Parroting the parrot
It was a wet, sloshy morning at the zoo–hooray for the reptile house! The train was out of commission for the day, but clouds cleared after lunch and we were able to visit most of the animals. The favorite of the day by far was the parrot. The kids “talked” back and forth with him for the longest time, seeing who could squawk the loudest. (The parrot won 
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Tie Dye!
This month’s 4-H project was a huge mess and totally fun! Kids and parents all ended up with multi-colored hands and a spiral-dyed t-shirt. One thing we learned after getting the shirts home and washing them next day is that you really, really have to saturate the bundled shirt with the dye to get full color. Most of our shirts ended up with lots of white, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. We’ll have to try this one again sometime!
Fun at the Riverfront
Summer doesn’t mean an end to park days–just a change of scenery. This week was the splash pad! The kids loved running and splashing in the water, and the parents appreciated the shady terrace. What a great location overlooking the Alabama River. Looking forward to more splasing this summer!
Colorful Cabbage
We did some colorful experimenting with food for this month’s 4-H meeting. After creating a pH indicator from red cabbage, we used it to dye some cotton, then used more common kitchen items to “paint” the fabric…changing the pH and creating patterns of different colors. Good, messy, educational fun. 
4-H Birthday Bash
With all the May and June birthdays in our group, we decided to have a party! The kids had a blast playing with their friends, and devouring the four-leaf cupcake-cake. Everyone went home happy, with a green tongue and a sugar rush.
Dancing Raisins
We had fun with carbon dioxide this month. The kids enjoys watching raisins dance in carbonated drinks and comparing it with the carbonation created by baking soda and vinegar.
New Playground!
The kids had a blast playing on the new zoo playground. We had to beg and cajole them to take a glimpse at the animals. But, they did enjoy the baby elephant and the baby siamang ape once we finally convinced them. Looking forward to another zoo trip soon!
Fun new exhibit at MMFA
Parents and kids all enjoyed exploring the new outdoor exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Five little huts made of entwined branches–very cool! We spent more time outside the entrance than we did inside the museum. The poor birds didn’t get fed as much as usual, either.
Snakes at ANC
The kids loved “Snake Day” at the Alabama Nature Center. They learned about lots of snakes that live in our region, and even got a chance to hold some of the non-poisonous varieties. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a hike on the new Treetop Pass trail. Can’t wait for our next visit to the Nature Center!
Blocks Rock!
or our 4-H meeting this month, we brought out the tubs of Lego to see what the kids could create. We ended up with everything from spaceships to pirate ships, dog houses to dinosaur caves. The kids were all proud of their creations and the parents enjoyed hearing the stories behind them.