Nurturing with Nature

Many thanks

Last month we hosted Walk Walton, A PopUp SCIENCE Fundraiser, which was a huge success because of you. Thank you to the 400+ who turned out on October 23 to enjoy beautiful Izaak Walton Preserve and the science of the season. Because of your participation and the support of our sponsors, we raised $10,000 for PopUp SCIENCE. A big thanks to event chair, Kate Purvis, for leading Walk Walton. Check out the scenes from Walk Walton!

Natural escape is essential

Walk Walton was a treat to organize because it regularly brought me to the preserve. I have to admit that before Walk Walton, I was not a frequent visitor. Walking the trails, taking in the beauty and slowing down the pace did a lot for my soul and prompted a new healthy habit. Now I have developed a weekly habit of spending time outdoors.

It is clear that our kids need to spend more time outdoors as well. According to Danielle Cohen at The Mind Institute, American children spend 4 to 7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors, and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen. Why is spending time outside essential? Most studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. During our guided nature walks at Walk Walton, we talked with families about slowing down and using their senses to observe nature as a scientist would in the field. We plan to host Walk Walton again in 2017 and hope to become a part of your healthy nature habit each year.

Healthy Habits

Speaking of healthy habits, we are flattered to see families making a habit of participating in PopUp SCIENCE. It is gratifying to see so many enjoy this free family learning experience. Exploring diverse topics in science is intriguing for kids and cultivates a love of science for the entire family.

Our team is looking forward to seeing you again for PopUp SCIENCE at our DeSTEMber Celebration, at Homewood’s Holiday Lights Friday December 2nd, from 6-9 pm. Join us inside Homewood Science Center, 18022 Dixie Highway for a holiday celebration and PopUp SCIENCE, "Snowflakes & Circuits." Friends from Schneider Electric & SouthWorks MakerLab will be on hand to illuminate our understanding of circuits. Sip some punch and munch on marshmallows in our Snowflake Theater while checking out videos about the science of snowflakes. Make a snowflake circuit of your own or try your hand with Makedo tools and add a cardboard snowflake to our community art display.