Humber Arboretum

The Humber Arboretum was another field trip destination for our group. It was another location that proved to be a valuable visit for us, especially since we are learning about trees this month. There were so many things for us to do see and do, and the Humber students were very kind to our group. In fact, many of the Humber students that we crossed paths with while navigating the arboretum were so pleased to see the kids there, and wished them a happy and safe visit. We ventured into the arboretum itself, which is huge! The kids did an amazing job that day, as a lot of walking was required, but they were troopers. We were excited to see the wildlife that lived in the arboretum, and I asked the kids why they thought it was important to have a place like the arboretum. They all answered that they know trees are important for our survival and we need to continue planting them. This discussion also led us to talk about the importance of providing homes for the animals in the area, espeically with the increased development and the fact that animals are loosing their natural habitat. All in all, we had a great trip!

On our way to the arboretum entrance.

When we came to this entrance, there was a sign asking us to close the gate behind as, so that the deer would not get out and come into harms way....we wanted to be extra quiet after this in hopes we would see some wildlife.

Over the bridge we go..there were many unique pathways and structures that we came across on our visit, including this bridge and many others just like it.

Trying to decide which way to go, as the paths had many forks in them.

When we came to this sign, I read it to the kids, and our mission for the day was to find the seasonal wetland. The kids were so excited when they heard about it that we just had to try and find it.

After walking for a bit, we came across this map, and tried to locate the wetlands.

After snack, we continued on, and one of the kids found this enormous set of stairs. We decided to go up them and see what was at the top.

At the top of the stairs, was a beautiful garden and several water bodies. The kids were super excited and rushed over once they discovered it.

Just relaxing and looking in the water for any fish or frogs.

After resting, we saw a neat building with a bright red door. Inside, was an ecological centre, where we signed in, and got to see some very interesting sights, such as this stuff beaver. There was also a stuffed raccoon on the wall.

Downstairs in the centre, there were some live animals for the kids to observe. Here they are watching a giant turtle swimming around. The kids loved him, and couldn't stop smiling at him.

Across from the tutrle was an iguana and a chameleon. They were neat to look at. Upstairs, we also got to see some leopard geckos.

Before making our way back to the bus, the kids really wanted to run over one last bridge. While there, they looked once more for any fish or frogs in the water. Although we didn't find fish or frogs, we saw some beautiful ducks swimming near by. One kept dunking his head under water looking for food.