Take learning outside

Kristen Learning Outside Tinybop

Although Tinybop is based in Brooklyn, many of us find our happiest places in the great outdoors. Prospect Park and The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens are gems for reconnecting with nature. But it’s also good to get out of the city.

Sometimes, I head up to New Hampshire to visit my brother and his wife at their home. As we venture through mountains, forests, and fields, I am reminded of things I’ve seen and learned in the Explorer’s Library apps.

Wherever you are, we encourage you to take your learning outside. Here are some ideas (and free resources!) to inspire.

Take a walk in the woods, in a park, on a trail.
Do you see any interesting features? In my brother’s backyard we walk along a stream up to a waterfall. Do you live near any interesting landforms? Get a closer look!  

New Hampshire is home to the White Mountains and Mount Belknap. As we venture through the varying landscape, I can’t help but wonder, how did this all get here? 

When you're home, explore The Earth. In the app, you can see forces from inside and outside of the Earth working together to change the planet's surface. Think about the landscape and features you observed and find out how they were formed. Discover more in The Earth Handbook (free).

Cloud

Look up!
What do you notice about the sky? Do you see any interesting clouds? Precipitation? 

On one approach to the the summit of Mount Belknap, we hiked our way up into a cloud. Though this compromised our view, it made for an interesting experience. At higher altitudes, we noticed that this low-hanging cloud, or fog, began to emit mist, and at times, small raindrops.  

When you're home, play and learn in The Weather. In the app, you can peer inside a cloud, and also zoom into the water molecules to see what’s actually happening in them. Find more info, interaction hints, and discussion questions in The Weather Handbook (free)Learn more about the weather in your area by observing it everyday with The Tinybop Weather Journal (also free!). 

Look closely.
Check out the range of living things in your backyard, from plants to animals to fungi. 

In the Northeast United States, we live in a temperate forest biome. In the late spring in New Hampshire, flowers are in full bloom and deciduous trees are lush with green leaves. In the fall, leaves turn yellow, orange, and red. In the winter, we'd be walking through snow. 

When you're home, explore three different biomes in Plants. The app beautifully illustrates temperate forest, desert, and tundra. Learn more in The Plants Handbook (free).