Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

By: Shannon Mallery, Mature Adults Master Program Specialist We're continuing our Play With Me: Purposeful Series and the next activity will be Scrubbing. If you haven't read our previous blog post featuring Part 1 of this series, make sure to take a look back before continuing with these activities. We have also prepared a  document of Tips for Virtual Communication  that you can review, specifically related to this Play With Me series. If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Shannon Mallery at Shannon.Mallery@DurhamNC.Gov. Scrubbing Activity Please note there is a possibility that the child may spill water in this activity so it is best to be done where that will not be a problem, maybe outside on the porch or on the counter with a large towel near by. It might even be a good idea to cover the computer keyboard with plastic and a towel.  Please note there is a possibility that water may spill during this activity. It might even be a good ide...

By: Hillary Harrison, Recreation Specialist What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had avocado toast with a side of strawberries and blueberries and a hot cup of coffee. This is a typical breakfast for me and one of my favorite parts of my day. Every once in a while, I remember to take a moment and thank the amazing pollinators of our world for providing me with this breakfast. If it wasn’t for pollinators like bees, bats, beetles, and butterflies, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my favorite foods because they just wouldn’t exist. Pollinators are extremely important in our world. It is estimated that about ⅓ of the world’s food and beverages would not exist if not for these amazing creatures. In the United States alone, pollinators help produce $20 billion worth of food every year. The week of June 22-28, 2020 is National Pollinator Week. This week the nation is celebrating the vast array of animals on Earth who contribute so much to our world and our health. We invite you t...

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr.- Mature Adults COVID-19 has brought many challenges with it, but it has also given us time to reflect and to reach out to those we value in our lives. Right now, we want to keep up with loved ones more than ever, but it can also be more challenging than ever! While many people may be familiar with using technology to find out information, shop, or even stay connected to friends and family, they might not be used to relying on technology to have meaningful interactions with loved ones. Connecting on a personal level over technology can be challenging with any age group but can be especially challenging with young children. So how can you stay connected and grow your relationships with the young ones in your life during periods of social distancing? Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) has developed a series called Play With Me that will teach you activities that you can do with young children ages two to five over technology that will ...

By:  Caitlin Avinger, Recreation Coordinator of Heritage Programs Wash your hands! Sound familiar? This is a lesson we learn from an early age. Scrub thoroughly with soap for at least 20 seconds regularly to keep clean and healthy. This lesson feels particularly relevant now in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Soap is generally a ubiquitous part of our day and many of us likely use it without a second thought. Perhaps we have taken soap for granted in the past as it was easily found in every grocery store in almost any variety. This was not the case for much of American history. Wait a minute….why are we talking about soap? Well, before the pandemic reached our community, we were planning an interactive Hands-on-History program all about soap! While we cannot gather together to discover how awesome soap is at this time, we can still share the fun through this blog post! Here’s a little bit about how folks made soap in the past. We’ve also included soap-making tutorials, recipe...

By:  Daniele Berman, Communications Manager at Book Harvest North Carolina children’s literacy organization Book Harvest provides an abundance of books and ongoing literacy support to families and their children from birth and serves as a model for communities committed to ensuring that children are lifelong readers and learners. Our vision is of a world in which reading, learning, and access to information are considered rights, not privileges, so that all children thrive. When schools and childcare centers began closing in mid-March, our team at Book Harvest knew it was more important than ever for parents to have access to support as they worked hard to keep their children learning at home, even as many were dealing with changes to their own work as well, either working at home or dealing with the stress of job cuts and losses. We remain, as always, committed to meeting children and families where they are, even when everyone is just staying home. So over the past ten wee...

By: Morris Johnson, Recreation Specialist Exercising is necessary for a healthy and productive way of life. Some of us work out to achieve long-time goals whereas some may want to simply stretch their muscles with a brisk walk after some long hours sitting at the desk. While it is no doubt easier, and perhaps even more motivating, to get out of the house to work out at the gym or other fitness facilities, during this time there is no such luxury. However, regardless of the intensity or duration of the workout, our bodies and our minds experience the immediate benefits that come from exercising and becoming active, and it is for this reason that we should not stop working out – or postpone starting to work out – while we have to stay inside. Who's ready to workout with words!? We're sharing a great way to learn more about your community while getting healthier and becoming more active at the same time. Here is a simply plan to follow while practicing social distancing and r...

By: Mark Kinsey, Office Assistant We're coming to you with a Durham Trail Spotlight! This week we’re highlighting features of Ellerbee Creek Trail that are fun for children and their families to enjoy while keeping social distancing in mind. We’ve also created an activity sheet you can complete at home or take with you to a park! Download the activity sheet here . About the Trail Ellerbee Creek Trail is part of the North-South Greenway , which extends all the way from Horton Road to Jordan Lake. There are many fun things to explore along the way, but the one-mile section that runs from Rock Quarry Park past Edison Johnson to Northgate Park has several surprises worth discovering! If you start your adventure in Rock Quarry Park , there is a huge event field with plenty of room to be active. Your friends and family can throw a frisbee, play catch, kick a ball, play a game of tag, fly a kite and more. When was the last time you played Simon Says or Mother May I? There is al...

By: Seth Dubowsky, Historic Mill Interpreter Fitz Style Water Wheel at West Point When I first entered the West Point Mill I confess I was more interested in the building than the milling equipment. Although it is a reconstruction, the West Point Mill exhibits some great examples of post and beam carpentry. I talked a bit of history with the Millers, got a tour of the building, and got a rundown on the basic operation of the mill. No one told me about the music… Now hold up just a sec. You are probably thinking that I'm about to promote the latest festival, holiday event, or dance camp that takes place in our Durham parks. These are all great events, and they help to bring music to life in our parks, but that isn't where I'm going with this. Don't scroll down just yet. What no one told me about old mills is that each one has a sound that is unique unto itself. There are toe tapping, rhythmic harmonies that every mill produces, and anyone who has been aro...