WYP DIY Activities

Nearby nature is all around! From art projects, to stories, to natural recipes, we are providing you with resources that more deeply engage children and adults with the natural world.

PRE-K RESOURCES

Click through the different sections for ideas on nature connection activities, stories & music, and advice, created and curated by Kelly Villaruel & Kristin Van Der Kar, our lead mentors for Woolly Bears & Chickadees programs.

ACTIVITIES

EXPLORE SANTA BARBARA

Explore Santa Barbara with our interactive map! Click a location to read a place profile, watch a sit scene, and get ideas for exploring!

While most areas in Santa Barbara are still open, you can stay up-to-date on all California State Park closures and other park-related COVID-19 news here. Please remember to keep a six foot distance from others, regularly wash your hands, and tread lightly on the land.

Browse through our flash connection & adventure activities for each place below the map!

Camino Corto Open Space

FLASH CONNECTION: Different Habitat, Different Life

There are two main habitats in Camino Corto Open Space: the wide open grassy fields, and the shadier riparian strip. What do you notice about the plant and animal life in these two different habitats? How are the plants different? Are they greener in the fields, or underneath the trees? Can you see more birds in the fields, or amongst the plant life in the riparian strip? Where do you hear the most birds?

ACTIVITY: Scavenger Hunt

Despite its relatively small size, Camino Corto Open Space has many hidden fun spaces to find! See if you can find everything on the following list:

  • A red barn
  • 3 bridges
  • A big patch of nasturtiums
  • A circle of really tall eucalyptus trees
  • Where the horses live
  • A big patch of blackberry bushes
  • A bush big enough for you to crawl into and sit inside
  • A vernal pool (or where a vernal pool would be if it had been raining)
  • A creek (or a dry creekbed)
Campus Point
Parma Park
Rattlesnake Canyon
The Pines
San Marcos Foothills Preserve

STORYTIME

Check out local organizations and resources for the community below!