On the Prairie

Yesterday we got out to the Prairie for a class our community learning center is putting on for homeschoolers.  I love the programs they do out there, and their passion for getting kids outside.  Certain grades of the public school spend half of every day out here, outside on the prairie year round.  So the guides out here know so much, and make it really fun for the kids.  I love how everything out here is slowed down, and it’s all about quiet observation.

I know they have these events for kids, but I grew tired, and a little embarrassed that my kids were always screaming and running and scaring off the wildlife.  So it’s been awhile since we’ve been there.  The kids are so much older now, and our youngest is nearly 2, so I thought it might just be possible to pull off some activities at the learning center again.

Really, I did much better once I adjusted my expectations about how this was all going to go about 5 minutes into the class: I was going to chase Ingrid, and the 4 older kids would go along with the class.  Well, I chased her, and then stood by her when she insisted on playing with the gravel.  I should have taken my Ergo carrier out of the car, and just made her stay with us.  She would have done fine in there, as she does love a good snuggle.  Plus it was nap time for the 2 little girls.  Without the Ergo, though, I was left to drag her along kicking and screaming, or just letting her explore relatively close to where the wildlife class was going on.  I kept just letting her explore, because it was quieter and I didn’t want her screaming to ruin the class for everyone.

I was actually with Ingrid so much, and the boys were so into the class, that I didn’t get any pictures of them.  Solveig stayed with the group, and her friend and friend’s mom who was along with the class as well.  I put Silje in charge of the clipboard to list all of the species they identified.

Ingrid love running up and down the dock to the pond.  It wasn’t quiet…or slow.

When we got back to the classroom, Ingrid turned into the perfect student, and sat down with the rest of the group and listened to the guide tell the difference between bumble bees and honey bees.  We learned that there are 49 different species of bumble bees in North America alone, and 4 of those the learning center has been able to photograph and identify.  One of the species identified is classified as rare.  We learned that they are classified according to their tongues, and some of them carry pollen on their underbellies, and some species carry pollen on their legs.

Solveig and her friend made themselves at home too.

I left there hurting from holding Ingrid so much, and annoyed that the kids didn’t realize that we had to get going to make it to piano lessons on time.  We did not leave there with a lot of grace, but once we all got a snack, I settled down a bit.  It was really my fault we left the learning center later than planned.  They had a gift shop with the most wonderful field guides for our area, and I had to peruse a bit, and ended up getting one for the kids on animal tracks.

We’ll be back next month, certainly.  The kids just had a blast, and learned so much.  They cannot wait to go back next month to the untouched prairie.  I’m still continuing to get stronger, and my new chiropractor is working hard to get my neck better able to handle activities like this.  I keep telling myself it will keep getting easier.  Looking back at the pictures especially, I’m so glad that we did sign up for this class as a family.