By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors , homeschooling
Nature on its own is a powerful tool to learn. Nature is a classroom. Extended periods of outdoor time increases attention, yes, INCREASES attention in children. It aids in behavior, activates creative development and all senses are activated in nature. What do you see? What do you smell? How do different things feel outdoors? Use […]
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By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors , homeschooling , Inspiration
The Tradition Quail hunting was a staple in my grandparent’s generation in providing food for the family. I never experienced a hunt myself, but I remember having quail for dinner. My grandfather cleaned and dressed them out behind the barn and my grandmother would coat them in flour and fry them up in her cast […]
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By Holly Giles | Great Outdoors , Nature Study
First aid kits and contents can vary with your activities, but having basic supplies on hand is key. An at home first aid kit is a must and keeping a smaller kit for the car or taking on hikes or walks is a good idea. Beth Goodale joins me as we talk about what we […]
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By Holly Giles | Field Trips , Florida , Great Outdoors , Recipes
Blueberries were not always my favorite fruit. As a little girl I refused to eat my grandmother’s blueberry pie, can you imagine? I did not like the way those berries tasted in my mouth. Although I did love going wild blueberry picking in the woods, it was the hunt I loved, not the blueberry. Each […]
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By Holly Giles | Family , Florida , Great Outdoors , Inspiration , Nature Study
One morning this week I was exhausted from motherhood by 9 am. First, the boys had pushed my buttons and ignored their chores. Then, I began yelling too much and a myriad of other things that made me run out the back door looking for fresh air!!! I asked God, “Why does this happen? I wake up with […]
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By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors , Nature Study
Become a Backyard Naturalist A naturalist is someone who studies living things in their habitat. Naturalists observes the same thing over time to see how it changes. Backyard naturalists appreciate nature, the life and behavior of plants, animals and other living things. You and your children can become naturalists by observing the changes in nature […]
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By Holly Giles | Great Outdoors , homeschooling
We recently attended a student day event at a beautiful state park. The day was supposed to be filled with demonstrations and hands-on activities for students to learn primitive tool making. Grayson was most excited because this is one of his hobbies. Another family joined us for the event and as we walked from tent […]
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By Holly Giles | Family , Florida , Florida Treasures , Great Outdoors
It was 4 a.m. when the dogs began barking from the kennel. They knew it was time to get up and head to Babcock Ranch for the youth quail hunt. It was not going to be an ordinary day. We wearily awoke to quite a chill in the air that made me want to stay snug […]
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By Holly Giles | Family , Field Trips , Great Outdoors
Did you know that many National Park Volunteers are serving our country by keeping parks and historical lands open to the public? Many of the beautiful places we visit would be closed if it were not for volunteers.
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By Holly Giles | Family , Field Trips , Florida , Great Outdoors , homeschooling
Have you been to an aquarium lately? Grant, my 10-year-old and I took a mini vacation together to see Winter, the dolphin who lost her tail. My sister recently moved to Clearwater which gave us the perfect excuse to scoot down to see her and Winter, who we have wanted to visit for years. If you […]
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