Hunting for tadpoles

We are so fortunate that our city sits at the feet of the most beautiful mountains and lies on the curves of our sensuous ocean  allowing us to escape to nature and lose ourselves in fresh air and wilderness whenever the moment seizes us.

As you enter Deer Park Nature Reserve  at the edge of vredehoek the smell of pine trees eliminates any memory of a bustling city just meters away, replacing towering skyscrapers with majestic trees. 

Martin and I had discovered this little spot the previous weekend and the treasures to be  found in the stream that ran through.

It took a little organisation and prep work for this little outing to teach the girls about tadpoles and frogs.  And learn big words like: METAMORPHOSIS and CAMOUFLAG and AMPHIBIAN.

ACTIVITIES WE DID:

 COLOURING IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE FROG

We found a colouring in page at Art Room 104.  Click here for download.

When the girls arrived the got to do a little colouring in and have an introduction to the life of a tadpole.

FISHING FOR TADPOLES

First you will have to find a pond with tadpoles that aren't too shy.  Then a couple of nets and buckets.  The girls had a blast fishing and once we had quite a good selection, we studied them and discovered which were smaller, which had legs and whose tails were disappearing the most.

For the record: all tadpoles were released and no tadpoles were harmed.

STICKS AND STICKING THE LIFE CYCLE

everyone then got some glue and a packet with 4 ice lolly sticks numbered 1 to 4 with a picture of each stage of a frogs growth.  they had to stick it on the correct stick and put them in order.  I can't find the original but I found this free download at Learn, Create, Love, which is even nicer and has 5 stages... and flashcard

LEAP FROG

First we all wiggled our bottoms and shuffled around like tadpoles...

Then tried to get everyone to stand in a row.  Roll up into a rock. And let the person at the back leap over each 'rock' like a hopping frog.  Now we might all be familiar with this, but we all had to learn somewhere... took a couple of tries!   The best part was when Megan and Lucy's mom Lauren tried to show everyone how it to do it!

RUNNING WILD & PICNIC

And you can't  go out and about and not just run and discover!