Get your family to have fun with nature

This story was originally titled "Nature's Touch Magic" in the June 2007 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

Here are some fun ways to make nature a part of your family's life.

• Go for a walk and learn about the bugs, birds, trees and wildflowers near your home. Bring along one of the child-friendly regional guides from Lone Pine Publishing that have easy-to-identify species. Some of their titles include: Bugs of British Columbia, Animal Tracks of Ontario and Mammals of Alberta. Ask for them at your local library or favourite bookstore.

• Plant something – a tree, a tomato plant or a sunflower. Or try the sunflower house in Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin of Chapel Hill, $19.95) by Richard Louv.

• Volunteer to help restore natural streams, build a naturalization project or clean up a hedgerow. For ideas, check out Nature Canada or call 1-800-267-4088.

• Check out naturalist groups. Log on to the Nature Canada site for information about naturalists in your area. Or visit a nearby nature centre (contact your local tourism information centre to find one near you). Some nature centres, such as the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre in Midland, Ont., offer year-round family educational programs and activities; for example, at the Wye Marsh Parent and Tot Program, you can hike and bird-watch. For more information, contact Wye Marsh at (705) 526-7809.

Read more:
• Nature-deficit disorder
• Create a backyard nature habitat with your kids
• Decorate a birdhouse with your kids

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