TurfMutt's Fall Exploration Tips for Kids

As temperatures cool and autumn leaves begin to change, the TurfMutt Foundation urges families and educators to take advantage of the crisp fall air to engage kids in hands-on outdoor learning. Whether in a private backyard or a local neighborhood park, fall provides the ideal backdrop to teach young people how to care for the living ecosystems around them.

"Fall is a peak learning season for kids, but also for getting your yard in shape," says Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation. "It’s an opportunity to take lessons outside and teach children how to care for our green spaces during this key planting and pruning season. When they understand how plants, grass and trees grow and work, they build a lasting connection to nature and can become environmental stewards.”

Four ways families and teachers can bring outdoor teaching to life this season:

• Get Kids Involved in Fall Planting. Fall is one of the best times to prep, prune and plant in your yard. Help kids research climate zones using the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to select flora that will thrive naturally in their microclimate. They will learn the "right plant, right place" principle and help them understand how to support local pollinators and wildlife while conserving water and resources.
• Visit Your Local Park. Fall is the perfect time for family nature hikes, leaf collection scavenger hunts or park clean-up days that illustrate the value of these shared public green spaces. Research from The Harris Poll for the TurfMutt Foundation shows that 89 percent of Americans view a strong park system as a top community priority.
• Utilize Free STEM Curriculum: To help educators and parents turn outdoor playtime into engaging science lessons, the TurfMutt Foundation offers free, hands-on STEM curriculum. These digital lesson plans and activities teach elementary and middle school students about carbon sequestration, soil health, stormwater management and biodiversity right in their own yards, parks or school grounds.
• Foster Hands-On Stewardship: Simple autumn yard chores can easily become environmental lessons. Kids can learn the benefits of "grasscycling” – leaving mulched leaves and grass clippings on the lawn to return vital nutrients to the soil – or help clean out flower beds to build winter habitats for backyard wildlife.

"When we teach kids to respect and nurture green spaces, we're giving them the tools to join TurfMutt’s mission to save the planet, one yard at a time," adds Kiser.

To access free STEM lessons, activity guides and tips for outdoor living, visit TurfMutt.com. Watch for Mulligan the TurfMutt during her "Mulligan Minute" segments on the Emmy Award-winning show Lucky Dog, airing Saturday mornings on CBS.