The summer camp season was so much fun, and it's hard to believe how fast the weeks flew by- it was just like a "winged wonder"!Look on the list below to see all the fun things we did this summer in the Children's Garden, P-Patch, and nearby park areas. What a year it has been so far, and there's plenty more to do before the year is over!
Five months of FREE "Family Nature Explorers" programs have also brought parents and kids together for wetland walks, child-friendly gardening classes, and more. And check out the list below for all the activities and events still to come this year!
- Free "Family Wetland Walks" on Saturday Sept 4th, October 2nd, and November 5th from 10am-11am. Get to know the birds, insects, and plants that live in the new Magnuson Wetlands!
- Free Family "Nighttime Nature Walks": Friday Sept 3rd-"New Moon Bat Walk" from 7:30-9:00pm and "Full Moon Wetland Walk" on Friday Sept 24th from 7:00-8:30pm. Come see whoooo wakes up at night to explore the park!
- Free "Nature Explorers Jamboree and Harvest Celebration" on Saturday Oct 2nd from 11:30am-2:00pm. Fun for all ages! Cider pressing, fruit tasting, orchard maze, scavenger hunt and other children’s activities, garden tours, and “nature song sing-along” with special guest Caspar Babypants.
- "Bird-Friendly Fun" on Friday Dec. 10th from 5:00-8:30pm. Make a bird nesting box as a present for the Chickadees or Wrens in your neighborhood, who will return the favor by eating all the pest insects in your garden next spring! Or make a beautiful wreath to decorate your door or an outdoor tree, that is chock-full of plants that birds love to eat!
- check out the July 14th posting on this site
- visit www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/magnuson/nature.htm
- visit www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/magnuson.htm to browse or download the fall brochure.
- contact Magnuson Community Center at 206-684-7026 or stop by 7110 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
2010 Summer Camp Fun:
- Jr. Nature Explorers Camps for Ages 4-5
Roots and Shoots Camp: July 5-7 We sprouted up a storm in our p-patch garden! The beans, squash, and radishes we planted have already been showing their grow-power. They'll be some mighty good eatin' on our future "snack walks"!
Winged Wonders Camp: July 12-14 Like birds of a feather, we stuck together! Visit the Children's Garden to see the bird baths, dust bath bowls, and puddling ponds we made. And keep your eyes open for all the winged wonders that are flocking to them!
Beetles on Parade Camp: July 19-21 We had a beautiful week of beetle-watching, and learning about Ladybugs, Soldier Beetles, and other beneficial insects. Next time you are in the garden, peek under the big tree to see our "Beetle Hotel" and the "Ladybug Land" on the porch post of our garden shed!
Pollinator Power Camp: Aug 2-4 We painted bees, butterflies, and flowers on our new garden mural, made a "caterpillar buddy" to take home, and counted all the flowers on our nature hikes that have target or runway patterns on them to point the way to the nectar "prize" in the middle! Next time you are in the garden, look for the moth garden we planted!
The World of Water Camp: Aug 16-18 We learned about how all the earth's creatures (including us!) depend on clean water to live. When we toured the new Magnuson Wetlands, we saw a real tree frog and explored some rotting logs! Next time you're in the garden, check out the tiny birdbaths we created just for Hummingbirds!
Flower and Fruits Camp: Aug 30-Sept 1 We sampled edible flowers and made Lavender sashets, went on snack walks and "scratch n' sniff" tours, and collected plant parts for our treasure boxes. Next time you're in the Children's Garden, check out the seed painting we made for the "clubhouse"!
- Nature Explorers Camps for Ages 6-7
Beetles on Parade Camp: July 26-28 On our nature expeditions, we found bright orange and black Soldier Beetles on every flower of the Fennel and Queen Anne's Lace! Ladybugs landed on us and brought good luck, and we picked bouquets of beetle-friendly flowers to take home. Next time you're in the Children's Garden, check out the big garden mural we helped to paint, and our amazing "beetle village" nearby!
World of Water Camp: Aug 9-11 We learned what we can do at home to keep water clean for all the earth's creatures to share, including us! When we toured the new Magnuson Wetlands, we saw dozens of colorful dragonflies zooming overhead and dozens of ducks who dabble or dive for their dinner. Visit the Children's Garden to see the new frog steppingstone path we created around our "clubhouse", and play one of the fun games we invented for it!
Roots, Shoots, Flowers, and Fruits Aug 23-25 My, oh my, we had a plant parts party! The carrots, strawberries, and sorrel we picked on our snack walks were a tasty treat for all, and we took home edible bouquets to share with our families too. Next time you're in the Children's Garden, check out the new "circle time camp" we created under the big Deodar Cedar Tree!
- Fresh-from-the-Garden Camp Fresh-picked vegetables, fruits, and herbs are a tasty treat, and lots of fun to grow in our organic p-patch garden at Magnuson Park!
Menu was filled with freshly harvested, tender spring vegetables and fruits from our organic p-patch:
- "Baby bib" lettuce salad with edible flowers and herbs. (The Calendula, Bronze Fennel, and French Sorrel were an especially big hit)
- Fresh snap peas and carrots in a yogurt-herb dip.
- Country-style "drop biscuits" with freshly-mashed strawberry spread.
Magnuson Community Center is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, and hosted several events for school-age children and their families at the Magnuson Community Center Bird-Friendly Landscape and the Children's Garden during that week !
For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org
