Give kids a chance to explore a pond and they are happy campers. That was certainly the case at a recent family reunion. Several children, including this brother and sister, had fun seeing what they could catch.
Category: Kids
Butterfly playing cards – fun and educational
With help from my artistic friend, Amanda J. Cawby, I have created a set of butterfly playing cards that I hope will combine learning and fun. I would like to encourage kids of all ages to learn to identify and appreciate our native butterflies.
When I know the name of a plant, bird, butterfly, etc., I’m more likely to notice it and connect with it in a different way. There’s a big difference for me between “there goes a big orange butterfly” and “there goes a monarch!”
This deck of cards contains 22 pairs of common Kentucky butterflies that I have photographed in our backyard in Lexington, Kentucky. These butterflies can also be found in most of the eastern United States. The cards are packaged in a clear plastic case, and come with tips for how you can help butterflies, and directions for playing games like “Go Fish,” Monarch (similar to “Old Maid”), and Memory/Concentration. They can also be used as flash cards.
To order, please send your name, address, and phone number, with a check for $15 per set (includes taxes and shipping) to:
Betty Hall Photography
224 Leawood Dr.
Lexington, KY 40502
As of November 1, cards will also be available at Good Foods Market and Café, 455 Southland Dr. in Lexington.
These cards make great stocking stuffers or birthday gifts for grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends. I like to think of adults using these cards with children as one way to encourage them to enjoy nature and being outdoors.
Backyard hideout with passion flower vines
After six years, our native passion flower vines (Passiflora incarnata) needed a more substantial trellis. The area where they’re growing wasn’t being used, and I wanted a “hideout” for the neighborhood kids. Our friend Carmen found a creative solution for both. He installed two cattle panels that arch from the base of the passion flower plants to the bottom of our nearby fence. Bales of straw provide seating or a table area.
This was how the hideout looked in June when our neighbors Nicolas and Ben were giving it a try.
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