The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation have been finding new ways to develop fun outdoor educational materials for parents that are in need of activities to keep their children occupied and their minds stimulated during this unusual time.

Outdoor Education Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Shannon Anderson, said the schools closed so quickly and that they had some educational materials going out anyways.

"We just decided to change our focus and work hard on them at the moment to get them out right away. Because we have a multitude of parents now that are now home with their kids and they're not only trying to find ways to entertain them but also ways to educate them."

Quarantine doesn't have to mean a lot of screen time so instead of the kids staring at a screen, the SWF wants families to take this time to get to know their local fish and wildlife.

Now that spring is on its way it is really good for people to be out in nature. However, not everyone can get outside right now, and the weather isn't always perfect for it either. So the SWF has also included many indoor learning opportunities for children.

Learning can happen just about anywhere, like in your backyard. When you connect experiences in nature to learning objectives you instill the importance of protecting nature while children get hands-on knowledge and experience you just can't get inside. Luckily this can all take place away from crowds. Which makes it a perfect way to learn while keeping your physical distance from others.

The SWF came up with "Classroom in a Box" and each one is a specific topic.

"There's one about birds in Saskatchewan and there's one about Saskatchewan fish. So inside this 'Classroom in a Box,' there's a document. And you have an outdoor activity to do, there's a creative one, there's a problem solving one, and then there's an active one too. So it gets the kids learning in different ways. Through sights and touch and feel, things like that, which is kind of cool."

They also have a native fish species of Saskatchewan colouring book

"The colouring book has the fish species, as well as a map of the province with some information on all of the fish, as well as some activities."

There is also an outdoor education booklet.

"That one is geared for kids from five all the way up to seventeen. So there are different levels for that one and those activities can be done outside. So the bugs are coming out, the animals are starting to wake up, and things are turning green again, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to get out there."

To find any of the learning packages, resources or the contest mentioned above feel free to take a look at the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation's official Facebook page. It will be updated with lots more in the coming days and weeks as well. You can also learn more about the organization on their official website.