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Things to Make and Dowith Nature's Treasuresfor kids and their grown-up friends

illustrated by Gayle Seaberg Harvey

We wish to thank you, Dana Baer, for countless hours of editing,titling, encouraging and fixing. We 're surely glad you stuck withus through this project!

ISBN 0-86530-004-6

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number : 81-85014

Copyright ©1982 by Incentive Publications, Inc ., Nashville, Tennessee . All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) withoutprior written permission from Incentive Publications, with the exception noted below.

Pages bearing this symbol * were designed by the authors to be used as ACTIVITY PAGES . Permission is hereby granted—with the purchaseof one copy of Puddles and Wings and Grapevine Swings—to reproduce copies of any page bearing this symbol in sufficient quantity for use bythe class or group .

Table Of Contents

Page Page

A Letter To Kids 8 Slingshot 42Rules For Enjoying Nature 's Treasures 10 The Strangest Stick Yet 43Good Stuff To Gather 12 Pine Cones To Brighten Any Fire 44Save & Share & Show Off Your Collections 14 Nuts About Nuts 46Some Words To Grownups 16 A Fuzzy Weed Mouse

HURRAH FOR OPEN SPACES!

48

HURRAH FOR STICKS & STONES! Outdoor Scavenger Hunt 50A Collector's Apron 51

Put Your Nose To The Ground 18 Hiding Places . . . Secret Spaces 52Have A Ground Parfait 19 Leafy Lodges 54Mud Pies And Other Delicacies 20 Marshmallow Spiders And Gingerbread Wind 55Sand! Terrific Sand! 22 A Marathon For Everyone 56Layered Sand Planter 24 Read-A-Thon Under The Open Sky 58Shell Silhouettes 25 Good Books Belong Outdoors! 59Shell Belt 26 Do You Hear What I Hear? 60A Fine Feather PenGourds Galore!

2728

On A Clear DayUp . . . Down . . . In . . . Around . . . Over . . .

61

Hang A Gourd 29 Under . . . Obstacle Course 62

Seed Designs 30 Collecting Is Contagious 64Pebble Portraits 31 Mapmakers On The Loose 66

For The Love Of A Rock 32 Oversized, Overstuffed Blocks 68

Rocky Personalities 33 Use Your Nose! 69Stone Gnome 34 Batting Brush-Up 70

Spicy Forest In A Jar 35 Imitation Fossils 71

Rocky Top Box 36 Measure Wherever You Go 72

Nature Banner 37 Hold Your Ears! 74

Weathered Wood Wall Hangings 38 Try A Tug-Of-War 75

Outdoor Weavings 39 Do The Grapevine Swing! 76

Driftwood Mobile 40 Ode To The Great Outdoors 77

Bark Necklace 41 An Old-Fashioned Block Party 78

Page

Pack Up For A Picnic 80Picnics Are Not Just For Summer 81Outdoor Theater 82Hit The Trail 86

HURRAH FOR THINGS THAT GROW!

How Does Your Garden Grow? 90Make Your Own Mulch 92Every Garden Needs One 93Flowers In Your Garden 94Fall Bulb Planting 95

Strawberries By The Barrel 96

An Inside Arbor 98A Great Growing Trick 100Ready, Set, GROW 101Parsley Planters 102Cactus Garden 103Pot Your Plants Creatively 104

Hang A Garden In Almost Anything! 108Don't Throw Away The Seeds 110Hug A Tree 111Leaf People 112Stained Glass Leaf Collage 113Nature Rubbings 114Will Daisies Tell? 115Toadstool Tracks 116Aw Shucks! 118Decorations For Your Door 120A Bouquet To Last 123How To Dry Flowers, Leaves & Grasses 124How To Store Dried Flowers, Leaves & Grasses 125How To Press Flowers, Leaves & Grasses 126Pressed Flower Placemats 128Nature Notes 130Dried Flower Bookmarks 132Flowers Under Glass 133Blooming Candles 134

Page

Flowers To Eat? 136

HURRAH FOR DAYTIME & NIGHTTIME SKIES!

Sun Time Silhouettes 138Blueprints in Broad Daylight 139Sunshine & Shadows 140Sun-Dried Apples 142Chewey Gooey Fruit Leather 143

Solarberry Jam 144Your Own Sundial 145Easy Solar Greenhouse 146What To Do When It's Too Hot To Do Anything! 148Cool, Cool Treats For Hot, Hot Days 150Cloudwatching 153Games For After The Sun Sets 154

Stargazing 156Moonwatch 159A Moonlight Hike 160

HURRAH FOR THINGS THAT CREEP & CRAWL& SWIM & FLY!

BUGGED! 162Web Snatching 164Make Friends With A Worm 166Ants, Ants, Everywhere! 168Insect Observatory 170Creeper Crawler Creature Log 171The Fish That Didn't Get Away 172Do-It-Yourself Backyard Pond 174Quick-And-Easy Birdhouse 175Strictly For The Birds 176Donations To A Bird 's Nest 180Airplane Acrobatics 181My Favorite Kite 182A Boomerang Will Never Leave You 184

Page Page

HURRAH FOR SEASONS! Snacks To Take Along 244Hurrah For Corn On The Cob! 246

Snow Stuff 186 Granola Goes Anywhere 247Groundhog Shadows 188 Carry-Out Caramel Corn 248Four Leaf Clover Lucky Charm Special Valentines

189190 HURRAH FOR WIND & WATER & WEATHER!

Rites Of Spring Pinata 192Eggshell Tulips 194 Experiments For A Windy Day 250Fancy Brown Eggs 195 Which Wind? 251Natural Tie-Dye Eggs 196 Who Can Hear The Wind?? 252Merry May Baskets 197 What Do Clouds Know? 255A Solar Celebration! 198 Easy-To-Do Weather Vane 256Fall Wool-Sock Walk 200 Hang Out A Windsock 257Harvest Good Luck Symbols 201 A Simple Anemometer 258Nutty Place Cards 202 Investigations Into A Mud Puddle 260Jewelry Fit For A Witch 204 Mud Puddle Paintings 261A Natural Menorah 205 BUBBLES . . . BUBBLES . . . BUBBLES 262Celebrate Chanukah . . . With Potatoes 206 You Can Make Rainbows 263Decorate Your Tree Naturally 210 Backyard Waterslide 264Milkweed Pod Star 214 Icicle Ice Cream 265Cone-A-Tree 215 Raincatcher . . . Snowsnatcher 266Corncob Jelly For Holiday Gifts 216 Invitation To A Thunderstorm 267Bird's Nest Legend 218 It's Raining, It's Pouring 268A Tree For All Seasons 219 Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away! 269Hurrah For Seasons 224 Weatherwatching 270

Build A Barometer 271HURRAH FOR OUTDOOR FOLKS!

226

Weathergrams

HURRAH FOR CITY SIDEWALKS!

272

Who's Who Outdoors?Recycle Trip 228Litter Brigade . . . Clean-Up Parade 231 Sidewalk Games 274Watching Out For The Outdoors 232 Which Sign Is Which? 278Recycled Footwear 234 Sign Up! 279Nature Lover's T-Shirt 235 View From A Sidewalk 280Shape Up! 236 Visit Our Sidewalk Cafe 281Run For Your Life 238 Neighborhood Treasures 282A Dance To Celebrate The Sun 240 Sidewalk Sound Search 283Relax Like A Jellyfish 242 Air Tester . . . Pollution Catcher 284

Page

Trash Can Beauty 285Talk To A Building 286City Rubbings 287Gardens In Small Spaces 288

41Track Down City Creatures 293Create-A-City 294

Page

GOOD BOOKS TO KNOW 297

INDEX 302

tilt arturd

What to Do

1. Find a spot of ground to investigate . Make sure that this

is in a place where people won't mind if you do a little

digging.

2. Bend the hanger so that it is nearly square . Lay this on

the ground.

3. Now you are going to try to find out everything you

possibly can about that square foot of ground . Start byusing a magnifying glass to look closely at the top of thesoil . Write down everything you see (grasses, loose dirt,

decaying leaves, weeds, pebbles, insects, etc .).

4. Next, dig very carefully into the soil . As you dig, notice

the layers in the soil.—Draw a diagram of the soil layers.

—Make a list of everything you find in the soil.(Use the magnifying glass.)

—Write a description of the soil . (Is it wet? dry? sandy?rocky? clay?)

5. Repeat the investigation in a totally different location

and compare your results.

6. After each investigation, carefully return the soil to itsoriginal place.

What to Use

- wire hanger

-small spade or large spoon

- magnifying glass

- pad of paper and pencil

Vt LYbagmg

What to Use

- sand of various colors

- fine dirt

-gravel

- small pebbles

- other textures and kinds of dirt

- containers for the dirt and stone

-funnel (You can make a paper funnel .)

- tall glass container

-large spoon

What to Do

1. Use the containers to collect various kinds, colors and textures

of dirt and stones and sand and gravel.

2. Choose one kind for the bottom layer . Spoon it into the funnel until the jar

has a layer of about an inch.

3. Continue pouring more layers, each time using a different kind

of "ground ." Make the layers different thicknesses.

Try to vary the colors as you build your parfait.

4 . Set your finished parfait somewhere that will be a good spot

for showing it off OR give it to someone for a gift.

CAUTION: Make sure no one eats it!!

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WM 5 taul bahAr iAlztzimWhat to Use

There are many marvelous concoctions you can stir up with ingredients you 'll find outdoors!You can serve them to your dolls or have pretend banquets with your friends.Here are a few recipes to get you started. Just gather your materials and start mixing!!Just be sure that no one really eats these concoctions!

r--1-- DANDELION DIP

Stir water into a cup of dirt until you

have a creamy mix . Add a dash of sand

for flavor.

Dip freshly picked dandelions into thismix for a tasty appetizer .

Pour a layer of mud into the bottom of apie tin . Arrange a layer of flower petals on

top. Repeat with another layer of mud and

another layer of petals. Top with a

sprinkling of minced weeds . Bake in the

sun two hours .

- tools such as:egg cartons

empty milk cartonsorange juice canspop bottle capsplastic cupsshoeboxtinfoil pie pansmuffin tinscupcake paperscookie cutterssticks for stirringspoons

- ingredients such as:

dirtwaterpine needlesflowersweedsgrassespebbles and gravelsandleaves

MUDBLOSSOM LAYER PIE

"SAND"WICHESPlace two rocks in a large milk carton.

Add water and set on a hot rock or

sidewalk to simmer in the sun . Add bits

of grass and bark and gravel for a hearty

flavor. Season with a pinch of dirt.Spoon the soup into egg carton sections

and serve .

20

Make a smooth mixture of mud and fine

sand. Spread this lightly on pieces of bark,

flat leaves, or between two thin, flat

rocks. Enjoy your sandwich with icedrain tea .

GRAVEL MUFFINS

Mix equal parts of gravel, dirt, and water.Slowly stir in a handful of crushed pineneedles. Put a heaping spoonful into eachsection of a muffin tin. Bake on a hotrock all day . Serve with cloverbutter .

rjl --C:D RAIN TEA

Place a bowl or pitcher outside during aheavy rain . When you've caught enoughrainwater, add a few sprigs of mint andserve over ice.

SUMMER SALAD

Toss together lightly : leavesweedsdandelionsgrassesdaisies

Top with a dressing of water mixed withseeds.

ROUND MUDLOAF

Fill a mixing bowl half full of fine dirt.Toss in some snipped grass and a halfcup of sawdust . Mix well . Slowly pour inwater and mix until you have a thickgooey batter . Press batter into a roundtin or a jello mold . Bake in the sununtil firm.

CLOVERBUTTER

Break up several pieces of clover . Stirthese into a smooth mud mixture.Spread the butter on muffins orbreads or sandwiches .

Can you create a recipefor pine needle tea or adirtberry shake ormoss souffle or mudpuddlemousse or stir-fried wormsor sand casserole orroll-out mud cookies?

f'i/r

21

tzrri#iz 5 NMo What to UseA

Oh! How much you can do with sand!!

Here are just a few sand adventures.

r •,

3. Decide which area you want to cover with the first

color of sand. Spread glue all over this area.

4. With a spoon, shake the sand thoroughly over the

glued area . Wait five minutes and shake off theexcess sand.

2. Color the sand by dropping a few drops of foodcoloring into a cup of sand . Stir well and let dry.

5 . Repeat the process with the other colors .ire.

- sand (from a sandbox, hardware store,

beach, or sandlot)

-digging tools : paper cups

sticks

spoons and shovels

pails

- white glue

-food coloring

- pencils and cardboard

- small jars-crayons

- small toy vehicles

- cornstarch

,,,.-water

PLAN A HIGHWAY SYSTEM

1. Use shovels and spoons to create a network of streets androads and highways in your sandbox. Don't forget to level spots for

parking lots, turn-arounds, rest areas, fuel stations, exit ramps, and

toll booths.

2. Use cardboard and crayons to make signs and signals . Poke sticksin the signs for poles . Plant the signs in the proper places.

Use your sandbox highways for your small toy cars and other

vehicles .

...

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1

PAINT SAND DESIGNS

1. Plan a design by drawing with pencil on the cardboard .

`f .

BUILD CITIES OR CASTLES OR FORTS OR HOUSES

7. Enjoy your sand creation quickly . Often these crumble because the sand

dries out or mischievous visitors come by!

k,at;':.

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'44

with sticks and forks.

6. Add roads and signs and gates and windows by drawing in the sand

,,

1. Clear a flat place on the ground, beach, or sandbox.

2. Mix some water into your sand to get it slightly damp.

3. Map out the outline of your construction project.

4. Use your hands and sticks and shovels to pile up walls.

5. Pack sand into cups and other containers to make towers and turrets

and steeples and roofs . Gently shake these out by turning the container

upside down.

1. Mix 2 C sand

1 C water1 C cornstarch

2. Heat and stir until the mixture gets thick.

Ask an adult to help you with the cooking.

3. When the mixture is cool, use your hands to mold it intoan interesting shape . Poke and punch and squeeze to

create noses and eyes and designs.

4. Let the sculpture set until it is dry.

23