Central Coast California

For those who live on the Central Coast of California, there is a wonderful program run through the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District (MPRPD).  They offer a variety of outdoor activities, for children through to adults.  We decided to take full advantage of it over the summer vacation and schedule activities for the kids.  One of those was a trip to the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve.

After meeting up with our guide, the kids all enjoyed a craft activity.  They made pasta necklaces (dyed in assorted colors) and we discussed the different colors with them and compared those colors to what they might find in the park - birds, flowers, bark, leaves etc.  Making a necklace was their ticket to going on a short 1 mile hike around the wetlands - of course Flynn ended up doing 2 laps.  Along the walk we stopped to listen for the different bird calls, sit under the redwoods, do bark rubbings and spot the woodpecker nests.  After the walk the kids enjoyed snacks and worked on some frog activities - drawings and molding clay before saying farewell to their guide.

The colors we found on our hike: