A Nighttime Adventure and a Moonlit Walk
Last night, the moon was almost full as it lit up the night sky and cast long shadows from the trees. While my kids and I sat inside observing the moon, we noticed a fox in our yard hunting in the bright moonlight. It felt like one of those teachable moments that create lasting memories, so I decided we would go outside and join the fox.
Instead of getting ready for bed, I had my kids get ready to go outside. After bundling up in all their snow gear, we went for a walk in the moonlight.
The air was very still as we crunched through the snow along our country road. The Great Horned Owls sang in chorus, as they too were celebrating the almost full moon. My kids talked in whispers, as if they didn’t want to break the magic silence of the night.
Occasionally, we stopped and listened to the night sounds. We could hear animals walking through the woods on their own moonlight walks. We noticed how the moon appears to travel across the sky – as we played shadow tag by the light of the moon. As we walked, we looked at the moon and described the faces we imagined seeing in the craters.
It was a perfect winter night for an adventure and a moonlit walk.
Now it’s your turn!
A Full Moon will light up the night tonight. The moon will begin to rise around 4:40pm Central Time, and because it is rising early, it presents a perfect opportunity to go outside and observe it with your kids!
And… to help your kids learn about the phases of the moon, make sure to see our Chart the Phases of the Moon activity. This article includes a moon phase calendar that you can download and print to use with the activity, as well as links to websites to help you learn more about the moon.
Have fun, and enjoy your own moonlit walk!
