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Backyard Critters Scavenger Hunt:

© Kim Martin

I remember my son's first hands-on encounter with a "Daddy Long-Legs" at age two. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and he was sitting next to me on the floor, silent and still, staring at something. I bent down to have a closer look and there was this spider with long legs, wobbling across the floor towards the back door. My son stuck out his pudgy, little finger in the direction of the creature and I softly instructed him, "Gentle touches, soft touches, Wyatt". His finger stopped inches away from the spider, which then decided to take a detour...right up my son's finger, into his upturned palm, across his wrist and onto his forearm. My son squealed with delight and laughed so hard, the spider lost it's footing and dropped to the floor, hurriedly escaping under the refrigerator.

From that moment on, he has been fascinated with anything creepy, crawly, slippery, or slimy, and we have been discovering and rescuing all sorts of wayward bugs, reptiles, and an occasional bird who might fly in the house. I've always enjoyed using these experiences as teachable moments with my son. Coincidentally, that's exactly how this activity was born. My son and I wanted to learn so much more about the animals and insects we were finding, we decided to make a day out of it!

Spend one Saturday afternoon in your backyard and you'll be amazed at what you discover. Rollie-pollies, lizards, salamanders, frogs, and beautiful butterflies like to make their homes in backyards.

A Backyard Critter Scavenger Hunt is the perfect activity for single parent families with a limited budget and children with unending curiosity. The equipment you'll use can be found in your home, borrowed from the library, or printed from web sites, and the critters are already available.

Here's what you'll need to get started:

• Sketch pad

• Colored pencils, crayons, or markers

• Disposable camera

• Field guides (available at http://www.enature.com/localguide/ ) or from your local library

• Magnifying glass

• A Ruler

• Plastic cups and spoons

Head to your backyard or local park and get ready for fun! The field guides found at http://www.enature.com are great because you can type in your zip code and see which creatures are common in your area. You can search for all types of guides: birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, trees, and wildflowers, to name a few. The web site lets you look at pictures of the species you want to learn about and you can even print out a checklist to use for when you find what you're looking for.