September Creek Club

This fall, we enrolled Madeleine in Millersburg Preschool. She won't be able to attend the preschool until after she turns 3, but we are getting involved in some of the schools other activities to get to know the other families and so Madeleine can get to know the teacher, Miss Sherri. One thing they do is Creek Club. Creek Club is once a month on a Sunday afternoon. It's open to all MPS families, and there is no age limit for the kids. Everyone meets at Miss Sherri's house out in Millersburg. Then they take a walk through her back 40 down to Big Cedar Creek, which runs across her land. Along the way, they observe and talk about different habitats - fence row, field, etc. They talk about the plants, animals, and bugs they find. They check in on the dead beaver they found a year or so ago and see how far it's decayed (it's to the point where he's down to just his skeleton now). When they get to the creek, they are turned loose with their nets and buckets to catch and examine fish, tadpoles, crawdads, etc. Madeleine loved it - although Shannon said she was more interested in filling up her bucket with water than catching a critter in it. Our next Creek Club adventure is in October.
Madeleine, all ready in her boots and hat.
Miss Sherri (in tan) and the group check out the decomposing beaver.
Madeleine and her gear.
Miss Sherri and a turtle friend.
Madeleine splashes in what's left of Big Cedar Creek. Evidently, the creek in way down this year; there is usually a lot more water to play in.
Group photo at "Picture Rock" along the trail down to the creek.
On the trail with Miss Sherri's dog, Moggy Doggy
Miss Sherri makes everyone a Creek Club journal to record their discoveries. Literacy is a huge component of her preschool, and she encourages all the kids to do their own journaling. Later, she will put postage-stamp sized photographs from the day in the journals.
Madeleine journaled about "A frog, a fish, and water"
Enjoying a well-deserved juice box.