Preschoolers at got a rare treat at Sunrise Beach in Gig Harbor yesterday. June 5th was one of the lowest tides of the summer in the Puget Sound and therefore they had access to a section of the beach that is typically underwater.
Teachers, parents, grandparents and children arrived around 9:30 during a spring downpour. But with rain gear and buckets in hand, these children learn at an early age that rain doesn't mean they have to stay inside. They're used to it. At Curious by Nature School, our tagline is "children go outside every day, rain or shine".
Shortly after they arrived, the rain stopped and the sun came out and the rest of the field trip was nothing short of amazing. The children combed the beach for two hours, the whole while showing enthusiasm and excitement. They never tired. How many things can you say keeps the attention of a 3-5 year old for two hours!
Tipping over rocks, children were exposed to sea creatures of many: sea stars, sea slugs, crabs of all sizes and varieties, anemones, sea snail casings, and a variety of snails, hermit crabs, clams and even geoducks. Our interpretive guide, Megan Schwarting, has a long history as a fifth generation native of the harbor. She told us all about how her family homesteaded the area, and how her grandfather introduced a couple dozen gooey ducks to the beach many decades ago.
"Now we have an abundance of geoducks all down the beach," she said.
The children didn't want to leave, but at noon it was time to head back to school for lunch. A -4 tide is one that should be experienced by all at some point.
