Summer Discoveries: Animals Tour

We have been having a wonderful summer in the Summer Discoveries program. So far we have served about 500 kids from summer programs in and around Boston. Trips include a walking tour and then an art project. One of our favorite tours is a tour that focuses on animals. While walking through the cemetery, we talk about how Victorian Bostonians used animals on tombstones as guardians and to show who they were. In addition, we look at contemporary art. At Opening, shown above, we talk about animal homes inside of trees. The kids also love discovering animals that live here. We have seen big bullfrogs sitting with their heads above water and also little turtles swimming in and out of the lily pads. They love seeing birds, too, such as cardinals, blue jays, and even, on occasion, a hawk.

Here is a map so you can walk the tour, too:

At the end of the tour we create guardian animal lamps. Kids cover clear cups with colorful tissue paper and then cut out construction paper animals to glue on top. When a small electric tea light is placed inside, the animal shapes stand out against the tissue paper.