Our 7 Best Kids Articles from 2016

Earlier this year in August, GC checked out the Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum, a place where STEM grows in equal measure with plants.

Nora’s take: “I was completely blown away by the Children’s Adventure Garden. I’ve been to a lot of children’s gardens and I can safely say: no one else does it like this. Digital technology and nature peacefully co-exist, side-by-side, creating a space that feels equipped to not only educate but to thoughtfully engage younger generations. And with its Texas scale, it’s the kind of place you can take kids back to again and again.”

This summer, we savored our edible flowers by pickling them and adding them to various salads and snacks– exactly the kind of refreshing, salty, sour taste we crave on hot summer days.

Nora’s take: “Eating pickles on summer vacation while watching Indiana Jones is one of my earliest and fondest memories– but this pick isn’t just a nostalgia rush. Pickles are a fun, easy way to introduce Lil’ Sprouts to kitchen science and basic recipes. Plus, pickles leave a lot of freedom when it comes to flavor, so kids can embrace and experiment with what they like best.”

Not wanting to let all those pretty petals go to waste, we transformed our old bouquet into bespoke rose paper.

Nora’s take: “In addition to being just a downright beautiful project, making rose paper is a great way to learn about upcycling and how we can find a second purpose for things that might otherwise be considered ‘dead’. Plus, the tactile experience of squeezing pulp is exactly the kind of messy project kids love.”

Almost an antithesis to the built up landscape of NYC, Floyd Bennet Field is an abandoned airport turned nature preserve in Queens.

Nora’s take: “As a fan of apocalypse narratives, Floyd Bennet Field definitely goes on my list of Top 10 Coolest Things in NYC. With its decayed buildings and feral cats, the space is just eerie enough that you aren’t completely creeped out but do feel like you’re in an alternate timeline. For kids who love action or YA novels, Floyd Bennet Field is the perfect place to let yourself– and your imagination– run wild.”

Back in spring, we used dark peonies to make bespoke floral ink, for a beautiful DIY worthy of adults and kids alike.

Nora’s take: “Like GC’s bespoke rose paper, this is another great way to upcycle fading bouquets. (You could even use the floral ink…on your rose paper! #FloralsOnFlorals) Pounding the petals is also a fun, tactile activity for kids (especially when they’re stuck indoors) and the ink can be saved for future projects. Plus, there’s lots of room to experiment with different flowers and see what colors you can come up with.”

As your garden begins to wake in March and April, so too do calamitous pests. Fortunately, releasing ladybugs is a fun and easy solution.

Nora’s take: “Releasing ladybugs is something I loved to do with my mom as a kid– so in this case, I acknowledge a bit of nostalgia at play. But that should tell you what a fun, lasting experience it is– that it’s stuck with me all this time. Outside of the playful element, releasing ladybugs is a good way to teach kids about beneficial insects in the garden, and the different ecosystems at play in their own backyard.”

Last winter, when GC was in Southern California for the Palm Springs Film Festival, we stopped by Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, just on the edges of Palm Desert, to check out their impressive collection of botany and wildlife.

Nora’s take: “The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens has a distinct sense of adventure about it, located somewhat remotely as it is. The coolest part was definitely at the back of the park, which opens up into the unadulterated landscape of Southern California’s desert. The hiking trails are relatively mellow, ensuring kids can participate without feeling overwhelmed.”