Aspen Trees - Ages 3 and up

'I hope that my work will encourage self expression in others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world around us' - Ansel Adams

One of our favorite art lessons is inspired by the great photographer, Ansel Adams. Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black and white photographs of the American West and primarily Yosemite National Park. To view a great collection of Adams work go to http://www.anseladams.com/

This water color resist painting lesson takes it's primary inspiration from Ansel Adam's photographs of aspens in New Mexico.

Here are the steps to create this artwork as shown above:

• Children tear masking tape and put strips of it on watercolor paper to make tree trunks. Tiny pieces of tape can be used for branches. For youngest children, have strips of tape already available.
• Use a brush to wipe water across the paper and the tape.
• Now paint the background with color. Children can choose colors to make a day or evening background.
• When paint is dry, remove the tape. The white spaces are the tree trunks.
• Add some tiny brown or black lines on the tree trunks. If you want leaves on your trees, use a sponge dipped into your watercolors to sponge on leaves.

Recyle That Pumpkin!

Don't throw that pumpkin in the trash after Halloween! Instead, you use it to give your kids a great/easy lesson in recyling (and make your trashman happy with a lighter load).

Here's what you can do with that pumpkin after Halloween:

1. Put it in the compost heap - it will make good fertilizer
2. Bury it in the garden - it will decay quickly and enrich the soil
3. Wash, dry and save the seeds to plant next year (they will grow!)
4. Wash and roast the seeds - they make good eating.

Lasdon Park

While the weather is still mild and the Fall foliage is at it's peak, take a trip with your kids to Lasdon Park in Somers. Lasdon Park is one of the Westchester County Park system's gems. Located on Route 35 in Somers, NY, Lasdon is a magnificent 234 acre property consisting of woodlands, open grass meadow and formal gardens with flower and shrub specimens from all over the world. While there's no playground equipment for kids, it's a great place for a family walk or hike.with lots of paths to follow.

Make it an adventure for the kids by giving them one of the free colored maps of the park and letting them figure out which paths to follow. Along the way, take time to point out to your kids all the different specimens of trees, plants and grasses. Don't miss the "Historic & Famous Tree Trail." This trail features species that commemorate historic events and famous Americans from our country's past. At each station, one can read about a famous person or event to which the original parent tree was witness. The trees were grown from seeds of the original trees provided by the American Forestry Association. Another interesting site in the park to visit with your kids is the rain water basin which is show in the attached photos.

Starting Saturday October 24th through Halloween day October 31st, Lasdon will be holding it's first "Halloween Hair Raiser" exhibit. This exihibit will be in the Lasdon Arboretum . It will feature a miniature “Eerie Railroad” winding its way through a miniature haunted village. There will be Venus flytraps, Dracula orchids, pencil trees, weird cacti and other curious botanical specimens and much more to view. While access to the paths, museums and grounds at Lasdon is free, there is a charge to visit the Aboretum and this special Halloween exhibit.

There's so much more at Lasdon Park for people of all ages.Click here for full information on Lasdon Park.

Why Environmental Education Is Important For Your Child

1. Helps them develop into adults who understand and care about environmental stewardship

2. Nurtures their sense of wonder, imagination, and creativity

3. Provides them with a sense of beauty, calm, and refuge in a sometimes frightening world

4. Expands their intellectual development; it’s been proven to improve test scores, grade-point averages, and problem solving skills

5. Enhances physical development

6. Helps them understand the interrelationship of all life

Source: http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/environmental-education.htm