The branches of the leaves can tell us so much about nature, the season, the species of plants/trees, and also, the health of the plant/trees.  

With a magnifying glass go to a park, or your back yard and collect different shaped leaves.  On a blank piece of paper, trace the leaf and then with coloring pencils color in your tracing.  You can use the magnifying glass to capture the veining of the leaf.  When you're finished, head outside with a parent to explore the different tree species in your neighborhood - and see how many you can match to the ones in your Ecosystems Coloring Book!

Give old, broken crayons a new life by melting them into fun shapes - then use them to bring your brand-new Ecosystems or Hymenoptera Coloring Book to life, and right in your own kitchen!

What You’ll Need:

• Leftover wax crayons (wrappers removed)

• Silicone molds or nonstick madeleine pan (spray with cooking spray if not silicone)

• Oven

• Freezer (optional, to cool faster)

Instructions:

1. With a parent or guardian, preheat oven to 210°F (98°C).

2. Break crayons into really small pieces and place them in molds (fill it up!)

3. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until fully melted.

4. Let cool completely, or pop into the freezer to speed things up.

5. Gently remove your brand-new crayons from the molds - create fun names for each new crayon and color away!

Tip: Try fun-shaped silicone trays (like paw prints or stars) for extra flair 🐾