Today in Piney Ridge, Lilly, Otto, and Dougie found an injured Marbled Murlett named Missy and decided to help take her to the ocean to reunite with her family.

Parents, feel free to engage with your kiddos using some pf the prompts from below.

• Where do mushrooms like to grow?
  • In shady and moist places like forest floors or even in meadows and lawns with healthy soil
• Which type of poisonous mushroom does the shrimp russula look like?
  • Toadstool (Specifically Fly agaric)
• Which famous mushroom is modeled after a fly agaric toadstool?
  • The super mushroom from Super Mario
• Where do you think Missy lives?
  • On the ocean
• Why was Missy a long way from home?
  • She was with her family looking for a place to nest.

For an activity, let’s make spore prints! Grab a basket or container of some kind and go outside to a nearby meadow or woods and go mushroom hunting. Look for a variety of different ones. Carefully pick the mushroom by making sure the cap stays intact. Once you have found a few different ones, head back home. Once you’re home, carefully remove the stem of the mushroom from the cap and then grab different colors of construction paper. Place the cap of the mushroom down on a piece of construction paper, stem side down, and carefully cover the cap with a glass bowl and leave it alone for 12 to 24 hours. After the time has passed remove the bowl and the cap and you will see how the spores dropped from the cap and left a beautiful print on the paper. MAKE SURE TO DISCARD EVERY PIECE OF MUSHROOM AND DO NOT EAT ANY OF IT IF YOU ARE NOT 1000% WHAT KIND IT IS.

Today in Piney Ridge, Dougie became a super squirrel and helped some of the critters. Even Clover helped after receiving some help herself.

Parents, feel free to engage with your kiddos using some pf the prompts from below.

• What did Dougie pretend to be?
  • A super hero!
• What do maple tree leaves look like?
  • Big and shaped like a hand
• What do red alder leaves look like?
  • Smaller and oval shaped with serrated edges.
• What is a “blade” of grass?
  • One single piece of grass
• What is a worry stone?
  • Something like a good luck charm that you keep with you. You can play with it in your hands to help you calm down if you are feeling a little nervous
• Do you have something that keeps you calm?
  • It can be a special blanky, a stuffy/toy, or even a worry stone

For an activity, let’s become super heroes! Using a bath towel or maybe an old swaddle, tie it around your neck to make a cape. Have your “super” child help your household with tasks around the home. You can also go to your nearest park and pretend that you are someone who needs a super hero to save them.

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Today in Piney Ridge, Lilly and Bev help Otto find a new home.

Parents, feel free to engage with your kiddos using some pf the prompts from below.

• What kind of foods do Otters eat?
  • Fish, crustaceans, birds, eggs, amphibians, small mammals
• Where do river otters sleep?
  • Caves, hollow logs, abandoned burrows, abandoned dams, near a body of water
• What is freshwater?
  • In land water that isn’t salty (lakes, rivers, creeks)
• What is salt water?
  • Water that isn’t inland and is salty (The Ocean)
• What are crawfish?
  • A freshwater crustacean like shrimp and crabs that look like a mini lobster\
• Which plant smells stinky, skunk cabbage or wild ginger?
  • Skunk cabbage, it emits a strong stinky odor to attract pollinators like flies and beetles.

For this week’s activity, ask you child what makes their home feel like home. Are there any smells that make them feel at home, specific decorations they may like? Maybe any colors that make them feel comfortable, I have always liked having light colors like teal and lavender in my home.

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