Want to take the family to Costa Rica? You can do it without the expense, the time or the travel involved. Just hop on the internet express. The internet provides us with up close glimpses of almost any country we wish to visit.
All aboard! Let’s check out the weather and climate of the country first to make sure we are wearing the right clothing. The cloud mountains may cause us to bring a hoodie and rain jacket, but when we go towards the ocean, we want sleeveless knit tops and shorts. The weather channel for Costa Rica told us that.
And when you go hiking around the Arenal Volcano, you’ll want closed toed shoes because of small rocks, bugs and wet foliage. An inexpensive rain poncho is always good to put in the backpack for those sudden cloud bursts as the weather passes over the mountains.
Traveling on the Net
I think you’re starting to see a pattern here. Even though you may not actually physically transport yourself and your family to Costa Rica, you can have a lot of fun planning and taking your trip with the help of the internet. (As an alternative, you can use books from the library.) If you have school age children, give them an assignment such as:
--What is the weather like in Costa Rica?
--What will our route be to get to the cloud mountains?
--What will we need to take to wear?
They can then do research on the internet to find out the answers and come back with a report. If you have several children, give them different questions. This travel exercise would also be good for a small learning group. Maybe your child will even pack a backpack and bring it along to show the items they will need for the trip. Don’t forget the bug spray.
Watching Wildlife
Of course, what would a trip to Costa Rica be without seeing the wildlife!
--What wildlife species are in Costa Rica?
--Where do you find each?
--Can you find a picture of each species you hope to see?
Your children can each take an animal or two they wish to see and research its habitat, what it eats and where it lives. They can share with you and others what they have learned.
Of course, you don’t really need to stop at just visiting Costa Rica….maybe you’d rather go to Africa or India or England. The list is endless. And who knows, maybe one day you really will travel to your chosen destination and see the sights you researched on your internet journey.
Safe travels wherever you go.
Deanna Frautschi is a local Naturalist who is passionate about connecting families with nature. Using her knowledge of wildlife and her photography skills, she helps others enjoy the nature around them. If you have any questions about exploring nature with your children and grandchildren, you may contact Deanna at Decardinal@aol.com. Join the hundreds who follow her on Facebook where she posts photographs and short video clips of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels as well as in her yard. You can also join her "Nature Lady Lessons" and "Hummingbirds Anonymous" Facebook group pages.
