Other Activities
Learn to Say “I Love to Skate” in Ten Languages
Learn how to say “”I Love to Skate!”” in the ten most spoken languages in Montgomery County.
Instructions:
-Match the “”I love to skate!”” phrase on the right with the correct language listed on the left.
-Whether you write them down or try pronouncing them aloud, you will learn a new way to tell your neighbors and friends about an activity that you love to do!
Tip: Use Google Translate to learn how to pronounce the phrase in each language.
-Visit translate.google.com
-Click the speaker button in the translation box to hear the correct pronunciation.”
Post a photo of your completed work or a video of you saying “I love to skate” in another language!
Virtual Visit of Black Hill Regional Park
Missing the park? Take a virtual visit with Chronolog and see the back of the Visitor Center looking over the lake, the meadow, the forest fire area and Little Seneca Creek. All the photos were taken by our visitors on their cell phones (and added to the site.)
To see nature change every day, visit the Black Hill Regional Park Chronolog website .
Word Searches
Our ice skating rinks and historical sites staffs have created word searches to keep your family busy and learning while at home. Click below for a collection of word search puzzles.
Speed Skating Math Problems
We all know that speed skaters are fast. Try solving the math problems in this worksheet from education.com to discover just how much ice they can cover in different scenarios.
Ice Skating Spelling Activity
How good is your spelling? Put your spelling skills to the test with this ice skating spelling activity sheet from our friends at Cabin John Ice Rink.
Bird Bingo
Want to find a fun way to get to know your local birds? Then play Bird Bingo! See which bird species like to hang out in our own backyard.
If you see a bird you do not recognize, mark it in the “Mystery Bird” space. You can later try to identify your “Mystery Bird” using one of these resources: The Cornell Lab Online Bird Guide or download the free Merlin Bird Identification app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Vignettes: Let’s Play a Victorian Parlor Game
The Victorian era, spanning from the 1830s to 1901, embraced a love of art, music, literature, and clothing that captured a grandeur and beauty inspired by the interests of England’s Queen Victoria, for whom the era was named.
Art, in particular, became more accessible to the masses during this period, and no less than six major artistic movements arose from this time: Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, and Art Nouveau. Because of this rise in interest in the arts, a common pastime at parties was a game called Vignettes.
Visit the Agricultural Farm History Park Facebook page for instructions on how to play their Vignettes game .
Spring Activities Archive
Brookside Gardens Spring Emphemerals
Join Brookside Gardens’ horticulturalist Phil Normandy as he explores the spring ephemerals in the Fortieth Grove.
Fragrance Garden Tulips at Brookside Gardens
Join Horticulturist Jim Deramus in the Fragrance Garden for a look at the tulip display.
Virtual Walk of Trial Garden
Take a virtual walk in the Trial Garden with Horticulturist Kelley Heim to learn about this year’s tulip plantings.
Spring Azaelas
Join Brookside Gardens’ horticulturalist Jim Deramus as he highlights the rainbow of colors created by the more than 300 blooming azaleas in our gardens.
Rose Garden in Full Bloom
Join Brookside Gardens’ rosarian Roger Haynes as he explores the Rose Garden with more than 100 varieties of roses in bloom.
VIDEO
Tree Inventory Map/Star Magnolia
Star magnolias are blooming around the parks. What about other trees? Get to know the trees in our parks with Montgomery Parks’ Tree Inventory Map ! Each tree is surveyed, given a number, and its data entered into the map. So, discover more about our trees and learn about their benefits.
Blue Flowers
Blue is a rare color in flowers, but there are a number of spring flowering plants that are easy to grow. Here are a few of our favorites.
Share what is growing in your garden in the comments section on the Brookside Gardens Facebook page !
It’s Nesting Time
Spring brings the sound of bird songs, which means that baby birds will soon be on the way! It is not really easy to see what happens in a nest, but thank goodness there are nest cams out there for us to watch.
To get you started, try watching one of the three nest cams run by the Chesapeake Conservancy. There is the Peregrine Falcon and the Great Blue Heron (both currently incubating eggs) and the Osprey, which are just about done building their nests for this season.
Tulip Time
Examining tulips up-close, we can enjoy the subtle colors and symmetry of this beautiful flower. The Brookside Gardens staff has posted pictures of some of the tulips blooming in their gardens on their Facebook page. What do you notice about these tulips? Post your observations in the comments section of the post on the Brookside Gardens Facebook page .
Noisy Spring: Open your Window and Listen to the Birds!
Spring time is the best time of the year to perk up your ears and focus on sounds – especially, bird sounds! Whether your favorite bird is a year-round resident like a northern cardinal or blue jay or a just-returned migrant Baltimore oriole, there are birds to watch everywhere, enjoy and to learn about. All you have to do is listen!
Visit the Brookside Nature Center Facebook page for a list of resources to help you identify birds and the sounds they make.
Chesapeake Conservancy Nest Cams
Spring brings the sound of bird songs, which means that baby birds will soon be on the way! It is not easy to see what happens in a nest, but there are nest cams out there for us to watch.
The Chesapeake Conservancy has three nest cams for their Peregrine Falcon and the Great Blue Heron (both currently incubating eggs) and the Osprey, which are just about done building their nests for this season.
Natural Egg Dyes Craft
Looking for something to do with the kids today? Here’s a fun idea to do indoors with them. Use nature’s dyes for dyeing eggs!
*For red or pink: Use two cups boiling water plus one cup grated beets plus two tablespoons vinegar.
*For yellow: Use two cups boiling water plus one tablespoon turmeric spice plus two tablespoons vinegar.
*For green: Use two cups boiling water plus three bags Matcha Green Tea plus two tablespoons vinegar.
*For blue: Use two cups boiling water plus one cup grated or chopped red cabbage plus two tablespoons vinegar.
Then:
1. After mixing the ingredients for a specific color, let it sit for about an hour.
2. Next, strain the vegetable/ or each bag out. The longer the egg sits in the natural dye, the more vibrant the color!