Isn’t it fantastic to know that University of Illinois Extension provides take home kits that inspire children to learn? The kits provide parents, caregivers, and teachers an easy way to engage children in meaningful learning experiences about the world around them.

Created by Extension professionals as well as Master Gardener and Master Naturalist volunteers, each kit contains materials, complete instructions and tips for engaging students in the activities. Four new kits are developed each quarter for children ages pre-school through eighth grade. The new kits, as well as all past lessons for prior kits, can be found online.

Wendy Ferguson, horticulture program coordinator said, “We are thrilled with the tremendous response from the community with almost 1800 kits delivered this past year. Knowing some were unable to receive the kits last year, we are bringing back two of the most popular, Anatomy of Insects and Winter Sowing this fall. We encourage teachers and parents to register for the kits as early as possible as they go quickly.”

The four kits offered this quarter are:

• Anatomy of Insects: (for ages PreK – 3rd grade) Learn the parts of an insect through this quick and fun craft project. Create your own butterfly while learning the names of the 4 main parts of an insect.
• Fall Leaves: Part 2: (for all ages) Collect a rainbow of colorful leaves and learn why leaves change colors. Use your collected materials to make a costume leaf mask just in time for Halloween.
• Spectacular Spiders: (for ages PreK – 3rd grade) Learn how spiders are different than insects and how they help the environment. Create your own spider out of a pinecone.
• Winter Sowing: (for all ages) Find out how to support Monarch butterflies by growing milkweed plants. Create your own mini greenhouse out of a water bottle. Put it in your garden at Thanksgiving and let nature take over. See what grows in spring.

Order your kits online today. Pick up is available at the Extension offices in Galesburg, Macomb, Monmouth, and Stronghurst. Quantities for the take home kits are limited. To learn more, contact Wendy Ferguson, horticulture program coordinator.

SOURCE: Wendy Ferguson, Horticulture Program Coordinator, Illinois Extension

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