Nature

If you can get past the skyscrapers and sidewalks of New York City you may start to see the diverse natural environment we live in. Our city is made up of beaches, forests, marshlands and glacier formations. There are animals everywhere, too, seals in the harbor, red-tailed hawks on Fifth Avenue, raccoons in Central Park and coyotes have recently been spotted lurking around in northern Manhattan and The Bronx. And since we are located on the eastern flyway, our skies are filled with hundreds of different species of birds.  My family is passionate about the natural world around us and so are many other New Yorkers as evidenced by the myriad of nature centers available to us – even in the winter.

Nature centers are a great way to while away a winter’s day and maybe even learn something you didn’t already know about the city. Drop in during their open hours and check out the exhibits that cover animals, plants, history and geography. Or hit one of the many special events or organized group activities going on all winter. The best part is there is no entrance fee to visit (but some centers will accept a donation.) 

It is way more exciting to see animals in the wild than it is to see them at the zoo. And even here in New York City we are able to glimpse some animals in their natural habitat– and I don’t mean rats, squirrels or pigeons, either. Each fall hundreds of harbor seals start their annual journey from Maine for a warmer climate, traveling south until they reach the temperate waters surrounding Long Island.

On any given night, it can be hard to find a visible star, let alone a constellation, here in the City. With all of the ambient light, you might think it's near impossible to do any star gazing at all. But even with the neon signs and lights, there are amateur astronomy clubs that gather weekly and find wonders in the nighttime skies, not to mention the university observatories that are open to the public.

I remember when they originally opened the Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit at The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, what a revelation it was. To be able to stand with just a thin layer of glass separating us from those amazing animals. I can hardly believe that the Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit is now celebrating it's 10th Anniversary. Has it really been 10 years!?!

The 10th Anniversary of the Congo Gorilla Forest makes now an especially good time to visit, because The Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo is celebrating with special programs that highlight the Congolese culture. There will be traditional African drum and dance performances by the Harambee Dance Company, kids can watch “lunchtime with the gorillas” at 2pm each day, and experience the crafts of the Republic of Congo with artisans from the Museum for African Art leading workshops in Basket-making, Gourd Adornment, Bead-making and Mask making. Best of all, visiting the zoo contributes to WCS's ongoing conservation work with gorillas and the Congo

You don't have to go far to have an amazing kid friendly farm experience.  In nearby New Jersey your children can crack corn, collect eggs, see baby pigs, goats and sheep, and even see how cheese and bread are made.  The foodie in you will rejoice in the cheese tasting while your children delight in the baby lambs. 

Where to see farm animals in New Jersey:

In a recent post we asked readers to leave questions for us as their entry into our giveaway. You all left lots of great questions and, while some of the answers are inexplicable (like why they haven't built a walking bridge over the Hudson River to NJ), we are going to try to go through them an answer as many of them as we can. If you have a question you'd like us to try to answer, send it to us.

kmaloy asks: Are there any gardening classes for kids outside of the NY Botanical Garden?

Good question. We actually wrote about gardening classes almost exactly one year ago, so it's high time to update it. Of course, the New York Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden both offer great gardening classes, but there are a couple of other places to learn garden with kids in NYC also. In addition to gardening classes, there are many community gardens, gardening events and volunteer opportunities where kids can dig in and get planting. Here's what we found:

It’s true that the Staten Island Zoo isn’t the most extravagant and is the Bronx Zoo’s smaller cousin, but its still has a whole lot to offer and is a great place for kids to really hang out with animals.

In 2007, a newly renovated Reptile Wing opened with an extensive collection of reptiles and amphibians, and a “Fear Zone” that teaches visitors the truth, and talks about the myths behind venomous creatures. It really is a lot of fun and teaches kids respect for these animals, instead of fear.

The Reason For a Flower by Ruth Heller is one of my favorite children’s books. It teaches us that “the reason for a flower is to manufacture seeds.” My last post was Wildflowers Everywhere, well those beautiful spring flowers have produced many interesting fruit. Fruit is the part of the plant that holds the seeds. Within all of these fruit are seeds you can collect.

Playing with seeds is fun! Collect a number of different fruit and seeds and have your children sort them, count them, draw them, contrast and compare their shapes and colors. Some of the seeds can be put in soil and they will germinate or grow right away. Some might need to be planted outside and go through one winter before they germinate. It’s fun to walk up to a tree and see what surprises are in store for you. But we are not the only ones who need and value fruit and seeds. Our city’s wildlife: seed eating birds, squirrels, chipmunks and other rodents depend upon the fruit and their seeds that our trees produce. Here are some fruit to look for in midsummer.

Photos by Leslie Day

All summer long, New York City is filled with beautiful flowers and gorgeous scents. Mommy Poppins' resident naturalist Leslie Day has put together this guide of local wild flowers for you to look for as your explore your streets and parks and some background science so you can turn a walk in the park into a teachable moment.

Linden Tree Flowers (above)
Everywhere you go on the Upper West Side and on streets that have these lovely trees throughout the five boroughs, you smell the heavenly scent of linden tree flowers. Show your children the leafy bracts that each flower cluster is attached to. When the flowers produce seeds, these modified leaves carry the seed clusters to the ground like little helicopters. At night, when you emerge from the subway, you are greeted with this heady perfume. Follow your nose!

You don't have to move to the suburbs to experience nature right in your own backyard. Here in New York City we have more nature all around us than most people realize. I asked Leslie Day, author of Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City, to give NYC parents some ideas for how to find, experience and learn about nature with kids in New York. Read her article below for NYC nature activities; and I highly recommend her book, with detailed information on the flora and fauna of NYC and where you can find them, as an excellent resource to help you get more nature out of NYC with kids!