YS Walkabout Scheduled for April 2-6, 2012

5 days of Magical Wonder, Skill Development and Survival Training for Children Ages 7-11.  

April 2 - 6 - 2012 - 8:45am t0 3:30pm - $175

Goals of Walkabout

Empower children to see a magical world
Create a safe space for children to explore the woods
Connect children to their parents
Return children home covered in dirt
Cure Nature Deficit Disorder

Nature Awareness Skills 

Tracking – animal and man
Building shelter in various habitat
Bird identification
Animal tracks
Edible plant identifications
Blindfold awareness
Moving silently – the art of silence
Finding water and food in a landscape
Living in harmony with the natural world
Nature journaling
A love of storytelling
Ability to control pulse
Ability to control temperature
Understanding the mechanism of pain control
Introduction to Native American philosophy
Ability to walk blindfolded through the woods

A Declaration of Sorts

This is too be the year of being outside. This last decade I have spent far too much time inside working on inside things and it is my hope to spend this next decade of my life focusing outside in the natural world. We can only hope to lead people to where we have been. We can only hope to teach what we know. So I hope here in these simple posts to embody the spirit of Yellow Springs Nature Adventures….

While you may find many of these photos i share here – fuzzy – I believe that the fuzziness is honest – because this is the world that God has given me – even with glasses not quite 20/20. Let us start here with the tree of life. A memorial to the idea that all things are connected and without are mother earth we can not long survive.

One Week of Plants with Children

Before I realized that the State of Ohio is one of the most over regulated states in the country. I attempted to start Camp Raven Summer Day Camp. Here is the one week of camp I managed to run before I discovered that having ten children at your house with out a three thousand dollar fire alarm system and two separate bathrooms that each meet EPA standards are required; one for boys and one for girls.


Even though your camp takes place entirely outside and is canceled in rainy weather.

Day One of Plant Week

We had a beginning circle and I sang “Our Sacred Ground We Walk Upon.” Then I told the Abenaki Nation story of how stories came from Grandfather Rock.

We learned map reading skills and compass use skills. I am happy to report that we managed to get lost the first day. This priceless experience cannot be undervalued. Feelings of fear and despair —the children were hopelessly lost. They didn’’t panic, although I saw some nervous looks. (Of course, I knew where we were—sheesh!)

We had to change our path to avoid poison ivy.

Poison ivy on the bike path.
Here is the poison ivy that we found on the bike path; notice the mitten-shaped leaves. We drew the poison ivy plant and ate lunch. I told them the Choctaw story of “How Poison Came to the Creatures of the Swamp,” which involves poison ivy.
We took a shortcut through to the water works, then played a few fun games with the fruit of a walnut tree.



Cure for Poison Ivy

Here is the cure for poison ivy that we found down by the river. We all promptly applied it to our arms and legs, although too much time might have passed for it to work.
Olivia volunteered to touch a stinging nettle, an experience she claims she will avoid for all time from now on. She used jewelweed to stop the stinging. (It took longer then she liked because there was a stinger in her thumb—ouch!)
Other plants discussed:
Pokeweed – Poison ID
Raspberries
Chicory
Cedar
Various domestic garden vegetables
We ended the day with a song, “Mother Earth Carry Me.”

Peace

Eric Wolf

To all—don’’t forget those hot baths with soapy water! Kill those chiggers!

P.S.: We made a magical map of camp. To get a copy of the map in PDF format, click here.
P.P.S.: Questions for your child:

Easy – What is the cure for poison ivy?
Hard – What did Native Americans make out of poison ivy?

Day Two of Plant Week

Today we focused on awareness of plants. Rested from our adventure of yesterday, we had a circle and told the story of NoahÂ’s Ark because we were learning about rainbows for our camper rainbow.

We drew a picture of the comfrey plant. This medicinal plant is not to be eaten or drunk as a tea, but in an herb pack, it can be used to heal skin conditions and bruises.

We spent time at our campsite, found sit spots in the woods, and spent time exploring them. One camper found the plant that grows the burrs we have seen on the dogs. We told the story of Jumping Mouse, which we had all heard before but loved dearly, and discussed the story at length.

We learned about the hackberry tree, whose wood is good for cheap furniture and boxes.

Burdock in front of my house.


We drew a picture of the burdock plant and spent time examining the leaves closely, learning how the plant changes throughout its life. We learned the basic mechanics of how to see the energy fields of plants and identify them by their energy fields. There was some success at this.


We built a maze of string in heavy brush and then walked through it blindfolded to practice walking through plant growth in the dark. We practiced our songs, and one of our campers practiced writing down every word he/she (which is it?) could think of (with some spelling prompting).

Other plants discussed today:
Catnip
Pokeweed
Honeysuckle
Black garlic mustard (first year)
Various domestic herbs
Hackberry tree
Box elder tree
Peace
Eric Wolf

P.S.: We made a magical map of camp. To get a copy of the map in PDF format, click here.
P.P.S.: Ask your camper these questions:
Easy – What is the name of the large-leafed plant that lies low to the ground and that the Chinese love to cook with?
Easy – What is the plant that stings you, but is tasty when cooked?
Hard – What is comfrey used for medicinally, and why is it so dangerous to eat?

Day Three of Plant Week

Lovely day! It rained all day—I loved it! No thunder, so we could wander wherever we pleased.
First, we spent some time discussing the weather and what we liked and disliked about rain. We went down and had a sit for about twenty minutes with the rain falling. It was very dreamy. We saw a chipmunk for the first time in the vale.

We picked some catnip; I refused to identify it, saying it might be from the mint family.



“Which mint is it?” I asked. We came back to the dry house and drew the catnip, but unfortunately, there was no cat around to test it on.


I think that the spot we sat in had chiggers, so I hope you all took showers and baths. One of the children spotted a chigger crawling on my bag


Then we went on a rain walk through the vale and spent time building a dam in the stream, although our dam building wasn’t as successful as you might think. We walked for over an hour, wandering here and there, playing games with spider webs and other things. Didn’t find any newts, though—I think there aren’t very many here because of pollution.
In the afternoon, we studied trees and practiced identifying hackberry and box elder.


Walking in a larger circle though the woods of the vale, we found a lot of flowers and brought back samples to look up in books or just because we liked them (including snapdragons, skullcaps, wild carrot, white avens, and of course, field thistle). It turns out that the skullcap is threatened in Ohio, so donÂ’t take any if you see it!
Other plants mentioned today:
Burdock
Raspberry
Dandelion
Grapes
Poison hemlock
Pokeweed


Peace
Eric Wolf


P.S.: We made a magical map of camp. To get a copy of the map in PDF format, click here.
P.P.S.: Ask your camper these questions:
Easy – What did you see in your secret spot/sit spot this morning?
Easy – In the story about Grandfather Sun, why does the sun go away?
Hard – What family of herbs all have square stems and are tasty and delicious?

Day Four of Plant Week

A little more of a slow day. It feels like the children are getting full of knowledge and beauty. Spent today close to home. Told a story.

We collected some comfrey to feed the chickens, but they didnÂ’t really care for it. We reviewed our plants this morning and had a nice thirty-minute sit.

What is a sit?

Every day of camp, the children sit in the same spot for a period of time to learn the patterns of the natural world. You can do this too. Take the time to find a place outside and spend twenty- to thirty-minute breaks there to see and learn about the natural world. This experience will inevitably draw you closer to nature.

We talked about what it means to be a good older brother or sister. We did the blindfolded maze again and had a good time.

Ate a tasty lunch.

We made a poultice of comfrey for the dogÂ’s cut. (She ran into a raccoon last night.) The dog wasnÂ’t very happy about the medicine, but some of the comfrey stayed on her and was still on at the end of camp.

Played a game of Connect Four.

Dug up five burdocks—have you ever dug up burdock? It’’s not easy.

We drew the plantain herb, a low-growing weed that you probably have in your yard; your child can find it for you.


We played the game Camouflage for an hour.


Plants mentioned today:
Chicory
Dandelion
White asven
Echinacea
Hackberry
Box elder
Poison ivy
Wild rose

In front of house – pokeweed.


Eric Wolf


P.S.: We made a magical map of camp. To get a copy of the map in PDF format, click here.
P.P.S.: Three questions:
Easy – Plantain heals cuts and wounds, just like what herb that also heals cuts?
Easy – What is it like to dig up a burdock root?
Hard – What is the tree with the rough bark?