Playful Learning celebrates Earth Day all month long, and much of this time in the studio is spent learning about our local ecosystems. Having narrowed down their study to focus on freshwater ponds, our primary classroom took a trip to our beloved Duck Pond in East Hampton, New York.
While there, children and their grown-ups engaged in a scavenger hunt successfully locating skunk cabbage, ferns, and both male and female mallard ducks. The muskrat and swans proved to be elusive, but this gave us something to look forward to on our next visit!
Our little scientists also tested the water quality of the pond and compared it to the acidity of alkaline levels of water they had previously tested in the studio.
Always a favorite part of the field experience, children fed the ducks according to the guidelines outlined by the Nature Trail Society, a part of the Ladies Village Improvement Society, which encourages visitors to only scatter feed in the water.
Note: The Nature Trail Society suggests you feed the ducks cracked corn or poultry feed. However, if you don’t have access to this type of food they ask that visitors offer oats, birdseed, grapes (chopped or cut in half), defrosted frozen peas or corn, or rice (cooked or uncooked) rather than bread which isn’t good for the ducks.
Before our trip ended, children created their artistic own tote bag inspired by the many ferns prevalent in this ecosystem.
Want to explore the Duck Pond with your family? Download our maps and take them with you on a sensory walk around the duck pond. Bring along a set of colored pencils to draw and/or label all of the things you find … and let us know if you find that crafty muskrat!
MAPS OF THE DUCK POND
