Ready, Set, Adapt!

Money problems? All you need is a wild cucumber and you can use the seeds for cash!

Autumn is certainly a season jam-packed with changes for almost everything in nature. Some people say that ‘a change is as good as a rest’ but not all of us think this is true. What we do agree on is that change is usually never restful. Just look at squirrels hurrying and scurrying around, trying to collect enough food for the winter. What about some of those amazing Canada geese who have to fly for many days or weeks  to get to their winter destination?  Our focus for this week was to discover the different ways animals and birds adapt to changes in the fall.

We know that hummingbirds leave for the winter and that this is called migration. Other creatures hibernate, either for the entire winter or on and off throughout the winter like the chipmunk and skunk. Then there are those creatures that make changes so that they can stay. These are called adaptations. Talk about the activity we did called “What Do YOU Do?” and what you learned. Were you able to survive the 5 months of winter?

You also had the chance to see autumn from the point of view of a squirrel. How did it feel to have a house cat trying to catch you as you left your drey to collect some food for winter? What can cat owners do to help make it safer for the squirrels in the fall?

Grey Squirrel always has the best books and activities waiting for us on Fridays. See what creatures you can make using only leaves and other nature materials.

As a Heron, you often have to make changes from week-to-week like dressing differently for the weather, learning new games, or working with someone else. Take a look at the final set of pictures and talk about the ways you had to adapt today.

Just like real herons who will move to a new location when they aren’t having any luck catching fish, you ‘Harrington Herons’ are learning how to adapt and go-with-the-flow especially on a rainy day!