Whether you live in a city’s urban core or in a rural community, birds are likely all around you. Taking the time to stop and learn more about their habits and unique characteristics is one way to develop a deep appreciation for nature in your child. Watching birds can include taking nature walks to fill out a dedicated bird journal, taking part in the annual bird count in your area, or simply observing the birds that visit your bird feeder. For more information about bird watching with your child, read our article about How to Get Started in Birding.

Having a good sense of direction may seem irrelevant in this age of GPS navigation, but finding your way using a compass and map is an excellent way for children to develop spatial skills. It’s also a fun adventure. Try setting up a course through your neighbourhood, or design a simple treasure hunt for your child’s next birthday party. For more information, read our guide about hosting a Compass Treasure Hunt.

What miracle is greater than planting a seed and having the soil transform it into a living plant? Children love getting their hands dirty, and here’s a chance to dig with a purpose. Plant seeds in pots for a simple beginner’s project or designate a row in your garden for your child to grow their favorite flowers or vegetables. Simple, easy-to-grow plants include sunflowers, peas, beans, and many more. For further information, read our article about Getting Your Kids in the Garden or our guide about Gardening With Kids.

Getting into the great outdoors opens a new window for children who spend their weekdays inside. Whether you’re setting up camp in your backyard or pitching a tent in a wilderness park, camping introduces children to a close-up view of nature and encourages respect for our environment. For more information on how to get started, read our Kids and Camping guide.

In North America, most children use electricity every day without thinking about where it comes from. Show your child how to harness nature’s resources to power simple toys and cook their food. Working together on renewable energy projects is not only fun, it can expand your child’s scientific reasoning skills and awake a passion for green technology. Try these simple projects at Alliant Energy Kids or explore a variety of wind energy projects at Stem Works. You can also purchase build-it-yourself kits for wind turbines, powerhouses, and waterwheels.

Puppets have long been a simple do-it-yourself toy for a rainy afternoon, and puppet-making supplies can range from old socks to fabulous felts. Putting on a puppet show with your child can also teach you new things about how he or she sees the world. Make a simple puppet theatre with a large cardboard box or use the back of a couch or curtained doorway for an instant stage. For more information about how to create your own puppet show script, or for script ideas, visit Legends and Lore. You can also purchase recycled fleece puppet kits to extend the fun.

The scale of this project is just right for a parent/child activity and a great way to teach your child basic woodworking skills. A child who has helped build his/her own wheelbarrow will use it with pride. Click here for the plans.

There is a great deal of talk today about the need to expose children to more science and math, to develop a recycle mentality, to promote family time together, and to merge the virtual world with the real world. Build-It-Yourself addresses all these important issues in a playful way. Build-It-Yourself has won the support of kids, parents, teachers, community businesses and the media.

Do you build or want to design your own model rockets? Do you need some help getting started? Even if you do design your own models, would you like to make them even better and more unique? This web site offers basic information on model rockets, construction plans, parts, flying tips and technical information.

Here are some simple ideas for hands-on engineering, math, and science activities that you and your child can try at home. Use them to encourage your child’s natural curiosity and to have fun making discoveries together.

Hunkins’ experiments were designed by a cartoonist for inquiring minds. Using cartoon-like examples in topics like food and clothes and light and sound, families can make an edible candle, learn to use a watch as a compass, drawing water from a desert or making a rubberband, for instance. Simple but engaging.

Wooden forts and swing sets. Detailed plans and kits you can assemble yourself for backyard play. Large assortment of designs which can be downloaded instantly from the site. Good pictures and thorough explanations of the play systems offered.

The best in paper gliders. Choose from a large selection of models from simple to complex. Build your glider from a kit, using paper, balsa, glue and a rubber band for propulsion. Great parent-child activity, and a good format for learning construction, principles of flight and aerodynamics. Inexpensive and rewarding – these little paper gliders are fun to fly!

A large list of activities for you and your fmily to try. Includes animal crafts, crafts requiring adult help, crafts by age group, family-centered crafts and holiday crafts.

A portal to 2000+ free online learning games and activities for Preschool – Grade 6 students. Readquarium, a section of Gamequarium, will help your child learn to read.