It was decided by the Turtles today that Harrington Conservation Area has everything that a raccoon would need to survive. Today we used our imaginations to pretend to be raccoons. What does a raccoon need to survive? Of course, raccoons need food. They eat a lot of different things including plants, animals and garbage. Raccoons are good climbers and can scurry quickly across the ground. What role did your child play in the game about raccoon food?
Raccoons need a ‘home’ or a den for sleeping in the winter and raising their babies. In the good weather, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a raccoon sleeping on the branch of a tree. We looked up at a few big trees and their branches but we didn’t see any sleeping today. Why does a raccoon sleep during the day? We helped out the raccoons today by building some fine homes which are now available to rent. There is the “Pretty Princess House” with a fireplace and a sleeping room. Choice number two is the “Little Monkey Tree” for those active outdoorsy types. Finally, if technology is your friend, consider the “Smart House” which has its own water collection system. Ask your child about the house they built. What kind of materials did they use? What are they most proud of?
The book “Turtle’s Race with Beaver” was read at Swan Lookout. Ask your child about which animal won the race and how they won?
Mystery Forest would be a great home for a raccoon. Exploring and wandering through the forest helps develop curiosity. There were a couple of Turtles who were surfing and skateboarding in the forest. A big thank you to Tamarack and Daisy today for taking pictures and mentoring the Turtles today.
Raccoons use their sense of hearing and smelling to help them find food. Some smells in nature are pretty and sweet smelling and sometimes very stinky. Listening is important for the Turtles as students in Coyote Nature School and today we also tested our hearing with a blindfold on. Does a blindfold make it easier or harder to hear things?
Learning takes place in many forms including some music and singing time, crafting time and sitting together talking about the day. Ask your child about what instruments they liked playing and if they remember any of the words to the songs we made up?
Raccoons will surely be out to roam the trails at Harrington tonight. Happy Trails until next week Forest Friends:)
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