Full Moon – Wineberry Woods

29Jan 2026 by catbird No Comments

What is the Pink Moon & a Coloring Page

Folklore, Full Moon, Pink Moon, Play, Scavenger Hunt, Spring

Many modern moon name lists suggest that the Pink Moon is named for the emergence of phlox subulata, or moss phlox, which is a native North American wildflower with pink flowers that blooms in April. However, I cannot track down a single actual source beyond the Farmer’s Almanac for this claim. (And the Farmer's Almanac does not expand on where this info came from which is unusual.) I do find that pink is everywhere this time of year—most welcome after a gray winter—so I've decided to roll with it. Moss phlox does, after all, bloom in April along with a host of other pink flowers like cherry blossom and spring beauty. That said, I wouldn't feel at all obligated to stick with this name because the phlox claim is weak at best. The Cherokee…

29Jan 2026 by catbird No Comments

What is the Worm Moon & a Coloring Page

Folklore, Full Moon, Learning, Play, Worm Moon

Jonathan Carver yet again is credited as the source of the name "Worm Moon", claiming it was a Dakota name. However, every Dakota resource I have found calls this full moon the Sore Eyes Moon, which refers to the glare of the sun off snow. (“Sore Eyes Moon” is how this moon’s name translates from the Lakota and Assiniboine dialects as well.) Allegedly, in the late 1700s, Jonathan Carver wrote that the worms actually refer to larvae that are emerging from winter hideouts around this time. Where I live in the Mid Atlantic, snow is receding in March, and spring is just starting to peek through. I often think of March as the muddy month. Worms make their first trip to the surface as the ground unfreezes and leave their little…

29Jan 2026 by catbird No Comments

What is the Snow Moon & a Coloring Page

Craft Project, Folklore, Free Printable, Full Moon, Learning, Snow Moon, Winter

February is the snowiest month where I live, and according to the National Weather Service it’s the snowiest month nationwide. According to the Farmer’s Almanac’s list, this month’s full moon is called the Snow Moon based on the report of Captain Jonathan Carver, a colonial expedition leader who claimed the Lakota people called it that. The translation of the Lakota name that I have found is substantially more poetic: When Trees Crack Because of Cold Moon. Similarly, the Abenaki people observe the Makes Branches Fall in Pieces Moon. The Arapaho call this the Frost Sparkling in the Sun Moon, and the Comanche call it the Sleet Moon. I have continued to call it the snow moon because it's concise and easier to fit on graphics, but in my head I think…

05May 2025 by catbird No Comments

“My Love for You is Like the Night Sky”

Full Moon, get outside, Hike Ideas, Picture Book Hikes, Play, STEAM

Picture Book Hikes are a fun and easy way to bring learning outside. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related hike, activity and snack suggestions! My Love for You is Like the Night Sky Written & illustrated by: by Laura Smetana My Love for You is Like the Night Sky is a lovely, lyrical story about how much a parent loves their kiddo. Gentle, spare text full of night sky and space metaphors, (glittering galaxies! full moons!) make this a fun book to introduce younger friends to moon phases, constellations, and the solar system. A perfect wind down/ bedtime book, Laura's beautiful illustrations could also be a jumping off point for a moon study. Thank you to Flying Cardinal Press for providing this book…

09Sep 2024 by catbird No Comments

Harvest Moon Sun Catcher

Autumn, Craft Project, Folklore, Foraging, Full Moon, Harvest Moon, Nature Art, Nature Collection, Play

I know, I know, it should really be a moon catcher, but those aren't a thing and not all littles can stay up late enough to see the full moon! The Harvest Moon is what the September full moon is called in Europe and parts of North America. In most of Asia it is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and while I don't live in Asia, I find this celebration and it's related folktales super inspiring. I am also always interested in similarity of celebrations across cultures, and you will find some sort of harvest celebration in just about every place with a temperate climate this time of year, many with similar traditions. The Mid Autumn Festival is connected to the folktale of Chang'e and the Moon Rabbit. It's a lovely…

14Mar 2024 by catbird No Comments

Worm Moon Seed Bombs

Craft Project, Full Moon, Garden, Play, Spring, Worm Moon

If you know me, then you know I have something of a seed bomb obsession, I am always thinking of ideas for seed bomb projects! I think it's because they combine two of my favorite things- sculpting and gardening. I knew I wanted to use worm castings in this one for the worm moon, and I decided to shape it like a moon too! The worm castings will add extra nutrients and give your seeds a great start in lofe. Moonflowers were then the obvious seed to tuck inside, or any moon garden sort of flowers. You can buy worm castings in the fertilizer section of garden stores, or you can scoop them off the ground. Be sure to tell kids that they are worm poop- they love that stuff!…

25Jan 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Frost Moon Sun Catcher

Craft Project, Frost Moon, Full Moon, Play, Winter

This sun catcher uses the exact same solution as my frost paint, but creates a thick layer in a clear lid instead of a thin layer on a piece of paper. It's extremely simple to make, but will take several days to dry out completely. It is a super saturated salt solution which will grown into crystalline feathers as the water evaporates. Because it's trapped in a plastic lid instead of expose to the air on your paper it will take longer. It’s fairly unpredictable and it’s best to embrace that and enjoy the process. The way the crystal grow is similar to the way frost forms! Materials: 1/2 cup epsom salt 1/2 cup water jar with a lid a clear plastic lid watercolor (optional) Method: Put the epsom salt…

25Jan 2024 by catbird No Comments

Scented Crystal Snowflakes

Craft Project, Full Moon, Play, Snow Moon, STEAM, Winter

Another snowflake project to celebrate the snow moon! Can you really even have enough snowflakes? This would be a great project to do with a snow lesson, Snowflake Bentley, White Snow Bright Snow and the Story of Snow are all favorite books in our house. Snowflakes are a type of crystal that forms around a bit of dust or debris as it falls from the sky and famously each one is unique. Scented Crystal Snowflakes I’ve always loved making borax crystals– I supersaturate the borax solution so that larger crystals form. Most recipes use a lot less borax and that will work, but it will form much smaller crystals.I like to add essential oil to the solution so that it smells nice, but it's completely optional. Ingredients: White or blue…

25Jan 2024 by catbird 2 Comments

Snow Cream

Full Moon, Play, Recipes, Snow Moon, Winter

I didn’t realize until adulthood that snow cream is a peculiarity of the Mid-Atlantic states-- we aren’t quite in sugar on snow territory-- but we still get a fair amount of snow. The recipe is a loose guideline at best-- get some snow, add something creamy and sweet to it and eat it quickly before it melts. When I was a kid it was always chocolate syrup, as an adult I like the creaminess of the condensed milk and vanilla. I almost never make this quantity, instead we fill individual bowls up with snow and add the condensed milk to taste with extremely imprecise measurements. However if you want to use up a whole can of condensed milk, this is how you do it. Ingredients: 8 ish cups of clean…

25Jan 2024 by catbird No Comments

Paper Snowflakes for the Snow Moon

Craft Project, Full Moon, Play, Snow Moon, Winter

One of the simplest ways to celebrate this snowy full moon (aside from just going outside and playing in the snow!) is to make paper snowflakes. The trick in making lovely paper snowflakes is in the way you fold the paper-- even toddler made snowflakes look fancier when folded like this. You can also use coffee filters if you prefer for a similar result. Folding Paper Snowflakes If you are starting with a rectangular piece of paper, fold the left corner down diagonally so it makes a triangle and is flush with the opposite edge. Trim off the skinny rectangle that falls below your folded triangle. (If you start with a square, just fold your paper in half diagonally.) Next, fold your triangle in half diagonally again. Now the trickiest…

Category: Full Moon