Suggested outdoor activities

Nature educators say part of the reason why more adults don't take children outside is that the grown-ups don't know what to do themselves.

Takeachildoutside.org has some handy activities you can do with children of any age.

Here are three. Go to the Web site for more.

NATURE BRACELET

Best age range: 3 and up

Location: Backyard or where the collection of small nonliving objects is permitted

Best time: Day

Special materials: Masking tape (2-inch width preferred)

What to do: Remove a length of tape that will wrap around your or your child's wrist. Wrap the tape around your wrist with the sticky side up (facing away from your skin). As you walk around the yard or park, pick up small things and see whether they stick to your bracelet -- flower petals, small fallen leaves, sand and seeds work well. Save bracelets from previous walks and compare them through the seasons.

MAKING ROLY-POLY HOMES

Best age range: All ages

Location: Backyard, in gardens or mulched areas

Best time: Any

Season: Spring, summer, fall and winter (in mild climates)

Special materials: Half a small raw potato, melon baller or metal spoon, toothpick and colorful tape

What to do: Hollow out the inside of the potato with the melon baller. Make a small door at the edge of the potato, so your potato looks like an igloo. You can add a toothpick topped with a tape flag to make the home easier to find in your garden. Place the home at the edge of the garden and cover slightly with damp leaves or mulch. Gently sprinkle the area with water. Leave overnight. Check in the morning for roly-polies.

SPIDER SHINE: SAPPHIRES AND EMERALDS OF THE NIGHT

Best age range: 3 and up

Location: Anywhere short grass meets the woods is ideal

Best time: Night

Season: Summer, fall

Special materials: Lightweight flashlight

What to do: Find a lawn or grassy area near hedges or some woods. Hold a flashlight on the side of your head, next to your eye. Shine the flashlight on the ground and look for tiny sparkles of blue or green light. When you see a sparkle of light, keep the light fixed on the sparkle and carefully walk closer. This should lead you to a small, harmless ground-hunting spider, most often a wolf spider. The sparkle you see is the light reflecting off the spider's eyes (spider eye shine). See how many spiders you can spot. What's the smallest spider you can find?

TAKEACHILDOUTSIDE.ORG