Every Thursday, a rotating group of writers offers new ways to play with your kids.

Today we hear from Liz Baird of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. 

The heat of the summer sun sends many of us indoors in July and August. Running through the sprinklers and eating frozen popsicles might help cool you off briefly during the day, but in order to have some extended time outside, night walks are in store.

Late in the evening, after the sun has set, is a perfect time to get outside, whether it be in your yard, around the neighborhood, or while on vacation. When my children were younger I would arm them (and their cousins) with flashlights and set off on a walk. We did not have to go far before hearing the sounds of frogs calling in the night or see the sparkle of "spider eyeshine" in the grass. Sometimes we'd find a safe place to stop, turn off our lights, and sit and listen. It was amazing to see how quickly our eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and how, on nights with a full moon, we could even see our shadows.

The beach is a great place to walk in the dark. At the right times of year you can find bioluminescence glowing like green diamonds in the wash of the waves on the sand. This is primarily caused by dinoflagellates, microscopic protists that float in the ocean water. Their brightness is influenced by the amount of sunlight that day. They flash their lights when disturbed, so a splashing walk along the edge of the water can produce an incredible show. My children and I have had a great time leaving "glowing footprints" in the damp sand.

Of course the night sky can be magical as well. Young children love to look for the "First star I see tonight" and older children enjoy the myths and legends surrounding the constellations. If you want more information on the location of the constellations, Skymaps is a great resource. Choose an evening to spread a blanket out on the lawn and simply watch the evening sky transform from the inky blue of twilight to a coal black night sprinkled with stars.

Night walks can provide an entirely new view of the outdoor world.

How to Find Spider Eyeshine
From the Take A Child Outside Web site

Spider Shine: Sapphires and Emeralds of the Night
Best age range: 3-year-olds and up
Location: anywhere short grass meets the woods is ideal
Best time: night
Season: summer, fall
Special materials: lightweight flashlight
What to do: Find a lawn or grassy area near hedges or some woods. Hold a flashlight on the side of your head, next to your eye. Shine the flashlight on the ground and look for tiny sparkles of blue or green light. When you see a sparkle of light, keep the light fixed on the sparkle and carefully walk closer. This should lead you to a small, harmless ground-hunting spider, most often a wolf spider. The sparkle you see is the light reflecting off the spider’s eyes (spider eye shine). See how many spiders you can spot. What’s the smallest spider you can find?

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!

WEEKEND: Relax!