Leave No Child Inside

"One learns that the world, though made, is yet being made. That this is still the morning of creation. Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike." -John Muir
John is one of the early champions of preserving the majestic spaces of America for all of us...our National Parks!
As I watched the latest PBS offering from film-maker Ken Burns: The National Parks: American's Best Ideas, John Muir had to return to nature, the forests, the mountains, the rivers to regain his strength and balance. We all need this and our children today are being cheated out of the great outdoors and nature. Much has been written about "Nature Deprivation" of our children and the obesity and the structured sporting programs that are rampant for today's children. Please read Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods, for some true insight into just how awful things have become.
I am attempting to coax children and families outside with my programs. I try to weave nature into the use of puppets and to have live creatures whenever I can. My caterpillars have all made cocoons or emerged from its chrysalis, but I do have some wooly bear caterpillars feeding on parsley, carrot tops and/or queen anne's lace. These marvelous creatures I call my "Thanksgiving caterpillars" and then "Christmas caterpillars", "Valentine caterpillars" and finally around St. Patrick's Day they will finally go into a cocoon to emerge as an Isabella Moth in the spring.
Please note: It is a caterpillar that is found in sweet corn and an apple. It has 16 legs and green blood, same as all caterpillars. They make cocoons and become moths in the spring.
If you have any questions on projects, etc., for these creatures, email me.....