How Salt Affects Ice - and the Wild City

We are back in the deep freeze ...

Happily we found something fun to do by combining Play Science and Wild City. Have a read to find out about simple experiments and how salt affects ice (and nature).

http://bunchfamily.ca/experiment-salt-affects-ice/

Find Your Winter Wonderland

Winter has hit my neck of the woods pretty hard already ... and I know that many people have experienced similar (or worse) conditions. Here is a little Wild City post meant to inspire you to find ways to survive, and even enjoy the wintery weather.

http://bunchfamily.ca/find-winter-wonderland/

LESLIE STREET SPIT. PHOTO: DEBBIE BUEHLER

Toronto's Winter Owls!

Winter Owls are around us, even in the big city, and there are reasons why they are hard to see (and hear). I explain in my latest post for Bunch:

http://bunchfamily.ca/winter-owls-wild-city/

Photo: Tianna Burke

Engaging Young Scientists: Neuroscience for Kids!

The next time your kid whines "WHY do I have to go to bed?" (or you need to stop yourself from pulling an all nighter) -- answer with science!

I write about a cool new initative to engage kids in science (and peer review) over at Bunch:
http://bunchfamily.ca/engaging-next-wave-of-young-scientists/

Fall Reveals the Squirrels' World

Love 'em or hate 'em squirrels are all around our wild city and fall gives us the opportunity to learn more about their world. I wrote a bit about it for Bunch.

http://bunchfamily.ca/fall-reveals-squirrels-world/

Photo: G. H. HOLT

Salmon in Scarborough: Back to Highland Creek

This piece, posted as part of my Wild City series, tells about salmon in Scarborough's Highland Creek, and is also a tribute to my dad.

http://bunchfamily.ca/highland-creek-salmon-run/

Just Breathe at the Riverdale Ponds

How often do you think about your breathing? How about your child's breathing?

Recently I thought about breathing quite a lot.

Read more at my latest Bunch post:
http://bunchfamily.ca/riverdale-ponds/

Photo: Debbie Buehler

Farewell Summer Dragonflies and Damselflies

I say farewell to this year's dragonflies and damselflies, and give out a few fun facts about these prehistoric creatures - like the fact that the secret of baby dragonfly hunting is butt propulsion!

Read the whole post here:
http://bunchfamily.ca/dragonflies-and-damselflies/

Photo: Ken Sproule

Feeling Nature Deficit? There is a program for that - K.I.W.I.

Feeling boxed in? Glued to a screen? Are your kids boxed in too? Check out this program that helps get Kids In The Woods! 

http://bunchfamily.ca/kids-in-the-woods-rouge-park/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: K.I.W.I. Kids in the Woods

Escape to the Lower Don: Crothers Woods

Need a bit more vacation? Discover the Lower Don Valley and hike Crothers Woods. I've written about out recent trip for Bunch.
http://bunchfamily.ca/escape-to-the-lower-don-crothers-woods/

The Toronto skyline as seen from Crothers Woods.