Cooking

· Drama

· Games

· Music

· Nature

· Science

Each activity card set contains 100 activities on 8 ½” x 5 ½” cards with quick-glance material checklists and easy-to-follow directions. Each set sells for $15.00.

Toolbox Training is slowly reformatting these card sets into book format as well. Check out the three which have been done so far:

§ 100 Game Activities for Kids

§ 100 Music Activities for Kids

§ 100 Science Activities for Kids

Keep an eye on the website (www.toolboxtrainingonline.com), blog, and Facebook page for more upcoming titles!

Holidays and Events Today:

Cream-Filled Doughnut Day
National Anthem Day
Eat a Hoagie Day

Check out the full September calendar or get more ideas from books and activity card sets at www.toolboxtrainingonline.com.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

August 27-28: Weekend Product Spotlight

Instead of posting activities over the weekend, when most programs wouldn’t have access to them anyway, Toolbox Training will use weekend posts to focus on various products.

Activity Cards

For those who have followed Toolbox Training’s daily activity posts since August 1, you know that the concept is to post an activity each day which relates to a holiday or event from that day. Many of these are unfamiliar and unusual celebrations. The activities used to celebrate these events are generally pulled from Toolbox Training’s activity card sets.

Activity Card Sets:

· Art

· Construction

· Cooking

· Drama

· Games

· Music

· Nature

· Science

A ninth set, focused on language activities such as reading, writing, and storytelling, will hopefully be completed before the end of 2011!

Each activity card set offers 100 activities divided into various categories. The activities have been compiled with school-agers in mind, but are often easily adapted to younger ages as well. Each set is $15.00. Check the Toolbox Training website under the activity card link for more information.

Also – check the books page. The game, music, and science activity sets have been reformatted into book form as well and only cost $12.95.

Thanks for following Toolbox Training’s daily activity posts!

Check out the full August calendar at ToolboxTrainingOnline.com.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Field Trips in KC Metro Area

This list of field trip ideas was generated in March 2008, generally with summer school-age programs in mind. The ideas are specific to the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area, but looking over the list can spark ideas for anyone anywhere.

Click on the general category of your choice.

General
Multiple Activities
Animals
Arboretums/Botanical Gardens
Art
Community Centers
Educational
Food
Fun & Games
Hands-On Museums
Historical
Libraries
Music
Nature
Parks & Recreation
Physical Activity
Rides
Sports (Participation)
Sports (Spectator/Learning About)
Storytelling
Swimming/Water Play
Theaters/Shows
Tours

General

Multiple Activities

Crown Center Shopping Center
Kansas City, MO

Parkville, MO

Sprint Center
1407 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 949-7000

Union Station
30 West Pershing Rd
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 460-2020

Animals

American Royal Rodeo
1701 American Royal Ct.
Kansas City, MO 64102
(816) 221-9800

Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead
138th & Switzer
Overland Park, KS
(913) 897-2360

Kansas City Zoo
6800 Zoo Drive
Kansas City, MO
(816) 513-5700

Red Barn Farm
16300 Wilkerson Rd.
Weston, MO 64098
(816) 386-5437

Ringling Bros. Circus

Savanahland Educational Park
Harrisonville (?) MO
(816) 540-6050

Shatto Milk Company
9406 N. Hwy. 33
Osborn, MO 64474
(816) 930-3862

Topeka Zoo
635 Gage Boulevard
Topeka, KS 66606
(785) 368-9180

Arboretums/Botanical Gardens

Overland Park Arboretum/Botanical Gardens
8909 W. 179th St.
Overland Park, KS
(913) 685-3604

Powell Gardens
1609 NW U.S. Highway 50
Kingsville, MO 64061
(816) 697-2600

Art

Clay Guild of Kansas City
200 W. 74th St.
Kansas City, MO
(816) 363-1373

Kaleidoscope
Crown Center
Kansas City, MO

Nelson-Atkins Museum
4525 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO
(816) 751-1238

Community Centers

Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center
6200 Martway
Mission, KS
(913) 722-8200

Matt Ross Community Center
8101 Marty
Overland Park, KS 66204
(913) 895-6350

Educational

Children’s Peace Pavilion
1001 W. Walnut
Independence, MO 64059
(816) 521-3033

Food

Berry Patch
¼ mile south of 223rd and State Line Road
(816) 658-3663

City Market
20 E. 5th Street, Suite 201
Kansas City, MO 64210
(816) 842-1271

Faulkner’s Pumpkin Farm
(seasonal)
10701 View High Drive
Kansas City, MO 64134
(816) 763-4644

Kansas City Restaurant Guide

Kids Eat Free Dining Guide

Fun & Games

Arcades (check your area)

Moon Marble Company
600 East Front Street
Bonner Springs, KS 66012-1122
(913) 441-1432

Paradise Park
1021 NE Colbern Road
Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
(816) 246-5224

Toy & Miniature Museum
5235 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 333-9328

Tunnel Town/Pirate Voyage
3751 NE Ralph Powell Rd.
Lee’s Summit, MO 64064
(816) 524-2002

Hands-On Museums

The Children’s Museum of Kansas City
Indian Springs Marketplace
(lower level, southeast corner)
4601 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66102
(913) 287-8888

Science City
30 W. Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 460-2020

Wonderscope
5700 King
Shawnee, KS 66203
(913) 268-4176

Historical

Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
500 W. US Hwy. 24
Independence, MO 64050
(816) 268-8200

Jesse James Bank Museum
103 N. Water St.
Liberty, MO 64068
(816) 781-4458

Jesse James Farm
21216 James Farm Road
Kearney, MO 64060
(816) 628-6065

Johnson County Museum of History
6305 Lackman Road
Shawnee, KS 66217
(913) 715-2550

Liberty Memorial National WWI Museum
100 W. 26th St.
Kansas City, MO 64108-4616
(816) 784-1918

Missouri Town
Fleming Park
8010 East Park Road
Lee’s Summit, MO 64015
(816) 503-4860

Old Shawnee Days Festival
Shawnee Town
Johnson Drive & Cody
Shawnee, KS

Pony Express Museum/Jesse James Home Museum
1202 Penn Street
St. Joseph, MO 64503
(816) 232-8206

Renaissance Festival
628 N. 126th Street
Bonner Springs, KS 66012
(800) 373-0357

Shawnee Indian Mission
3403 West 53rd
Fairway, KS 66205-2654
(913) 262-0867

Shawnee Town
11501 W. 57th St.
Shawnee, KS 66203
(913) 248-2360

Libraries/Reading

Bookstores (check local stores for story times)

Johnson County Library

Kansas City Public Library
14 West 10th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

Music

American Jazz Museum
1616 E. 18th St.
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 474-8463

Funky Mama
Krista Eyler
(913) 221-1517

Ibsen Dance Theatre
7221 N. Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64118-1852
(816) 436-7277

Rhythm & Ribs Jazz Fest
18th & Vine
Kansas City, MO

Nature

Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center
Missouri Department of Conservation
1401 NW Park Road
Blue Springs, MO 64015
(816) 228-3766

Cave Spring
8701 E. Gregory Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64113-6351
(816) 358-CAVE (2283)

Ernie Miller Nature Center
909 N. Highway 7
Olathe, KS
(913) 764-7759

Lakeside Nature Center
4701 East Gregory Blvd.
Kansas City, MO
(816) 513-8960

Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
407 N. La Frenz Rd.
Liberty, MO 64068
(816) 781-8598

Parks & Recreation

Johnson County Parks & Rec.
7900 Renner Road
Shawnee, KS
(913) 888-4713

Lake Shawnee Park
3131 SE 29th Street
Topeka, KS 66605
(785) 266-0308

Overland Park Parks & Rec.
(913) 895-6390

Physical Activity

A B Bananas
346 SW Blue Pkwy
Lees Summit, MO 64063
(816) 347-0677

Bump City
9063 Bond
Overland Park, KS
(913) 438-4444

Gymboree
Multiple locations

Merriam Indoor Playground
(seasonal/preschool only)
Merriam, KS
(913) 322-5550

Pump It Up
7230 W. Frontage Rd.
Shawnee Mission, KS 66203
(913) 236-7867

Sylvester Powell Community Center - Indoor Playground
(seasonal/preschool only)
6200 Martway
Mission, KS

Wacky Banana
8303 W. 126th Street
Overland Park, KS 66213
(913) 469-6443

Rides

Belton Grandview and Kansas City Railroad Co.
502 E. Walnut St.
Belton, MO 64012
(816) 331-0630

Day Out with Thomas
Check site for schedule.

Go-carts (check your area)

Midland Railway
P.O. Box 5
Baldwin City, KS 66006-0005
(913) 371-3410

Worlds of Fun
4545 NE Worlds of Fun Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64161
(816) 454-4545

Sports (Participation)

Batting cages (check your area)

Crown Center Ice Terrace (seasonal)
2425 Grand Blvd.
Kansas City, MO
(816) 274-8412

Ice Midwest Family Fun Center (seasonal)
12140 West 135th St.
Overland Park, KS 66221
(913) 851-1600

Mini-golf (check your area)

Roller skating (check your area)

Tennis (check your area)

Sports (Spectator/Learning About)

High School Sports (check your area)

Kansas City Chiefs – Community Programs

Kansas City Royals Stadium Tours

Kansas City Wizards

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
1616 East 18th Street
Kansas City, MO 64108-1610
(816) 221-1920

T-Bones Baseball
Community America Ballpark
(913) 328-BALL

UMKC Sports

Storytelling

Local bookstores
(check you area)

Play Pretty Productions
Sarah Howard

Uplifting Stories
Barbara Kellogg
470 SW Woods Chapel Road
Blue Springs, MO 64015

Swimming/Water Play

Great Wolf Lodge
Kansas City, KS

Oceans of Fun
4545 NE Worlds of Fun Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64161
(816) 454-4545

Overland Park, KS Pools
(913) 895-5158

Splash Cove
5800 King Ave.
Shawnee, KS
(913) 631-7177

Water slides (check your area)

Theaters/Shows

City Stage
Union Station
30 West Pershing Rd
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 460-2020

Coterie Theatre
Crown Center
Kansas City, MO
(816) 474-6552

Extreme Screen
Union Station
30 West Pershing Rd
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 460-2020

Gladstone Theatre in the Park
Gladstone Ampitheatre
76th & N. Troost
Gladstone, MO 64118

Movie Theaters (check your area)

Paul Messner Puppets
1006 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64109-1840
(816) 756-3500

Puppetry Arts Institute
11025 East Winner Road
Independence, MO 64052-3839
(816) 833-9777

Theatre for Young America
PO Box 356
Mission, KS 66201
(816) 460-2083

Tours