It is already August! Time flies and so do projects. This month, we are going to share with you the latest progress on the daycare forest project, and introduce you to another essential inhabitant of our forests: the squirrel. This cute creature knows how to win our hearts. But what about learning more about them?

This month, we have also got a surprise in store for you. A turnkey activity that you can easily carry out with your children before the end of summer.

A family treasure hunt

Here you will find a family adventure in the heart of nature. This treasure hunt takes you on a journey to discover the hidden wonders of the forests around us. During a walk, you and your children can explore the forest, observe natural elements, and even meet some of its inhabitants, all while spending some quality time together.

How to play?

✅ Before setting off, print out the activity and bring a pencil.

✅ As you walk through the forest, try to find each of the natural elements listed below.

✅ Tick off each element you find. You can even take a photo for a souvenir!

A few tips :

Stay on the marked trails, observe nature without disturbing it, and enjoy every moment spent outdoors. And remember to wash your hands thoroughly if you touch a mushroom.

This activity is a great opportunity to reconnect with nature, learn together and create memories as a family.

You’ll notice that one of the items to be found in this treasure hunt is a squirrel. But before you set off in search of them, do you know everything about them?

The squirrel : An inescapable inhabitant of our forests

When we think of squirrels, we tend to think of them as the acrobats of the forest, thanks to their great agility. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see them leap quickly and impressively. But did you know that these small mammals also play a major role in their environment?

Here are some interesting facts about these woodland inhabitants.

Great contributors to the forest!

Squirrels are notorious for hiding nuts and seeds in the ground for the winter. Although they remember hundreds of places where they have buried their food, they sometimes forget where they buried it.

Their keen sense of smell helps them find certain hiding places, but this is sometimes not enough. This forgetfulness encourages the growth of new trees, so squirrels contribute to forest regeneration without even realizing it!

Great athletes!

Squirrels can leap up to 10 times their body length and rotate 180 degrees in mid-jump to land safely. Incredible! If they had not been squirrels, they could almost have competed in the Olympics games!

Their bushy tail, a characteristic feature of squirrels, acts as a pendulum. It is how they keep their balance when moving several meters above the ground. It also helps them keep warm in winter.

A varied diet!

Squirrels are often associated with hazelnuts and acorns, but their diet is actually much more diverse. They eat fruit, mushrooms, insects and sometimes even small birds or eggs!

Fun fact

Canada has 22 species of squirrel!

Some squirrel species are more solitary than others. Gray squirrels, for example, are vigorous territorial defenders.

In fact, they are the most widespread species in Canada. The gray squirrel is not necessarily gray, but can also be black. This is a variation of their coat, a bit like us, with our different hair colors.

The red squirrel and two species of flying squirrel are also found in the area. The latter are difficult to observe, however, as they are small, nocturnal and prefer the treetops.

We are very lucky in Greater Sudbury, as we have recently been able to observe them at Science North!

The next steps in the daycare forest project :

As you are probably already aware, since we have talked about it on numerous occasions, the action-research project is now complete.

A webinar will be held on September 24 to share the results of the action-research. This webinar will be open to the public, and you are welcome to attend. Do not hesitate to send us a message to find out more.

Here is the Zoom link.

We will now focus on training staff to adapt this program in all Carrefour francophone early childhood centers, as well as in any other interested francophone early childhood centers in Ontario.

As always, we will be sharing more about this in the weeks to come.

Share your adventures with us!

We would also love to hear about your adventures in the forest! Do not hesitate to share with us your photos or experiences after completing the treasure hunt.

In the meantime, do not forget to take the time to reconnect with nature. Make the most of your outings in the forest, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy these precious moments with your loved ones. Nature has so much to offer, so have fun and enjoy the adventure!

Carrefour francophone would like to say thank you

Our project partners: PLAYLearnThink, Collège Boréal, Centre Louis Riel; our research partners: Child and Family Social Innovation Centre and our funder: Employment and Social Development Canada.