Nature Pal Exchange

I randomly stumbled onto an Instagram account called Nature Pal Exchange, and I immediately loved the idea.  I couldn't wait to sign up for the Summer Exchange.  I think I was more excited about doing the exchange than the girls (though they were excited too).  I love sharing things that make up our little corner of Northern California and I love learning about different parts of the country.  My brother even got in on the fun helping me with ideas of what to send and my mom for the crowning piece, the owl pellet!

The Nature Box we sent off to Arkansas

Spanish Moss, Blue Oak leaves and acorns, opened Sweet Pea seed pods, burned Ponderosa Pine Cone, Mussel shells, Sand Dollar Shells, Manzanita branch with mazanita berries (apples), Wild Turkey Feather, Wild Oats, Oak Balls, Oak bark with woodpecker holes, Lake County Diamonds, Bottlerock (a.k.a. obsidian),  Maple Leaf, Redbud Leaf, Black Walnut Leaf and shell, tarweed and an owl pellet form a barn owl.

We sent our box off a few days early and we waited anxiously for our box from Arkansas to arrive.  Finally the day came and we found our box waiting for us at the Post Office.  Ally wanted to open it up right in the Post Office but I told her we had to wait and do it at home with Eva.  

The girls dove right in and started exploring the many treasure inside.  Our exchange family send some amazing treasures!

I want my children to notice their surroundings and learn about them, to be able to identify common plants and animals in our area.  I also want to instill in them a general love of learning, hopefully fun experiences like this will lend themselves to observing and learning more about our wonderful world.  

The fun of exploring the treasures spread out over many days, I loved looking through and examining all the different treasures we received.  

Here is most of the items included in the exchange box we received from Arkansas.  I absolutely love the container!  It is perfect for storing and protecting treasures, I am getting some for our next exchange! The girls were amazed by the porcupine quills and the raccoon claw.  It was interesting to me some things that were similar (oak balls, and acorns) to what we sent.  This was so much fun, both the gathering of nature finds and receiving a box full of nature treasures.  We can't wait for our next round!