I was raised in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, on the outskirts of a tiny farming town called Spring Hope. Unlike the typical child growing up during that time, my friends lived miles away, with the exception of my sister and brother. I think it would be called the boonies by today's standards, but looking back, I really never realized just how lucky I was to live in such a place.
Our playgrounds were the fields and forests and my closest friends were the butterflies and beetles crawling on tall stalks of tobacco surrounding our old farm house. Tractors were the only rush hour traffic you would encounter on a long stretch of country road and my extended family lived only a few miles down those same roads.
I had the wonderful opportunity to grow up as a child of the woods. My parents, who both had to work, would drop us off at my Grandmothers house where we would run and play outside from 7 in the morning until 9 at night, mostly unsupervised, during our summer break.
My sister, brother, cousins, aunt, and uncle, would run into the woods with only our bare feet, tracking wild animals and building shelters made of sticks and logs. We swam across ponds, forged new trails, and had a mental map of where all of our hidden treasures were. We were our own tribe and we were each others best friends (and still are).
Our playgrounds were the fields and forests and my closest friends were the butterflies and beetles crawling on tall stalks of tobacco surrounding our old farm house. Tractors were the only rush hour traffic you would encounter on a long stretch of country road and my extended family lived only a few miles down those same roads.
I had the wonderful opportunity to grow up as a child of the woods. My parents, who both had to work, would drop us off at my Grandmothers house where we would run and play outside from 7 in the morning until 9 at night, mostly unsupervised, during our summer break.
My sister, brother, cousins, aunt, and uncle, would run into the woods with only our bare feet, tracking wild animals and building shelters made of sticks and logs. We swam across ponds, forged new trails, and had a mental map of where all of our hidden treasures were. We were our own tribe and we were each others best friends (and still are).
Those special times I shared with my extended family when I was younger, keep me deeply rooted in my love for the outdoors and nature today. Most days before I even sit at my desk to start my workday, you'll find me trail running at a local park, bathing in the sounds and smells of the forest.
Treehouse Magazine was originally created for my children as a sort of family nature journal, but over the past few years, it has since grown into something really special. We now that we have a Facebook community where other like minded families share in the fun and submit their inspired creations to be featured in the magazine!
All of the projects in Treehouse, use mostly natural, up-cycled materials and are accessible to everyone with an internet connection and home printer. The activities are illustrated by myself as printable step-by-step instructions, so no pesky tablet or smartphone to get in the way of plants, trees, and wildlife. I'll also delve further into the subject matter for some of the projects, so your child can learn a little more than creating just a project to pass the time; you could say it's a project with a purpose!
All of the projects in Treehouse, use mostly natural, up-cycled materials and are accessible to everyone with an internet connection and home printer. The activities are illustrated by myself as printable step-by-step instructions, so no pesky tablet or smartphone to get in the way of plants, trees, and wildlife. I'll also delve further into the subject matter for some of the projects, so your child can learn a little more than creating just a project to pass the time; you could say it's a project with a purpose!
Lastly, you should check out the website www.treehousekidsmagazine.com if you want to print out some of the projects. Maybe you want to join our Facebook group and participate in our free classroom setting. Either way, I think that you will enjoy the time you spend with your children in nature, and each moment will be meaningful and educational.
Seas the Day!
Stacey
Here are some samples of projects that we have worked on in the past. Subscribe to our newsletter for our big Earth Biome Adventure starting in a few months.
