manatee birdfeeder

Celebrate Spring With Your Children! 
by Cyndi Roberts

The days are getting longer, the grass is getting greener, wildflowers are blooming -- it must be spring!

It's a great time to get outdoors with your children. Try these ideas for fun activities.

1. Just take a drive. Check out a book from the library on wildflowers in your area and pile everyone in the car! Get off the beaten path, so you can cruise slow enough to check out the scenery. See how many wildflowers you can identify.

Look around as you drive; spring is a time of rebirth. You may be lucky enough to spot baby calves or newborn colts.

2. If you live in or near a city that has one, visit the zoo. Usually, the admission is low and this is a trip the children always enjoy. Take a picnic and stop at a park on the way. Some zoos have a picnic area on their grounds. And be sure to carry water for thirst-quenching instead of buying expensive, unhealthy sodas at the concessions.

3. Let the kids plant their own garden in a corner of your yard. It needn't be a large spot. Just enough room to plant a few beans, or maybe a couple of tomato plants. Even very young children can help and they do love to watch things grow!

If you don't have a yard, don't despair. Plant a bean or tomato in a pot. All you need is a sunny spot to set it, on your porch or patio. You can even put it inside in a sunny window.

4. Put up a birdfeeder in your backyard or on your patio. Birdfeeders are not too expensive, but here's an idea for making one of your own. It's easy and the kids can help.

Buy a fresh coconut and cut a 2-inch hole in the side, near the top. Drain the juice and scrape out the meat. Drill a small hole in the top and also in the bottom. Insert an eye bolt in the top hole and secure with a nut inside and out. Fill the feeder and hang it up!

Preserved Children
Take 1 large field, half a dozen children, 2 or 3 small dogs, a pinch of brook and some pebbles. Mix the children and dogs well together; put them on the field, stirring constantly. Pour the brook over the pebbles; sprinkle the field with flowers; spread over all a deep blue sky and bake in the sun. When brown, set away to cool in the bathtub.