Wow! What a fun packed month of nature exploration and outdoor activities! Us Minnesotans are eager beavers when it comes to spring time. We’ve seen kids coming to school in shorts already even though temps are still in the 50’s and 60’s.

This month we had a blast learning archery. With the help of Scott Collins, a member of the local Bluffland Whitetails organization, Ray Howell founder of Kicking Bear outdoor camps, Scott Kobbs elementary school PE teacher, Luk Ranthum elementary 4th grade teacher, and Michelle Leqve first woman to shoot a polar bear with a bow & arrow, we had a great time trying out different bows and shooting at various animal targets in the local park.

We took another fossil fieldtrip and found some ancient treasures that had surfaced after the spring snow melt.

With the help of the local State Farm office, ambulance and police department and area volunteers, we were able to help sponsor a bike rodeo for the local elementary kids. We had over 100 kids attend the event and take their bikes through a safety obstacle course. Each child received a free helmet and goodie bag. We also got to watch a mock bicycle accident and learn how helmets really do save lives.

We visited Whitewater State Park to plant trees in some of the areas that were hit by last fall’s flood. It was great to learn how to properly plant the trees. The kids labled each tree with a stake that had their initial and the date so they can come back and visit their trees over the years.

We ended the month with a litter cleanup at a local park and then headed out to a nearby wildlife management area to explore the land. The kids took off running like wild children. We came back muddy, with pockets filled with rocks, fossils, sticks and other natural treasures. It was the perfect ending to an exciting month!