Ten Ways to #optoutside with Children

It seems we spend less and less time outdoors, leading to a generation that has respects and protects the outdoors less. We can appreciate things better when we experience them.

So how do we give out children good outdoor experiences? Here are 10 ways to help children appreciate the outdoors (and create memories).

1.   Visit the moon every night.  Before going to bed, take a step outside to see the moon. What phase is it in? How bright is it? Is it visible?

2.   Collect things outside to use for crafts or just a table decoration inside. You can do t his in your yard or a park. Look for unusual rocks, for seed pods, dried flowers, unusual shaped sticks, dried leaves, etc.

3.   Plant a garden. If you don’t have the space outside for a garden, plant something in a pot that can be outside or if absolutely necessary, inside.

4.   Go for the same walk at different times of year. Going for the same walk at different times of year helps children to recognize the changes that happen with the seasons from green leaves to colored leaves to no leaves.

5.   Visit a farm. Its easy to visit a farm in autumn when many have pumpkin festivals.  Better yes, volunteer on a farm. Organic farms are very labor intensive and often welcome volunteers. We certainly do on our farm.

6.   Learn a constellation. Look up at the skin at night and learn at least on constellation. The Big Dipper is one of the easiest to learn if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. Learn about the Big Dipper here. 

7.   Identify the parts of a flower. Take a really close look at a flower. Do you see the stigma, the petals, the anther? Here is a nice flower diagram.

8.  Find a nice looking rock. Bring it home and paint it to use as a paperweight.

 9.   Walk along a stream. Look for life in the stream. This can be small fish, algae, even crawdads.

10.   Take a short walk outside everyday, no matter what the weather. Even if its only for 10-15 minutes, being outside can improve health and bring an appreciation for nature.

Read the REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) Report “The Path Ahead”

Comfrey Uses

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is one of those herbs that if you have it, you’ll have alot of it; it is very easy to grow and reproduces rapidly.  It is one herb that is still going strong now after the frost. Studies have found that comfrey contains an alkaloid which is toxic to the liver. Most plants however contain both toxins and beneficial chemicals that balance each other out. I’d advice not taking comfrey orally on a daily basis, but occasionally when the need arises I’ve drank comfrey tea.

What can you do with comfrey?

Skin Care:

Make an oil infusion of the leaves or root. Comfrey stimulates cell growth and can help renew skin cells. Comfrey contains allantoin, a chemical that helps skin grow.  You might find this ingredient on the label of a high quality face cream. An infused oil of comfrey is nice in a bath/body oil too.

For Pain:

Comfrey works well for pain relief and an infused oil can be incorporated into a balm used for that purpose. We use it in our Joint Jam. Compresses of comfrey are also good for back pain.

Wounds:

Because it stimulates cell growth it is excellent for treating wounds on the skin as well as sprains and broken bones. Use comfrey on wounds as a poultice or an infusion. Comfrey also decreases inflammation. Use comfrey teas or infusions in the bath. Teas of comfrey are also drank to increase bone growth after a break.

In the Garden

The large leaves of comfrey are great for use as mulch, but comfrey’s most important role is in the compost heap. Its high mineral and nitrogen content will benefit compost. You can also make a tea from comfrey for the garden. If you have comfrey growing at this time of year, be sure to harvest and put it in the compost.

Animals

Comfrey is rich in both minerals and protein and makes a good livestock feed. Because of its abundance I’ve given it to my chickens, goats and horses. It’s recommended to at least let it wilt slightly before feeding it to animals so the prickly hairs do not bother them. If you have grazing animals it is great to cut your comfrey for them at this time of year when grass is not abundant for grazing.

This blog is part of a Blog Hop by Possum Creek Herb Farm in Tennessee. Stop by their blog to find other herb posts:
http://possumcreekherbfarm.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-love-of-herbsblog-hop.html