My
four-year-old son is out under the yellow plum tree, building a “worm nest” out
of soil clods and populating it with “brother worms and sister slugs” dug from
other parts of the garden. He’s
been at it long enough for me to scoop up the dog. . .leavings, set up the
laptop, send three emails, and brew a cup of tea—an astonishing twenty
minutes. He has not given me a
glance, except to ask, “Mama, am I magic?” Though I just say “Yes,” his simple backyard magic is disappearing
from the experiences of children all over the country.
Along
with over-scheduling and lack of unstructured play, millions of American
children are suffering from what author Richard Louv has termed “nature
deficit.” His book, Last Child
in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, links the disconnect
between children and nature to concurrent increases in obesity, attention
disorder, and depression rates.
Responses to the book have included states passing “No Child Left Inside”
legislation, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiative to connect children
with nature, and nation-wide local efforts to promote children’s access to
natural spaces for their own magical journeys.
Our
uncommonly lovely city is rich with nearby wild spaces, and many free or
low-cost opportunities for getting down with plants and critters. Nobody with children should miss these
next two events:
Salmon Festival!! My kids have gone every year of their
lives. Learn about your watershed
and celebrate the return of fall Chinook in Oxbow Regional Park. It will rain on you, that’s part of it,
and you’ll have a blast all day long.
Music, horse carriage rides, grilled salmon, fry bread, endless
activities, fish-friendly products, services, and organizations, and close-up
views of spawning salmon! October
13-14.
Just to complicate that
same weekend with irresistible outdoor fun, the Ridgefield National Wildlife is holding it’s annual Birdfest.
Crafts, bird walks, guided refuge tours, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and
Chinookan cultural activities including cattail art, grinding acorn meal,
splitting planks, and archeological walks. Most activities are free, but Saturday is also the Bluegrass
Festival in Ridgefield with music all day for an additional modest charge. Ridgefield is in Washington, about a
35-minute drive from Portland.
Pumpkins and Farm
Animals! Old McDonald’s Farm in
Corbett holds their annual Pumpkin Pick October 20-21 and October 27-28. You can buy pumpkins, roast
marshmallows over a fire pit, ride Clancy the friendly pony, go on a
hayride, watch goat-shearing, and
support a great non-profit in the process. For those who prefer not to slog around a muddy wasteland of
waterlogged pumpkin carcasses and instead find some of the best specimens
invitingly arranged around small fields, quirky scarecrows, and antique
tractors, this is for you! They
also offer one of the best summer camp experiences in the area, so get a jump
on next year!
And
for all the other days. . .
Ladybug Nature Walks are
just for preschoolers and their parents and explore parks all over Portland
with a trained naturalist. They
meet year-round on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 am for $2 per child (adults are
free). Most walks are easily accessed by bus.
Fathers can take easy,
child-friendly hikes with their children and connect with other dads through
Outdoor Dads. Hikes meet the fourth
Saturday of every month at various metro-area locations. Participation is free, and the group
welcomes all ability levels.
Tryon Creek State Park
in SW offers “Story and Stroll” for preschoolers and guided walks and classes
for all ages. Themes include Urban
Wildlife, Changing Leaves, Mushrooms, and Owls. Volunteer to pull ivy, buy native plants. Many programs, and
all walks are free.
Get out, get down, and
get dirty! More...