Simple nature alphabet activity

A child saw that the alphabet on the wall at Westport Schoolhouse only went from A-J.

"Did the alphabet only have that many letters back then?" she asked.

The volunteer laughed and answered that the rest of the letters were just not put up, but we didn't want to confuse children further, so the rest of the alphabet is now on the wall at the Kenue Park summer attraction.

How about making your own nature-themed alphabet to put up at home? All you'll really need is some paper and markers!

alphabet pages

Put a letter at the top of the sheet, and then decide on something nature-related that has to do with that theme. Write out that item in dots for kids to connect, then draw a simple picture of that item.

C page for cattail

Kids can then trace the dots to work on their writing and get to color in the picture to make it beautiful.

colored D page for dragonfly

Make a whole alphabet, and get the kids to help you think up what to write and draw for each letter!

(Next, read about pollinated foods starting with the letters A-Z)

Wildlife of Iowa through the alphabet

American wigeon (Anas americana) This dabbling duck migrates through Iowa. It is known for its whistle-like call and its short, stumpy bill that allows it to pluck vegetation to eat with ease. Blue-winged teal (Anas discors) Blue-winged teal are the second most abundant duck in America, behind the mallard. Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) This salamander Read More »

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Decorative shell letters

Since we will be moving into the new storage space in the lower level of the Pollinator Paradise addition to the Dickinson County Nature Center soon, we decided to go through the current storage area to reorganize and get rid of unnecessary items. Some stuff is pretty obvious to throw away when you’re doing deep Read More »

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The scent of fall is in the air. To me the scent of fall means dry leaves, wood smoke and a hint of chill to the air. Take a breath and it awakens the spirit. My eyes open wider and search for the beautiful change of colors. My lungs take in the sweet aroma. On Read More »

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