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 What to do...oh, what to do...  ...flying solo.
 Feeling a Need for Green:  Propagation:Propagate Houseplants...this can be challenging, but worth it. Seed Propagation:Now is the time to winter sow some perennial seeds. Save your parents some money by growing plants for them...you can even sell the extras!! And you will have extras!! Winter Sowing:Ask questions, get quick answers. You will need to register to post questions at this site, but it is totally free and very safe. Trade & Collect Seeds:Need some seeds? This seed has free offers from the generous seed traders. In particular, keep an eye out for the annual Adopt-A-Newbie event which usually starts in November and has a deadline in December...mega seed potential for a couple bucks (or less) in postage! Once you have your own stash, you can trade them for seeds you want. Compost Bins:Make your own compost for your gardens. The leaves all over your yard make a great staple for compost. Rake ‘em up, jump in them a few times, them toss them in the compost bin. Learn Latin:What’s the deal with those latin names? This is pretty cool! Learn to Grow::Winter isn't a good time to plant anything, but you can be ready for Spring and Autumn. For more or complex questions, visit Garden Web and look through their plethora of forums. Flower Arranging:Practice with artificial flowers. This web site will cover the basics. Virtual Ikebana:Try some Japanese techniques for flower arranging. Create a Terrarium:Learn how to make a terrarium.  Big Stress Relief: Meditate:No web site needed...nothing comes close to being equal to this. Find a good quiet spot where no people, buildings or man-made objects are visible. You shouldn’t be able to hear any man-made sounds, either. A spot next to a running stream or river would be perfect. Sit quietly with your own thoughts for at least an hour. Take in the environment with your eyes, then close them and allow your other senses to take over. For Writers:Let nature be your inspiration for the perfect poem or short story. Rake Your Zen Garden:There are instructions for creating your zen garden in the next group. You should find a few nice days in the winter to do this.  Feeling Industrious: Natural Furniture:Make furniture from sticks, logs and stones you find in the woods. Use only fallen timber, don't cut anything down (as that needed mentioning). Rivers are a great place to find water washed wood and rocks. More, more, more:Don't be afraid to experiment with your furniture. You have seemingly endless resources. Woodcarving:Carve details into your natural furniture or make a sculpture. It's up to you.  Feeling Curious: Explore...Explore...Explore:The linked web site is a great place to get you started. Look for animal signs: Tracks, poop, feathers, matted down patches of grass, nibbled plants, scratches in tree bark. Roll over a log to discover what’s under it. Remember to put it back when you’re done...it's home to somebody. More, more, more:This web site lists 101 more ways to explore. Observe an Icestorm:Very destructive, yes, but also very beautiful. Take your camera! Snowflake Photography:You might need a special camera for this one, but check out the web site! Animal Footprints:Find animal tracks (best the day after it rains or in the snow)...or make your own mold. Phenology:Keeping a journal of phenology records. Recording dates of bird sightings, first blooms, trees turning color, etc... Check out the 'how to' portion of the web site. Recording Sounds:Take a walk through the woods and record the sounds. You can even use them to mix in with music. Very cool website. (Flash 4 required) Photography:Master this art! It isn't as easy as it sounds, but the web site should give you some pointers. There are tons of nature subjects just waiting to have their picture taken! Time-Lapse Photography:A merging of Photography with Videography to speed up a process. Very cool! Videography:You can use the basic priciples from the Photography web site for this. Make a movie with a digicamera or video camera...choose your own subject. Get creative...for a challenge, record the wind or other intangible essence. Make sure your camera is weather proof and can withstand extreme temps. Stargaze:The oldest hobby, literally. Check out the stars and track the moon phases. More, more, more:Grab a jacket, a pair of binoculars and a loved one and go somewhere nearby where you can have an unobstructed view of the night sky with as little light pollution as possible. With a pair of binoculars, you should be able to see man-made satellites, the moons of Jupiter and craters on our own Moon. Cloud Watching:Take a blanket and some snacks to a park or clearing in the woods and look at cloud formations in the sky.  For The Birds: Attract Birds:Invite them into your backyard. Make a Bird Feeder:Birds appreciate some extra food during the winter months. The web site will provide some plans for you to use. Bird Nest:Help a bird build a nest. You can do this in late winter. Make a Bird Bath:This is a big, heavy project! The web site gives some ideas, but maybe you can get creative. Don’t make them so big that you can’t bring them into the garage for the winter. Watch the Birds:Truly fascinating. Birds have such unique habits and rituals. Tips on getting started with bird watching are on the web site.  For The Critters: Create a Butterfly Garden:The butterflies are most plentiful in late summer and early autumn. Winter is a great time to start planning your butterfly garden to plant in the spring. Bat House:Now, why would you want bats!! Actually, they are quite harmless and beneficial. Bats consume tons of flying insects each night. Build them a house so they can move in and start to clean up your neighborhood.  Feeling Energetic: Fly a Kite:Quite an old hobby, but it has only become more challenging and fun. You will have some sunny days in the winter. Dog Training - Outdoors:Take a dog for a walk in the park or through the woods. The web site gives tips for a better walk with your dog. Map Your Neighborhood:Use a compass or GPS to map your neighborhood. This can be quite complicated, but for those of you who think they can handle it...go for it! What to do...oh, what to do...  Volunteering: First Of All:The web site gives twenty great reasons to volunteer. When it comes time for you to land your first job, it will be mighty helpful to have some references on hand. Don’t forget to ask for these letters of reference whenever you volunteer. You will want to run these ideas past your parents, but if they say “OK”, then go for it! Animal Shelter:You can search through all of the shelters and rescue groups in your area. Volunteer for the outside duties to walk dogs, etc... Restore a Park:Help restore and beautify a local park. Garden Centers:Get an outdoor job or volunteer at your favorite garden or nature center. Other places to work as a volunteer might be a farm or a zoo. They may want to interview you, so brush up on your skills. Yard Work:No web site needed for this. You probably already know someone who would love some help. Help an elderly person (or another person in need) with yard work or snow shoveling. Nature Trails:Help clean up a nature trail. Recycling:Recycle bottles or cans and donate the money to a local environmental charity or wildlife care center. This has a double benefit, cleaning the environment and generating a donation. Check out The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide Litter Round-Up:Organize a day to pick up litter in your own neighborhood or park or in the surrounding community. Visit the web site if you want to make this a big, publicized event. All Species Project:Get involved in the Heartland All Species Project. Big Project:So big, I think it is listed twice. During autumn and winter, you can draw up the plans for what will need to be done. Improve the habitats around your house, neighborhood, church or school. What to do...oh, what to do...  Get the Gang Together: Treasure Hunt:A treasure hunt in the woods would prove to be challenging. Are you up for it? Scavenger Hunt:Organize an outdoor scavenger hunt. To make it interesting, find things for the sense of touch... ...things that are smooth, rough, prickly, sharp, hard, soft, dry, wet, etc... Make it even more interesting by organizing a photography scavenger hunt. Think of interesting things in nature to shoot. The proof is your digital photographs. Remember extra batteries! Radio Controlled Planes:This can be quite challenging and complex, but go for it! Snow Structures:Forget the snowmen...go above and beyond... This ideas on this handy web site (for building sand castles) can also be used for snow structures. More, more, more:Feeling extra brave and have lots of snow? Go for the snow house or igloo! A solidly built igloo can withstand hurricane force winds! Laser Tag:Play laser tag, paintball (non toxic only) or have a water gun fight in the woods. You will find a lot of natural barriers and hiding places. Radio Controlled Planes:This can be quite challenging and complex, but go for it! Target Practice:Throw snowballs at a skinny tree or smaller target. See how many times out of 20 you can hit the target from 10 steps away, then move back a few steps. When you are finished practicing and have become an expert snowball thrower, challenge your friends to a “target shoot-out” or a snowball fight. Snow Football:Much harder in the snow! Keep both hands on the ball! Spice it up, play with Australian rules. Snow Tag:Play tag in the snow. Sounds easy, huh? It's a lot harder to run in the snow. What to do...oh, what to do...  Get the Family Involved: Sledding:See the snow rushing past you from a sled (or toboggan). If your family hasn't done this together, try to talk them into it, you will have fun! Horseback Riding:Go horseback riding...maybe at the farm where you are volunteering. If you haven't found a farm yet, here are a couple of options in Missouri (they cost money, though). Adopt a Pet:This should be a decision for the whole family. The Humane Society of the United States has adoption tips, training videos and more! Not enough here, I know:Many of the other activities on this page can be family oriented projects. What to do...oh, what to do...  More Ideas: For lack of a specific category, these activities are listed here.You can do many of them alone, with friends or with your family. Farm Time:Visit a farm...maybe they will let you help them or, better yet, offer you a job. Cattle farmers need lots of help in the winter. Personal Holiday:Create your own nature holiday..besides Earth Day. A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own! Decide on the outdoor traditions that your family will do on your holiday. Snow Fun:Snowboard, Ski or Snow Tube...fun, fun, fun! You don’t need hills to ski, slight slopes are all you need for cross-country skiing. If you are feeling more adventurous, check out Snow Creek in Weston, MO. Snow Symbols:Make giant snow angels or “crop circles” that can be seen from the air. Be sure to use the same path in and out of your design or it won’t be clear. Ride your Bike:No web site for this one. Try to find new trails through wooded areas, but don’t go on an icy/snowy day. Zipping Around:Rollerskate or Rollerblade when weather is nice enough. Iceskating is great, so check around for an outdoor rink. Don’t EVER trust a pond, unless you live in Alaska and it is the middle of winter. Big Project:So big, I think it is listed twice. During autumn and winter, you can draw up the plans for what will need to be done. Improve the habitats around your house, neighborhood, church or school. Geocaching:If you need a sport that’s a little more high tech, give geocaching a shot. Geocaching is the sport where you use your handheld GPS receiver to find caches hidden by others using their GPS receivers. This is something you can do by yourself, with friends or with your siblings. Geocaching teaches outdoor navigation in a fun and interactive way while allowing you to explore your own neighborhood and beyond. You’ll learn new words and phrases such as cache coordinates, travel bugs, micro-caches, benchmarking and geoteaming. All you need is internet access and a GPS receiver. Some GPS receivers retail for many hundreds of dollars, but many models are available for around $100. Although the sport is active in over 200 countries, most geocachers enjoy playing the game in their own neighborhoods. It’s awesome! Give it a try, if you can. Go Backpacking:Everything you need to know and more about backpacking is within the web site. Go Camping:Have you been camping before? If not, give it a try! What to do...oh, what to do...  Fantastic Day Trips Right Here in K.C.: Cave Spring Historic Site and Nature Center Burr Oak Woods Nature Center The Discovery Center Ernie Miller Nature Center The Kansas City Zoo Lakeside Nature Center Martha L. Thompson Nature Sanctuary Parkville Nature Sanctuary Powell Gardens:A full 915 acres of WOW! Prairie Oak Nature Center Schlagle Library/Nature CenterA Bit Farther Out: Club Organized Trips/Adventures for your Family:
Do you have an activity you would like to suggest for Winter? I would love to hear what you have to say! E-mail:         
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