My Health & Safety

The Health & Safety badge is the most essential badge on the website. Topics will include first aid, safety, and the child's overall well-being. Here, I will provide learning materials relevant to building a strong foundation of self-awareness and to the safe exploration of their surroundings. Many of these activities will build on one another and foster independence and self-reliance. I will update our Facebook group when new activities are added, and I always welcome ideas for new projects to help our children grow and learn.

My Health & Safety: About Me

Link to My Health & Safety Information: Here

Here are some helpful tips on teaching your child to call 911 from a cell phone:

1. The child must locate the phone. 

2. Once the phone is found the child might have to unlock it or wake the phone. 

3. Next the child must find the keypad, which may not be up on the screen. 

4. Once finding the keypad and dialing 911 they still need to press call or send.

Practice this activity often with your child and let me know how it went in the comments. 

--Stacey

My Nature Toolkit

My ultimate goal as Treehouse Magazine progresses is to use this badge to address questions that an Earth Explorer might have, such as mushroom hunting, nature journaling, or even how to cook over an open fire. Each aspect of the badge requires an in-depth discussion of preparedness, the most appropriate tool for the job, and where to find such tools.

Please understand that your idea of My Nature Toolkit may differ from what I have presented on the website. Geographical conditions, time of year, etc., even things that might be relevant for your family, will help you make sound decisions based on your experience after you have completed the task a few times and get more comfortable with the subject matter. I will give an overview and present the most pertinent information to help you accomplish the task that you set out to do. I want this to be a place for the novice to come and find a blueprint for exploring the great outdoors with their children, family, and friends.

Above all, I want to build your confidence and help you succeed, because you have been given the tools to do so. I think many people would love to explore nature with their children, but are sometimes hesitant because they don't know where to begin or even how to ask for help. If I've posted something here about a particular subject and you have a stellar tip to pass on to the community, please do so in the comments. When you post a comment, please list it as such:

(Format) ***SUBJECT: Explanation***

(eg) MUSHROOM HUNTING: If you encounter Laetiporus sulphureus, aka Chicken of the Woods, high in a tree, use a utility cord to retrieve rather than a ladder; it's much safer.

Keeping tips organized will enable more productive discussions and better organization of valuable information. The more knowledge that we share with one another and pass on to our children, the more successful we will be when we set out to complete a task. Let us know how it went in the comments, and good luck!

-The Treehouse Family

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Mushroom Hunting

Venturing out of your comfort zone and into the forest to find mushrooms with small children might put some of you on edge. I am a firm believer that we need to educate our children on how to correctly identify mushrooms and what to do if they encounter one on the trail or in a play area. We must have an open, honest dialogue with them about the risks of misidentification to keep them safe and aware of their surroundings.

Different times of the year pose some very different challenges when you're trying to complete a successful hunt with your family. While winter isn't the best time to find mushrooms, spring, summer, and fall offer a colorful bounty of beautiful specimens for your child to study and explore. Certain animals and insects that might not be found in Winter and Spring, but are prevalent in the summer and fall months. (Think snakes, mosquitoes, bears, cougars, spiders; just to name a few.)

If you go into the forest prepared and ready to take on any challenge that might arise, you are sure to have a much better experience than a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants afternoon jaunt, whilst being carried away by 100's of blood thirsty insects looking for their next meal.

Whenever you're going out into the woods during the warmer months, I highly recommend some type of mosquito mesh; whether it be a hat, pants, jacket, stroller/kid carrier, you're going to want to protect the kiddos from having to apply excessive amounts of DEET from insect repellent if you plan on traversing any deep woods with heavy leaf litter. Spraying a waterproof suit with 15% DEET also helps limit skin contact. You might be asking why not a natural insect repellent. Trust me, I've tried this, and it just doesn't cut it in the deep woods. It will be a miserable experience for your family.

A high waterproof boot does wonders for protecting your child from possible snakes that might be hidden on the ground if they are running through the woods and not watching their surroundings. They are also easy to clean if your child walks/runs through poison ivy/oak/sumac, and you need to wash the urushiol off their boots with soap and water. Extra socks are like extra clothes; a must if your child plays hard, as mine do. Thick gloves offer protection from possible unknown mushroom residue on a cap or from poison ivy that could be close to specimens. It's often hard to keep an eye on your child when they are lost in the forest's excitement and the hunt. You want to make the experience fun, but also safe, without worrying about extraneous factors that might change a pleasant day into something unforgettable, and not in a good way.

A trekking pole or walking stick will allow your child to inspect areas where they might want to investigate. Snakes are one of my biggest fears when I'm in the forest with my girls, but if you teach them to go slowly and pay attention to their surroundings, then that might prevent a dangerous encounter with a venomous snake.

Some of you might be leery about giving a child a knife. You need to consider that if you want your child to be capable and prepared to go into the forest to hunt mushrooms, you will want to get them a good knife. Opinal France makes high-quality knives for kids, whether for mushroom hunting or the kitchen. You will not be disappointed by the quality or timeless design.

A few other things you might want to include are a guide for your area, a kids' shockproof/waterproof camera, a compass, and a utility cord. The split-willow creel is my go-to basket for foraging or collecting in the forest. It's better known as a fish basket, but it's got a small square hole in the top where your kiddos can drop all of their finds and forest treasures. It's also hinged and has a cross-body strap.

If you have some other really useful finds to add to my list, please do so in the comments. It's always so helpful when everyone shares practical knowledge. It fosters a stronger community for our children and builds their confidence in the wilderness. Happy Mushroom Hunting!

-Stacey

The Magical and Mysterious Mushroom

Transcribed for our international readers:

BEFORE ANY LEARNING MATERIALS ARE DOWNLOADED, 

PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY STATEMENT.

Treehouse Magazine and its affiliates are in no way liable for any ingestion, false identification, sickness, or death as a result of improper identification of toxic and non-toxic mushroom specimens. Do not attempt to "force" an identification of a description that you might find in the wild. For this reason, we strongly advise that the novice mushroom hunter consult MULTIPLE reliable references or an experienced nature guide who can positively identify the mushroom in question before it is eaten. Wild mushrooms should NEVER be eaten raw. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Magical and Mysterious Mushroom

*OUR CURRENT ISSUE: PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR NEW PROJECTS*

My earliest experience as a child with wild mushrooms was: "Under no circumstances should you ever touch or eat a wild mushroom." As I grew older, that stayed with me, and I found myself telling my children that same old tired line as well. This was mainly because I hadn't done enough research and lacked confidence in the subject matter to offer any other reasonable explanation. Honestly, I think it is because I want to keep them safe if they're alone and encounter something poisonous; they would be safer if they just didn't touch it. *I also didn't want to be the Mom who inadvertently poisoned her children because they handled and accidentally ingested an Amanita bisporigera, better known as the Destroying Angel.*

There are no foragers in my family, and the only mushrooms that I had ever eaten were the white button, crimini, and portobellos (all different growth stages of the same species, Agaricus bisporus) from the local grocery store. I would often run through the many acres of woods behind my Grandmother's house and jump on puff balls and watch the spores waft across the air, kick mushroom caps off of their stems, and relish in any new discoveries that a fresh fall rain brought. But that changed one day in May, early this year, when I encountered something totally new and exciting.

The snow was melting here in Wisconsin, and I was eager to get back out and start my morning trail runs again after spending most of the winter cooped up doing contract work for KiwiCo, longing for the great outdoors. The cool mornings always gave way to warm sunny days and again to cooler nights. The air smelled earthy, and Mother Nature was starting to show her beauty; small shoots were reaching towards the sky from under dead leaf litter and squirrels, and chipmunks scurried beneath the forest floor in search of black walnuts. I was always so thankful (even while I winced in pain from being so out of shape) to witness those little changes daily.

One day, I was photographing a beautiful patch of lily of the valley (toxic/non-edible) that was growing on the hillside, and following them along the steep trail. As I went to put my phone away, I stopped in my tracks. I turned my head and looked down, and next to a dead tree, amongst a few dandelions (edible), I encountered a mushroom that I'd never seen before in person, and immediately knew what it was: a Morel (Morchella esculenta). I composed myself, then looked up to see about 20 more scattered among the wood chips, blending in just enough to be inconspicuous to the average passerby. I was stunned. I had stumbled on one of the most choice edibles in the wild, and there wasn't another person in sight.

I quickly turned my running jacket into a makeshift carrying sack and pinched each tan stalk, just at the base, right above the wood chips, then gave it a slight shake to disperse spores. I was euphoric; one and then three more, so many Morels were going into my jacket. I felt like a small child finding easter eggs on a perfect spring morning, so I hurried back to my Jeep Wrangler to call my husband to tell him what I'd seen. He was a bit leery and unsure, because he was raised just like I was when it came to wild mushrooms; "You can look, but don't touch, and most certainly not eat." I knew I needed a reference to convince him (as well as myself), so I stopped by the local bookstore on my way home and picked up Mushrooms of the Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone and Kathy Yerich. This fantastic book has been my go-to guide for hunting wild mushrooms. The pictures are wonderful, and the information is clear and not too technical. Perfect for the novice mushroom hunter like myself.


Scanning the index, I finally found the section on Morels and read on to learn why they were so special. Morels are only around for 3 to 4 weeks each spring. I also learned that coveted Morel hunting grounds are passed down from generation to generation and are a well-kept secret within families. Because Morels are mycorrhizal, meaning they often grow in a symbiotic relationship with trees (typically found around trees that have died, especially elm, but also cottonwood; sometimes old fruit orchards), they usually come back in the same place season after season. On the open market, Morel mushrooms go for upwards of $35.00 a pound at farmers' markets (fresh) or $25.00 an ounce in grocery stores (dehydrated).


After I confirmed that my finds were indeed Morels (completely hollow inside) and not Verpas spp. or the toxic False Morel (Gyromitra spp.), I soaked them to remove any bugs or spiders that might have made themselves at home. If you water your garden with the water you used to wash the morels in, you might get lucky enough to have a few spores produce Morels the following year. So, I proceeded to water my flower box with the slurry and *fingers crossed* hope for Morels next spring. A girl can dream, amiright?!


That night I cleaned and pan-seared the Morels in butter, salt, and fresh garlic -- all four of us were hooked. The meaty texture was unlike anything my husband and I had ever tasted. The girls couldn't believe how different they were from the grocery-store variety and were fascinated by the almost brain-like pitted texture of the cap, poking their tiny fingers into the holes and giggling with excitement. How many other delicious wild edibles had I avoided over 30+ years of my life because I feared death or just a really upset digestive tract? So, I broke out my Nesco dehydrator, split what we had left over, dried it on the lowest setting overnight, and put it in a large Mason jar with food-grade silica gel packs. (I'll occasionally just put my nose in the jar and breathe in the smell; so earthy and wonderful, there is nothing else like it in the universe.)


Since that day, I have been on a mission to learn all I can about wild mushrooms, even the toxic ones. The way I see it is like this: our children look to us for guidance, and when they see how passionate we are about whatever in life makes us happy, they naturally want to take part. My girls will now stop and want to know more about the mushroom they are looking at, and they are 3 and 5. I've found that they are the perfect size for hunting mushrooms because, naturally, they are just so close to the ground. I'll break out my book, and we'll talk about it. I love seeing the passion they have for wild mushrooms on the trail. These moments will stay with me as treasured memories of their eagerness to connect with something that we share as a family.


So here we are. I have been researching this issue #5 for the past few months and have learned so much. I decided it was time to dig deep and put all my knowledge out there so other families might want to learn more about the magical, mysterious world of mushrooms.

You will see that I've created an identification sheet and a spore print template. I do not want to see specimens in the group that have not been thoroughly researched using a trusted method, such as a spore print. No guessing or attempting to make your specimen "fit" the description of an edible that you're hoping for. Please understand that this learning process is not about edible mushrooms and how to find them. I want you and your family to learn the different types of mushrooms in your area, so you can identify them correctly when you are out with your children or on your own. As the old saying goes, "Live for the Hunt. Tell yourself and children that, and you'll stay grounded and focused on finding the answers that you're looking for when attempting to identify an edible species that might actually be a toxic look-alike.

Thank you all, as always, for supporting our small family magazine. It's just me, my husband, and our two girls, and we plan to pass along all this awesomeness to them as long as the Interwebs are around. Treehouse will always be a free resource for you and your tribe, and we love having such a fantastic community of like-minded families to share our journey with us!

-The Treehouse Family

Link to PDF for notebook cover: Here

My Mushroom Spore Print PDF: Here

My Mushroom Spore Print -- End Result

Link to Mycelium Experiment PDF: Here

Link to PDF for Mushroom Morphology: Here

Link to PDF for Spore Print: Here

Link to Mushroom Anatomy: Here

Link to Mush-room for Puzzles: Here

Link to explanation and full list of items: Here

Link to Mycologist self-portrait: Here

Link to PDF for Amanita Addition: Here

My Monarch Butterfly Garden

Monarch butterflies were something I had not previously considered until I was at the Milwaukee County Zoo with my family.

The Zoo has two lovely butterfly gardens full of flowers and native plants. While I was walking around with my girls, I noticed signs for the Monarch Waystation and the Monarch Habitat. I had never seen anything like that before, so I decided to do a little research. It has been observed that the Monarch butterfly population has declined significantly over the past decade. Milkweed and native grasses have been replaced with housing developments and urban sprawl. Monarchs need Milkweed to survive. 

I've included a nature craft activity, My Nature Press, which complements My Butterfly Sun Catcher and will require dried flowers.  Really think about the flora and fauna in your area and let that shine in the activity.

Treehouse S.T.E.A.M. -- Gardens / Bugs / Birds Classes

If your child received a Pocket Prairie Garden seed packet, here are instructions from The Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center on how to go about starting your pocket prairie garden. The seed in this packet is for a 20 x 20 garden or 400 square feet. I'd start these seeds in early winter if you've completed your site preparation to ensure proper seed stratification.  

Site Preparation: You'll need an area where weeds have been removed via solarization (recommended), or, if herbicide application is used, ready to plant 6 weeks after application (recommended only if the weed/seed bank is high).  Soil will be prepared for seed planting 5 days after application. Bloom times are from spring through fall, and heights vary.  

The full list of species in your seed mix is as follows (seed weight varies): 

(A) = Annual (B) = Biennial (P) = Perennial 

Common Name | Botanical Name [link to plants information]

(P) Little Bluestem Grass

[Schizachyrium scoparium]

(P) Butterfly Milkweed

[Asclepias tuberosa]

(P) Common Milkweed

[Asclepias syriaca]

(P) Swamp Milkweed

[Asclepias incarnata]

(P) Blazing Star

[Liatris spicata]

(P) Purple Coneflower

[Echinacea purpurea]

(P) Lance Leaved Coreopsis

[Coreopsis lanceolata]

(P) Black Eyed Susan

[Rudbeckia hirta]

(P) Tall Verbena

[Verbena bonariensis]

(P) Autumn Sneezeweed

[Helenium autumnale]

(P) Snapdragon

[Antirrhinum majus]

(P) Wild Bergamont

[Monarda fistulosa]

(P) Obedient Plant

[Physostegia virginiana]

(P) Royal Catchfly

[Silene regia]

(P) Cardinal Flower

[lobelia cardinalis]

(P) Indian Blanket Flower

[Gaillardia pulchella]

(P) Purple Prairie Clover

[Dalea purpurea]

(P) Eastern Smooth Beardtongue

[Penstamon laevigatus]

(P) Partridge Pea

[Chamaecrista fasciculata]

(P) Mexican Hat

[Ratibida columnifera]

(P) Grey-headed Coneflower

[Ratibida pinnata]

(P) Stiff Goldenrod

[Oligoneuron rigidum]

(P) Grey Goldenrod

[Solidago nemoralis]

(P) New England Aster

[Symphyotrichum noave-angliae]

(P) California Poppy

[Eschscholzia californica]

(P) Red Corn Poppy

[Papaver rhoeas]

(B) Purple Phacelia

[Phacelia bipinnatifida]

(B) Parsley

[Petroselinum crispum]

(B) Siberian Wallflower

[Erysimum allionii]

(B) Sweet William

[Dianthus barbatus]

(B) Common Evening Primrose

[Oneothera biennis]

(A) Sunflower - Evening Sun Mixed Colors

[Helianthus annus L.]

(A) Baby Blue Eyes

[Nemophila menziesii]

(A) Linaria Fairy Bouquet

[Linaria maroccana]

(A) Calendula Fancy Mix

[Calendula officinalis]

(A) Mexican Lupine

[Lupinus spp.]

(A) Mexican Sunflower

[Tithonia rotundifolia]

(A) Cosmos

[Cosmos bipinnatus]

(A) Balsam

[Impatiens balsamina]

(A) Sulphur Cosmos

[Cosmos sulphureus]

(A) Borage

[Borago officinalis]

(A) Bachelor's Button

[Centaurea cyanus]

(A) Pincushion Flower

[Scabiosa atropurpurea]

(A) Sweet Sultan

[Amberboa moschata]

(A) Crimson Clover

[Trifolium incarnatum]

(A) China Aster

[Callistephus chinensis]

(A) Dill

[Anethum graveolens]

(A) Rocky Mtn. Bee Plant

[Peritoma serrulata]

(A) Lemon Mint

[Monarda citriodora]

(A) Bishop's Flower

[Ammi majus]

(A) Sweet Alyssum

[Lobularia maritima]

To download project sheets and print at home: Right-click the image, download as a JPEG and save to your desktop. Please note that most printers are not borderless, so you might have to cut around the edge to remove that annoying white border. So, print out your project/parent sheets and get outside!

Link: My Monarch Butterfly Garden PDF

Share your pictures with us on instagram: @treehousemagazine

Mention us on Facebook: @treehousekidsmagazine.

Send us a tweet: @mytreehousekids

We would love to know how it went!

The Treehouse Family

Link to PDF: My Butterfly Book and Life Cycle Wheel

Link to PDF: My Butterfly File 

Link to PDF: Finding Monarch Eggs and Caterpillars


Link to PDF: Monarch Instars


Link to PDF: Chrysalis to Butterfly


Link to PDF: Growing Checklist

Link to PDF: Glossary of Terms

The Fantastic Fox

Team Treehouse - The Spencer Family

Fox Tracing Sheets

Link to PDF: Fox Tracing Sheets

Fox Anatomy

Link to PDF: Fox Anatomy

Watercolor Nature Jornaling

Link to PDF: Sheet of Leaves

My Fox Puppet

Link to PDF: Illustrated Instructions  Paper Bag Template

Fox Den Terrarium

Link to PDF: Terrarium Diagram

Gratitude Card 

Link to PDF: Fox and Turkey Template

When searching for information about Red Fox anatomy, I found myself wanting more. There are not many kid-friendly anatomy charts that combine information on tracking and anatomy. 

Initially, I was going to do a simple exercise in which your child could cut out the template and glue the cotton swabs onto it. Still, I decided that I had to set the bar high and create something that truly captured the biological makeup of the Red Fox and a bit of Bushcraft. 

I greatly appreciate Bushcraft, and I am consistently underwhelmed when I search for illustrated explanations of topics that I want to explore further. Tracking is essential to understanding the habits and Biology of the Red Fox and other animals. This information helps your child connect with the subject matter and explore further when they are immersed in the forest school environment.

Cotton Swab Fox Anatomy Step by Step:

Gather your materials: 

• School Glue
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Cotton Swabs (not pictured below)
• Pencil
• Construction Paper (Black + White)

1. It will be beneficial to staple the Cotton Swab Fox Anatomy TEMPLATE to your child's piece of black construction paper. Do not staple inside the fox template; staple only in a few places along the side. Your child will now be able to cut easily around the temple. 

2. After your child has cut out the fox from the template, they will have two foxes; one will be the construction paper fox, and the other will be the blank. Your child may discard the blank or colored version and share it with a friend. 

3. Have your child glue their construction paper fox to their lighter colored construction paper, preferably in the center. They will want to leave a bit of room to add the tags and maybe draw a neat scene after the project. 

3. Now you and your child will need to decide if they want to do the beginner version of the anatomy or the more advanced. The more advanced anatomy is higher level (ages 10+), but with your guidance, you can really start to teach your child a bit of proper terminology + Biology.

4. Lastly, depending on the age of your child, you should cut different sizes of cotton swabs, so they can jump right into the activity and explore the skeleton. Larger parts of the swabs together make great skulls and pelvis, while the smaller sticks are great for the ribs and bones. You can also bend the whole swab in different ways to recreate the spine, tail, and neck. However your child decides to approach the activity, encourage exploration and talk with them about how the skeleton is the framework of the Fox, and without it, the fox couldn't run, jump, or play, just like them. 

Please share Treehouse with your friends and family, and if you feature us in your blog, please leave a link in the comments below.

To download project sheets for printing at home, right-click the image, select "Download as JPEG," and save it to your desktop. Or you can simply drag and drop. All files are 8 1/2" × 11" and are compatible with standard home printers. 

Share your pictures with us on instagram: @treehousemagazine
Please mention us on Facebook: @treehousekidsmagazine
Send us a tweet: @mytreehousekids

We would love to know how it went!

The Treehouse Family