Backyard Adventures

You don’t have to go further than your backyard to have an adventure. These fun, mini-adventures help students see the world with eyes of wonder and to learn by playing. They will teach all three steps of our formula. First, we’ll inspire you with a dream. Second, you’ll have to plan your adventure. And third, you’ll get to do it! Along the way, we hope you find a few things that you’ll love to do and learn how to overcome obstacles and have fun doing it!

Monarch Butterfly laying egg on milkweed
Backyard Adventures

Raise your own monarch butterflies

I think butterflies are one of the most amazing animals on Earth. And you can raise them right in your own backyard. Plant milkweed, watch tiny striped caterpillars grow, and witness the miraculous transformation from chrysalis to butterfly. Along the way, you’ll explore big questions about migration, instinct, and nature’s hidden mysteries. You might even find one in yourself.

Terraced garden peppers and tomatoes and pollinating plants
Backyard Adventures

Create your own ecosystem

What happens when you turn a patch of grass into a tiny wild world? In this Backyard Adventure, a simple change invites butterflies, birds, and all kinds of surprising creatures to move in—and shows how even the smallest yard can become its own ecosystem.

Bingo Scavenger Hunt Backyard Edition. Two cards, plus a blank grid and spare parts to make your own custom bingo board
Backyard Adventures

Bingo scavenger hunt — backyard edition

Bingo Scavenger Hunt: Backyard Edition. Play at home or with your neighbor. You’ll be surprised at everything you discover: plants, animals, bugs, rocks, stars and more.

Mars rover cartoon
Backyard Adventures

Visit Mars from your backyard

You can visit Mars right from your own home or backyard in more ways than one. Yes! Seriously.

International Space Station over Earth the pale blue dot.
Backyard Adventures

Spot the International Space Station

Here is an easy backyard adventure that I have done 3 times already. You can easily spot the International Space Station flying overhead. It looks a lot like a fast airplane except that’s a lot higher and traveling thousands of miles an hour.

Garden harvest peppers and tomatoes
Backyard Adventures

Grow food NOT grass

What better way to have a backyard adventure than to grow a garden? We recommend you start with a potted plant like basil.

Are you a flutterby or a butterfly? Don't let life pass you by.
Backyard Adventures

Are you a flutterby?

Do you stop to smell the flowers and sip the nectar of life? Or do you just flutter past everything and let your wings get caught in the winds of life?

A colorful elephant sculpture with a big smile. It's made out of recyclable laundry detergent bottles.
Backyard Adventures

An elephant-sized lesson in recycling

This is a great, life-sized example of just how much stuff we consume. Now multiple this by every school in the country. Wow! That would be about 137,000 plastic elephants.

Students examine red worms and compost bin
Backyard Adventures

Worms eat my garbage

Your adventure, should you choose to accept it, is to build your own compost bin at home. This is a great way to recycle your scraps and reduce your eco-footprint.

Pacific Sideband Snail, Monadenia Fidelis
Backyard Adventures

Photo Safari

Backyard Adventures. Fun, mini-expeditions helping students and parents see the world with eyes of wonder. First in my series is the Photo Safari.