Posts filed under ‘MacKenzie Environmental Education Center’
When it’s okay to shoot a gun: Outdoor Skills Day
Ebrahim, Gavin and Juan target practice.
Year ago, shooting a gun was a rite of passage for boys and BB guns were common. Today, BB guns and bow and arrow sets are pretty much things of the past, but not at Outdoor Skills Day at MacKenzie Environmental Education Center in Poynette.
For one day each summer, kids learn how to shoot at targets, throw hatchets, cast a fishing line, cut wood, cook over a fire, start a fire without a match and lots more. I went with 13 kids ages 5 to 13 plus three parents.
At first, I was a little nervous, but once I saw how great the kids were behaving, I loosened up a bit. They were so respectful of each other and of the skills they were learning. The people at MacKenzie know what they’re doing. They made it safe.
The Bowhunters Association, DNR wardens and fisheries staff, and lots of volunteers were on hand to teach kids how to do things safely. They had the all the right equipment and plenty of room. Kids learned that shooting a gun wasn’t about killing people, but about concentration and skill. It was wonderful to see the kids so focused. I could see their self-confidence grow as they practiced. Experiential learning is so important for kids, especially high energy kids.
As a result of this trip, I’m inspired to bring an archery program to Goodman Community Center or to host our own Outdoor Skills Day. We could use a few more confident, respectful kids.
So what do you think? Do you think events like this are okay? What is your experience working with kids and outdoor skills?
Tania (age 5) and Buba (age eight) work the cross-cut saw.
Angel (age 13) shoots a muzzle loader with help from a Wisconsin Muzzle Loader Association volunteer.
Mari (age eight) gears up for archery.
Ebrahim (age 5) throws and then hits the target. His face says it all.
Gavin (age eight) gets instruction from a Wisconsin Muzzle Loading Association volunteer before taking aim.
Maple Syrup Magic at MacKenzie: A feast for the senses
John tastes maple sap right from the spial at Maple Syrup Fest on April 2, 2011.
What could be better than tasting maple sap right from the tree? Not much.
What are the chances that John will forget where maple syrup comes from? Not likely.
Doing, tasting, touching, seeing, anything that activates the senses, increases the odds that kids – and adults – will retain knowledge. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s fun.
Maple Syrup Fest at MacKenzie Environmental Education Center is a feast for the senses. We started with a pancake breakfast and then enjoyed a horse-drawn wagon ride. The horses were shedding so hair blew back on us as we rode along. We tasted sap right from the tree and then saw how it’s boiled down to make the yummy syrup we ate at breakfast.
Cougars once roamed in Wisconsin. They have been extirpated.
The kids climbed the fire tower where they felt a cold breeze and got a good view. Finally, kids saw a lot of wildlife. Mackenzie has a Wisconsin Wildlife exhibit where the kids saw white-tailed deer, fox, otter, cougar, bobcat, eagle, hawks and more. Where else can you see a bobcat and a cougar?
Today will reach 80 degrees marking the end of maple syrup time. It’s a magical time of year to savor the end of winter and to soak up the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the spring.
Diane Schwartz is the Outdoor Education Specialist at the Goodman Community Center in Madison, WI. She takes kids and their families on monthly outings. The next trip is April 16th at the Arboretum. As always, register for this blog now and receive a free 11-page bubble activity guide. Thank you for reading.
Haunted Hayride: The Joy of Fright
Kids love a good scare, especially a fun scare.
We all got our screams out on Saturday night when 30 kids – yes 30 kids — and lots of adults from Goodman Community Center went to the Haunted Hayride at MacKenzie Environmental Center in Poynette.
The kids were very excited and the night was perfect-mild and dry. After breaking up the kids into small groups, we were ready to get on the wagon. In the distance, we could hear screams. That helped put the kids in the spirit.
“Good luck,” said the witch who helped us board the wagon. “Hope to see you soon,” she cackled.
We got our first scare when a chain saw wielding man jumped out. SCREAMS! Then, a group of zombies surprised us. SCREAMSSSSS! Every 50 feet or so, a monster or a group of monsters lunged toward the wagon. This went on for about 20 minutes. Nobody touched us, but it was creepy when a cannibal banged a leg on the side of the wagon and kept running after us. MORE SCREAMSSSSS!!!
“This is freaky,” said John, totally unfazed by the scares.
When we got done, I felt great. Screaming was fun. The kids loved it and I loved it too.
Five-year-old Fedora shouted,
“This was the best day of my life!”
That’s some high praise.
After the ride, we all enjoyed s’mores and hot chocolate around a fire. The kids then ran around and played monster games until it was time to leave.
Next time, I would change very little. Mostly, I would streamline the registration process for the trip. With 30 kids and 10 parents going, registration is time-consuming. Ideally, I would require all permissions slips to be in before the event. I would also let my co-leader know more about the registration process sooner so that he could help with last-minute details. Since we have another large trip coming up in January to Eagle Watching Days in Sauk City, we can test these changes then.
What are your tips for large group planning?
What did you do with kids on Halloween?
You can find Diane Schwartz planning trips for kids at Goodman Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin and at Schumacher Farm County Park in Waunakee. For more information on MacKenzie Environmental Education Center go to www.mackenziecenter.com. To receive a free 11-page Bubble Activity Guide, just subscribe to my blog on the home page. Thank you for visiting and be sure to share this blog with others.
