How to Make Frontier Toys
Pioneer children used common household items to make toys to amuse themselves and impress their family and friends. Two of the toys they would make are called whirligigs and thaumatropes. You can also make some for yourself. Download detailed instructions on how to make a whirligig and thaumatrope at home today. Unleash your creativity and enjoy!
Hands On History: Animal Furs and Tracks
For hundreds of years Native people in Minnesota traded furs. Enjoy these two activities that will help you identify animals by their fur and tracks.
Fur Identification
Examine the 12 different furs displayed in the Animal Fur Challenge sheet below (click to open/print). Can you identify which animals the fur comes from? There's a key on the last page, but don't cheat! Take the Animal Fur Identification Challenge today.
Animal Track BINGO (OHIYA)
After identifying animals by their fur, try your hand at doing so based on their tracks. Animal Track Bingo is a fun activity that will help you learn the tracks of 10 different Minnesota animals. If there’s snow on the ground, be a nature detective and go animal track sleuthing in your neighborhood or a nearby park.
Click on the documents below and print them for use in your own Animal Track BINGO game at home!
Caller's card
Player's card
Player's key
Nature Enthusiations
Go outside and take a walk, pay attention to your natural surroundings, look for animal tracks, or the animals themselves! Your environment can be an endless source of fun, learning, and new experiences.
The Wonder Walk activity teaches you how to relate to the natural world around you. Color Challenge lets you compare colors in your home to those in the great outdoors. Tracks and Trails helps you learn how to identify animals by the tracks and trails they leave behind. Animal Observations makes you more observant of what animals are doing and helps you figure out why they do what they do.
Download the handy guide to all four fun and educational activities.
Play Bloomington PARK
How many Bloomington Park adventures have you taken? Can you get four in a row to spell out PARK? Why stop there. Go for a "blackout" and enjoy all 16 fun experiences! Download (and print if you'd like) the flyer below and get started on your Bloomington PARK journey today!
Bloomington PARK.pdf
Discover the MN Nokomis Trail
Exploring the Nokomis-Minnesota Valley Regional Trail is a great way to get out and exercise, while enjoying many fun and interesting stops along the way. Take a look at this brief and informative video.
Tierney’s Woods Hike
Venture this Bloomington owned trail, operated by Three Rivers Park District with tree lined trails and water views.
