Connecting children with nature in late autumn

October 28, 2024

Posted by Lake Erie Nature and Science Center

The temperature is dropping and leaves are beginning to fall, but the outdoor fun doesn’t have to come to an end! There are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors in late autumn. From nature hikes to stargazing, here are Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s recommendations for nature activities this season:

Take a nature hike

Dress warm and head to your favorite hiking trail, where a whole new ecosystem is waiting to be explored. Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep little ones motivated on nature walks. Create a simple list of things to look for – a pinecone, an animal track, a feather – and offer a treat once it’s complete.

Practice leaf matching and create leaf art

Collect an assortment of textured leaves, different colored crayons (no paper wrappers), and thin paper to make leaf rubbings. Rub a crayon over the surface of the paper, directly over the leaf, making sure to keep the leaf in place. Using a leaf identification sheet, look at the leaf’s characteristics and see if your child can figure out what types of leaves they found.

Nature scavenger hunts and leaf identification sheets are available at www.lensc.org/educational-resources.

Go birding

While most songbird species have already migrated south for the winter, waterfowl migration is at its peak in late autumn. Head to local ponds, rivers, or the shorelines of Lake Erie to see a variety of ducks, geese, and gull species.

There are also plenty of birds that stay in Ohio year round. See if your child can count the number of birds they see on a nature walk or identify the bird species in your own backyard.

Read a story around the fire

We tend to associate outdoor fires with summertime and s’mores, but this can be a perfect cold weather activity on the right night (with correct safety precautions taken, of course!). Gather around the fire with blankets and hot chocolate or cider, and read a seasonal story such as ‘Leaf Man’ by Lois Ehlert.

Observe the night sky

Something you can observe in the night sky in November is The Great Square of Pegasus. The constellation Pegasus represents the winged horse of Hercules and Perseus. While it may look more like a square jellyfish, Pegasus plays an important role in the story of Princess Andromeda and Perseus. The Great Square – a prominent asterism within Pegasus – is a landmark of the Northern Hemisphere’s autumn sky. Look east for dim stars that make nearly a perfect square.

The weekend of November 16 will be one of the best times of the year to observe Mercury. Look low in the western sky just after sunset.

Learn about your local environment

The nonprofit Lake Erie Nature & Science Center offers free general admission to live animal exhibits and natural history displays 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take part in a variety of nature-based programs, from Wonders of Wildlife animal encounters to space science programs in Schuele Planetarium. Plan your visit at www.lensc.org/program-calendar.

Save the date: Continue celebrating the seasonal changes in nature at Winter Solstice Celebration on Friday, December 20 at 6 p.m. 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village, OH 44140.