August Kids’ Corner
from the Gale River Cooperative Preschool
It’s Berry Seed-son!
August is a time when most flowers have moved to fruiting. To us, this means fresh raspberries, blueberries, peaches and blackberries. To the plants, this is a vital part of survival as they spread their seeds! Seeds can travel in a few different ways including by wind, water, and hitching a ride. One tried and true method however, is being eaten by an animal. When an animal eats a berry full of seeds, it has to get rid of them on the other end, usually in an entirely new place. Some seeds, such as tomato seeds, have a hard layer that protects the embryo on its journey through an animal. Raspberry and blackberry seeds are so tough that they need to be roughed up in a bird’s gizzard or eaten away by stomach acid before they can begin to grow. This means that to plant them in a garden we’d need to soak them in acid or file them down so light can get in and they can germinate. Seeds that travel through an animal also have the great luck of starting life in a nutrient rich environment. Animal manure is great fertilizer so this can give the seeds a head start. Living in New Hampshire means we don’t always have local and in season food, so make sure to spend some time outside taking advantage of the natural bounty August brings.
Want tips on how to explore fruit and seeds this August? Read below for some ideas then head outside!
There are few things as engaging to look for as fruit! The great thing about blueberries, raspberries and blackberries is that they can grow in rocky or acidic soil, so they’re often found along roads or the edges of fields. Make sure you double check any fruits you find to make sure they’re the ones you want to eat.
Using fruits as a kind of natural paint or dye is a great way for children to explore color in nature. Collect fruits then embrace the messy play! Have them explore smushing, crushing, spreading and decorating with fruit. They can color rocks, wood, leaves and will probably end up coloring themselves too. Messy play is very important for young children learning through sensory input.
Seed sorting is always a fun activity, and even better when you collect the seeds yourselves! Seeds can be sorted by size, shape, and color which is great early numeracy practice. You can create patterns or even glue down seeds in a design.
Make wildflower seed bombs! All you need is a ½ tsp wild flower seeds, ½ cup of air dry clay, ¼ cup of soil, ¼ cup of water and parchment paper. Mix it all together and roll them into balls. Let them try on the parchment paper for a day or two. When dry, you can throw them into an open area, let them explode their seeds and hopefully you’ll get some wildflowers growing.
Thanks to our partner, the Gale River Cooperative Preschool in Bethlehem, for helping our area parents get kiddos outside for fun no matter the time of year.
We can't wait to share the family fun we're planning with you. Keep an eye out in the coming months for announcements.
