We found out today at the “Who Lives Underground?” class at Rockwood Park Nature Center.  I know I am supposed to be the adult with all the answers, but I really didn’t know the answer to that question.  Worms, moles, rabbits… What else?








Well, Miss Denise filled us in.  First the kids made a hilariously cute craft, a mole in hole.  It’s a little paper picture of a mole which the kids color and glue to the end of a popsicle stick.  Then the mole comes poking out of a hole, namely the cardboard center of a roll of paper towel which the kids color as well.  Sam was thrilled.  So was I since it was so age appropriate that I really didn’t have to interject myself much at all, except to encourage him to let the glue dry before playing with it.  Right now he really wants to do everything he can on “By Myself,” so it was win-win all around.  Go, Sam!  Go, Miss Denise!

Miss Denise gathered the group and spilled the information to the moderately well-behaved kiddos—snakes, turtles (some anyway), chipmunks, ants, spiders, as well as moles, worms and rabbits.  She then read some neat books about underground animals,  and we were off for the Great Outdoors for a hike! 

Miss Denise dug up some worms for us.  For her next trick, she rolled a log toward herself so nothing would leap out at her and bite her.  There she discovered a real live black widow spider lying underneath.  Really!  I was sceptical, too, until I saw it myself, black with red spots.  It kind of reminded me of a big ladybug, but nooooooo.  We all made sure to stay back.  As my father would say, “I don’t have time to go to a funeral!”

And we were off—with our mole in a hole, some coloring sheets, and a big tales to tell.  Pretty good for an hour and $4, huh?  You betcha!