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POLLINATOR WEEK: TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT POLLINATION

Set Up a Pollination Station Snack!

By Julie Follansbee June 19, 2016
June 20-26, 2016, is National Pollinator Week. This week was first designated by the U.S. Senate in 2007 to help bring awareness to the decline in population of pollinators, which are vital to our food supply.

On July 23 from 1pm to 4pm, the Pleasant Valley Historical Museum will host a free Pollinator Day event. Come and learn more about our native butterflies, bees and their host plants. Seeds, plant starts and books will be available, and there will be talks, booths and kids projects. RSVP FOR THE EVENT HERE

Want to Celebrate National Pollinator Week? Here's a fun and easy way to show your kids how pollinators do their jobs.

POLLINATION STATION
Photos and Craft by 
Julie Follansbee 
Help your child understand just how pollination works with this fun activity! 

What you need:
  • Juice boxes
  • Paper plates
  • Foam or paper flower cut outs
  • Cheese puffs


What you do:
1. Put the straw in the juice box and place a cut out flower (with hole in the middle) over the straw or on the side of juice box (represents the flower and nectar).

2. Next place cheese puffs around the box to represent the pollen.

3. Have the child drink the juice through the straw while it is still sitting on the plate At the same time, have them rub their fingers on the cheese puffs.

4. Remind them that they look like a butterfly drinking the nectar and collecting the pollen. Have them look at their fingers and how they are orange from the pollen.

5. Explain how the butterfly will go to the next flower and leave some of that pollen there and pick up more.

Pollination Week Resources visit: http://pollinator.org/pollinatorweek/#pw-resources

Fun Activities for the Kids: http://pollinator.org/pollinatorweek/#pw-activities

Get more information on this week: at http://pollinator.org/pollinatorweek/