Tag Archives: Chattahoochee Nature Center

Atlanta Moms: Chattahoochee Nature Center – May Events

May 5, 2011Atlanta Moms Edition, New postsatlanta, Chattahoochee Nature Center, eventsAlicia

International Migratory Bird Day

Saturday, May 14, All Day in the Nature Exchange

The Nature Exchange is throwing a party to celebrate migratory birds. Grab your binoculars and enjoy the fun as we cheer on the birds heading north with bird watching activities, crafts and hikes.

Family Canoe Day

Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 29, 12:30 – 2:00 PM, Ages 5 -Adult, $15 Non-Members/$10 Members (Price per person, book a third seat in a canoe for ½ off!), Pre-registration required.

Are you ready to start paddling but not sure of where to start? Join us to discover the basics of canoeing including boat basics and paddling techniques. Spend some time on one of CNC’s ponds to practice your skills. Space fills quickly for this exciting program – register on-line at www.chattnaturecenter.org, by e-mailing our scheduling office at scheduling@chattnaturecenter.org, or calling 770-992-2055 ext. 237.

End of School Play Day

Saturday, May 28, 1 – 4 PM, All Ages, Included with General Admission

Summer is finally here and it is time to play! Celebrate the end of the school year with out play day celebration. We will be rolling out the hula hoops, throwing out the Frisbees, parading our parachutes and dusting off our art chalk. We will supply the toys and invite you to play some of your favorite outdoor games or invent a new one. Bo’s Bubbles will happen from 2:00 – 3:30 PM during play day! Explore the magical world of bubbles using all kinds of wants, recycled household items and the best bubble makers ever – your hands! Learn how to let the wind carry your bubbles away wand enjoy catching the bubbles as fast as you make them. Science in action and good clean fun for all ages!

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Atlanta Moms: Nature Doesn’t Have to Be Endangered

May 2, 2011Atlanta Moms Editionactivities, atlanta, Chattahoochee Nature Center, georgia, Nature Exchange, outdoorsAlicia

Somewhere in California, a small miracle is taking place. It is projected that by year’s end, the California condor population will reach 200 birds in captivity and another 200thriving and reproducing in the wild.

This is big news when you consider how far they have come. Twenty five years ago, the last wild California condor was captured and added to the population of 26 captive individuals.

The California condor was once found throughout the southwestern United States. As with many endangered and extinct animals, these birds fell to human pressures including habitat changes and human predation. The last straw was the introduction of the pesticide DDT. This chemical caused the Condor eggshells to become so thin that they would break long before the chick could hatch. To a species that was already struggling to survive, the inability to add to future generations was a staggering blow.

Thanks to concerned scientists, naturalists and nature lovers, these birds have beenbrought back. It is a testament to what can be done to save a species when we work together.

But we can’t sit on our laurels. It is estimated that there are over 16,000 endangered plant and animal species worldwide and many more that are threatened.
This month in the Nature Exchange at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, you are invited to learn more about endangered and threatened species from Georgia and around the world. Learn about measures being taken to preserve Georgia’s population of Bog Turtles and the possible rediscovery of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker. Cheer on migrating songbirds as they pass through on Migratory Bird Day. Take a close look at rarely seen biofacts from our endangered species collection.

For more information about Endangered Species Month in the Nature Exchange, please visit our website chattnaturecenter.org/nature-exchange.html.

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Chattahoochee Nature Center Earth Day Kids Fest 2011 – April 16th

April 11, 2011Atlanta Moms Edition, Healthactivities, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Earth Day, outdoorsAlicia

Go outside and play – the mantra of many mothers for years. If you had one of these mothers, you had more opportunities to get outside and run, ride and play. Backyards became jungles and open fields had endless possibilities.
These days the mantra has fallen to the wayside. Children now spend muchof their non-school hours working on growing amounts of homework, engaged in structured activities or in front of a computer screen. Children rarely have unstructured free time to play outside.
The result is that children miss the opportunity to explore nature. To discover ontheir own the animals that live under rocks or the sweet smell of honeysuckle.Children are not given a chance to make a personal connection to nature.
What are the ramifications of this? Richard Louv in his book No Child Left Inside describes how childhood obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder and depression could be linked to the loss of unstructured outdoor play. Louv calls this Nature Deficit Disorder. Research has shown that exposure to nature can help relieve depression symptoms, refocus a child with AD/HD and encourage spontaneous active play which contributes to a healthy weight.

This Earth Day, commit to getting outside with your family.What can you do?
Here are some suggestions –

Schedule an hour each week (or each day) where everyone goes outside for some fun.
Go for walk, toss a Frisbee, pull weeds, write in your journal, just go outside.
Build houses out of sticks, rocks and leaves.

But the most important thing that any adult can do is to support and encourage achild’s interest in nature. Your support is the platform that a healthy relationshipwith nature is built upon.
For more fun outdoor activities, come out for Earth Day Kids Fest at theChattahoochee Nature Center, April 16. This event, sponsored by the CaptainPlanet Foundation, features planet friendly activities and lots of fun. For moreinformation, visit chattnaturecenter.org.

How my family is getting involved in Earth Day this year:

Here’s an event at Chattahoochee Nature Center that I plan on taking my 11 and 4 yr old to to celebrate Earth Day this year.

Earth Day Kids Fest with Captain Planet FoundationPresented by Macy’s

Apr 16th, 2011 (Saturday) 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The whole family will enjoy many ways to connect to nature and learn fun new ways to help the planet.

Meet Captain Planet who will give you the power!
Visit interactive booths and exhibits from over 30 local groups and environmental organizations
Explore environmental themes such as clean water and air, wildlife and habitat protection, native plants, water conservation and recycling while finding ways of taking green steps to a new level in your home and business
Enjoy live musical entertainment with messages about our Mother Earth
See live animal presentations with CNC naturalists
Paddle a canoe on CNC’s Beaver Pond
For more information on this exciting event, contact Rebecca at 770-992-2055 ext. 236 orr.gilbert@chattnaturecenter.org.

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Enjoy Earth Day with your family this year!

February Nature Exchange Highlights at Chattahoochee Nature Center

February 1, 2011Atlanta Moms Editionatlanta, Chattahoochee Nature Center, outdoor funAlicia

Are cardinals becoming more plentiful? Are sparrows becoming scarce? We need your help to find out.

Every year, the third weekend of February brings the Great Backyard Bird Count. This nationwide bird watching extravaganza is dedicated to counting every bird in sight to find out how resident bird populations are doing. Thanks to people just like you, bird populations have been carefully monitored and programs established to help declining populations.

Chattahoochee Nature Center - Nature Exchange If you haven’t done this before, this is the time to break out your binoculars. Get started by visiting the website for this event at www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Register you and your family and get tips on where to find birds, how to attract them and how to count them. Or join in a bird count at a local organization. The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a great place to count birds and we will have bird brained activities all month for you to enjoy.

Even if you don’t know a robin from a crow, you can enjoy bird watching with your family. Make toilet paper tube binoculars with your children and don’t forget to decorate them (it makes them more powerful.) Get your camera out and take some photos that you can use to identify the birds that you saw. Create a counting contest to see who can count the most black birds, red birds, brown birds and blue birds. Incorporate a little math and graph how many you saw.

Want an extra reward for all of your work? Bring your bird counts, bird photos, graphs or anything showing that you participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count to the Nature Exchange at the Chattahoochee Nature Center and receive extra trading points. Don’t forget, the Nature Exchange cannot accept anything for trade that came from a bird so be sure to leave feathers, nests and eggs at home. For more information about this and other fun activities in the Nature Exchange, visit us at chattnaturecenter.org/nature-exchange.

Now get out there and count some birds!

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January Nature Exchange Highlights at Chattahoochee Nature Center

January 13, 2011Atlanta Moms Editionatlanta, Chattahoochee Nature Center, georgia, Nature, outdoorsAlicia

It might be cold outside but now is the time to really show your trees how much you love them. Sure, we appreciate trees for what they give us in the spring, summer and fall- shade, fruits and nuts, that whispering sound when the wind blows. But we forget about the trees during this time of year and this is one of the best times to get to know them.

Go outside and take a good look at the trees in your backyard or local park. Trees at this time of year can be very dramatic. Focus on how the bark looks and feels on different trees. Look up and notice how the branches are silhouetted against the sky. If you’re feeling creative, get out a camera and photograph tree silhouettes at different times of the day or from different angles.

Trees can also be silly and fun. Get creative and play a game with your tree! Trees make great partners in hide and seek and are the perfect base in tag. You can dress up your tree with a little creativity. Make eyes, nose and a mouth out of paper and give your tree a face – add a scarf for a little whimsy! Or build a fairy house at the base of your tree to invite some company over for your new friend.

In January, the Chattahoochee Nature Center is celebrating trees in the Nature Exchange. Throughout the month, you can “adopt” a tree that lives at CNC. There are fun learning games and activities all about trees in the Nature Exchange throughout January. And, if you trade in a tree item, you will receive 50 bonus points!

Get to know your trees and we look forward to seeing you at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

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