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Scented Garden

Activity

Nature Perfume

Using your sense of smell create your own nature perfume! Gather plants from your yard, park or school and mix them up to make your own special scent inspired by the great outdoors. Experiment with different parts of the plant and different ways to release the smells you find! What happens when you roll the plants between your fingers, rip the leaves or crush up bits. What about if you add some water? What is the most neutral smell you can find? What about the strongest smell?.

two large pink echinacea flowers with orange middles

a hand grasping a bunch of wild meadow grass

Science Seed

There are many reasons why plants produce smells. Many plants produce fragrances to attract specific pollinators, like bees, butterflies and beetles. For example, bees love sweet smells, beetles love spicy smells and flies like flowers that smell like rotten meat! These smells are important because they alert pollinators that the plant is ready to be pollinated, attracting animals that help carry pollen from one plant to another. This is essential for over 80% of flowering plants on Earth! Plants can also use smell to protect themselves from harmful insects and even to communicate to one another about stress in their environment. A quick warning: Some plants can cause skin irritation or rashes, especially if you are sensitive. Make sure to wash your hands after handling different plants, and avoid touching your face. If you are unsure about a plant, ask an adult or use gloves just to be safe! Never eat a plant that you cannot identify 110%! Texas has many look-alikes that can make you sick so make sure you are only smelling, not snacking!

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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 Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

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.