When I tell you I love my dad, I mean it with my entire being. When I think of a human so imperfectly perfect, he always comes to mind. It’s amazing how the things he would say to me still resonant in my daily life. His death is what really showed me the level on which …
Last weekend, Families in Nature camped out in the group site at Goose Island State Park.This was a camping trip where everyone from all of the different AFiN groups was invited to attend. Although no one knew each other before this trip, everyone had a great time. The kids became instant best friends, building sand castles …
Read more Camping and watching Whooping Cranes in Rockport, TX
AFiN families ventured into Barton Creek with the City of Austin Watershed Department’s Todd Jackson (an amazing teacher whose enthusiasm for insects is contagious). Kids ranging from 4 to 16 explored alongside their parents in search of aquatic macro invertebrates. The species that were found were then counted and used to measure the health of …
Read more Studying Aquatic Insects Through the Eyes of a Child
JET visited Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center for a guided tour this week called Water: The Lifeblood of the Earth. Parents and kids were all blown away by the amount of information given, as well as the way it was presented. Our tour guides were great with kids, and answered parents’ questions too. Our Junior Ecologists learned …
The area around Dinosaur Valley State Park is one of the more surprisingly beautiful places in Texas. There are dinosaur fossils to see, footprints to find, and a river to play in. We started our weekend of camping with a lesson on the footprints that can be found in several areas of the park. Then the …
Come celebrate Austin Families in Nature’s 5th Anniversary at the Kuhlken family winery, Pedernales Cellars, in Stonewall, TX on Saturday, Oct 12th from 4-10pm. We will have outdoor activities such as archery, kite flying, print making, and shelter building from 4-7pm, followed by dinner after the tasting room closes to the public. Once it gets …
It is hard to imagine now in the midst of this drought, but not long ago (2002) a huge flood of the Guadalupe River occurred in Texas. Canyon Lake overflowed its banks and raced downstream. As it raged, it cut a new gorge into the limestone on one side of Canyon Lake. The area is …
Austin Families in Nature has adopted a section of Shoal Creek. It is a large section adjacent to 2 hospitals, 1 medical building, and a grocery store, and it will be a challenge to keep clean. We chose this spot because it is on the walking path to 2 elementary schools, an outdoor classroom, and …
One of the best ways to engage a group of kids in free play outdoors is to provide them with a few skills (how to tie a couple of knots, pocket knife safety) and a whole day outside with other kids in a place where there are no restrictions on touching plants or moving sticks. …
Out of the 80 people in our Family Nature Club, 9 of the kids and parents have birthdays in the last days of October and the first 2 weeks of November. So, we had a huge birthday celebration while camping at Guadalupe River State Park on Nov 2nd and 3rd. There were cupcakes, cake and …
Read more Camping at Guadalupe River State Park for a 9 Birthdays Weekend
