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Dress For The Weather

Activity

Be Prepared!

Take a tour of your home to find water-resistant fabrics. Which fabrics are most suited to repel water? Find out how they work or how they are made. Make a list of the items you find. What types of weather are they for? Keep your list to reference for the next time you go outside!

Science Seed

Waterproofing gear isn’t a new invention. In fact, people have been doing it for thousands of years! For example, 13th century South American natives used to use latex as a waterproof coating for clothes and the Aleut American Indians of Alaska use dried seal or whale intestines to make waterproof jackets called “kamleika”. Throughout history people have used a variety of materials to waterproof their things from wax coatings to oiled silk, however current waterproofing techniques are made with the help of polymer chemistry.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Detroit Libraries and their Surrounding Parks

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: Detroit Libraries Edition is a project by Families in Nature to help our community learn more about the ecosystems around them, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 64 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn and volunteer in the park as a family!

Special thanks to the National Recreation and Park Associations’ Resilient Park Access Grant that allowed the creation of expanded natural areas in parks throughout Detroit and made Nature Exploration Backpacks available for checkout at Detroit libraries. Many thanks to the partners involved including City of Detroit General Services Department, Detroit Outdoors, Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors, The Greening of Detroit, NRPA, Detroit Public Libraries, Families in Nature and the Nature Pocket Community Advisory Committee.

Take these guides, and explore some near-by nature in a park near you:

District 1: Stoepel No. 1

District 2: Sawyer Playground

District 3: Jayne Field

District 4: Skinner Playfield

District 5: Bishop Park

District 6: Romanowski Park

District 7: Stein Playfield

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.