THE THRILL of EXPLORING WHEELER BAY WILDLIFE SANCTUARY + MAKING ART OUTSIDE
Investigating their world up close, kids discover “what’s natural,” at Wheeler Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Making art outdoors builds connective tissue between children and nature.
At the sanctuary we teach them to see what they’ve never noticed before. Exploring different ecosystems (e.g., the deer meadow, the forest, or the wooded wetlands,) kids learn that all life forms are inter-connected. They realize how one variable impacts another. When they see signs of animal life, they’re ready to make a carefully thought out hypothesis about what creatures might live there. Then, they verify their thinking, highlighting specific evidence.
Once kids make the connection between art and nature, they contemplate ways to apply their “expertise” beyond school walls. Regardless of their size or age, Leaps’ participants know in their hearts they can make a positive difference.
At the end of their Leaps’ journey, we hear comments like, “I’m going to use my journal as a nature journal.” Kids imagine where they’ll observe and what they create next.
