How to get your kids outdoors during winter, a chat with interpretive naturalist Monica Rauchwarter

Five years ago I lived in Arizona. It was warm and sunny all the time. Then, over the course of a few months we decided to move to Minnesota - where it is not warm or sunny for nearly six months out of the year. Getting outside during the winter was hard enough for me, but getting kids out was a whole other challenge. After a few years, Michelle and I are just now figuring it out. That's why this conversation is so helpful. Monica is not just an interpretive naturalist, but a passionate educator and advocate for the outdoors - especially during winter. I'm fortunate to live across the street from Richardson Nature Center where Monica works and it was a pleasure to sit down and chat about how we can get kids into and loving the outdoors during winter. We talk about gear to keep kids warm, habitats and how they change during winter, where you can go to get snowshoes for cheap or free, fun activities for your kids and learn about some really cool animals like snow fleas! If you live in a place where winter is a real thing, you want to listen to this. And if you don't, you should still listen to it. You never know when you might make the big move!

Links: Newsletter: www.wilderoutdooracademy.com/newsletter

National Environmental Education Foundation:

https://discovertheforest.org/

Dressing for winter:
https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/how-dress-winter-weather
https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold

Subnivean zone:

https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/subnivean-shelter-snow
https://fdrd.org/the-subnivean-zone-the-world-beneath-the-snow/
https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/2019/12/20/beneath-the-snow-the-subnivean-zone/
https://woodlandwoman.ca/exploring-the-subnivean-zone/

Voles!
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=meadowvole.main

Dead trees as habitats:
https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Cover/Trees-and-Snags
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2023/05/why-dead-trees-matter-more-than-you-think/
https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/sites/woodlands/files/imce/0018.pdf

Winter birdwatching:
https://parkconnection.org/blog/2020/fall-winter-professional-birding-tips-minnesota
https://www.friendsofeloisebutler.org/pages/seasonal/birdswinter.html
https://www.audubon.org/news/easy-ways-get-kids-birding
https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/birding
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/02/03/winter-play-we-tried-minnesota-birrrdwatching-in-january
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birdfeeding/winter.html

Spent prairie flowers are still beautiful:
https://arboretumnaturenotes.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/life-on-the-winter-prairie/
https://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/rapid-color-guides-pdfs/919_usa_prairie_seed_heads-version_2.pdf
https://the-natural-web.org/2012/11/30/a-winter-garden-can-be-a-wildlife-habitat/
https://mnnativewildflowers.com/2020/12/22/winter-wildflower-chasing

Snow kitchen - secondhand items, play dishes/cookware, or real stuff you can sanitize after:
https://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2013/01/snow-kitchen-outdoor-play.html
https://happytoddlerplaytime.com/snow-kitchen-toddler-preschool-winter-snow-day-sensory-activity/

Snowshoeing
https://www.threeriversparks.org/activity/snowshoeing
https://visit-twincities.com/hit-the-road/stories/dashing-through-snow/
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/minnesota-valley/visit-us/activities/snowshoeing#:~:text=Stop%20by%20the%20Bloomington%20visitor,maps%2C%20visit%20our%20Trails%20page.

Stargazing in Winter:
https://www.nativeskywatchers.com/
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/astronomy/a-kids-guide-to-stargazing
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/stargazing-and-other-astronomy-activities-you-can-do-with-your-kids

Used winter clothing: https://arcsvaluevillage.org/

Acorns:
https://deerassociation.com/look-inside-acorns-to-find-deer-hunting-success/
https://www.catmanoutdoors.com/post/learn-your-acorns

Building a conservation ethic:
https://www.nrpa.org/blog/five-fun-activities-for-teaching-kids-about-conservation/
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/conservation_and_kids_getting_into_nature
https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2011/Family-Backyard-Field-Guide
https://www.nature.com/articles/515027a
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eap.2749
https://inclusive-conservation.org/
https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2020-0088
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tek/description.htm
https://journals.plos.org/sustainabilitytransformation/article?id=10.1371/journal.pstr.0000016

Tracks and other animal signs
https://www.anokacountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24021/Activity---Track-and-Sign
https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/animal-tracking-footprints-gps
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/scat/janfeb2019_young_naturalists.pdf?v=2023.10.06-14.24.50
https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/7815/2952/5274/Animal_Locomotion_and_Track_Patterns.pdf
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/tracks1.pdf
https://www.mntracking.org/

Snowfleas:
https://entomology.umn.edu/snow-flea
https://www.eekwi.org/animals/other-invertebrates/snow-fleas
https://www.esa.org/esablog/2011/01/28/snow-fleas-helpful-winter-critters-2/

Jumping mouse:
https://www3.uwsp.edu/biology/VertebrateCollection/Pages/Vertebrates/Mammals%20of%20Wisconsin/Zapus%20hudsonicus/Zapus%20hudsonicus.aspx
https://www.boundarywatersblog.com/boundary-waters-unique-mouse/
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Zapus_hudsonius/

Muskrats:
https://arnebeast.blogspot.com/2013/11/muskrats-in-winter.html
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/muskrats/julaug2020_young_naturalists.pdf?v=2023.10.06-14.24.50
https://www.carleton.edu/arboretum/news/whats-under-the-ice/

Ways to learn about nature:
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nature_centers_in_Minnesota
https://campfiremn.org/mynatureconnection/
https://new.smm.org/learn/
https://www.richfieldmn.gov/around_town/wood_lake_nature_center/kids_page/scavenger_hunt.php
https://www.hormelnaturecenter.org/scavenger-hunts.html
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/find_out/find_out.pdf
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/bird_songs_interactive.html

Environmental education degrees, certificates, and the field in general:
https://www.hamline.edu/academics/graduate/environmental-education-certificate
https://cehsp.d.umn.edu/departments-centers/centers/center-environmental-education/undergraduate-degrees/environmental
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/whitewater/meet_the_naturalist.html
https://minnesotanaturalistsassociation.wildapricot.org/About-MNA
http://millcitytimes.com/news/cool-jobs-kelsey-griffin-interpretive-naturalist-the-raptor.html
https://www.iowanaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Professional-Standards-for-an-Interpretive-Naturalist-2010.pdf

Careers in the Outdoors - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njcfjKdUMrU