Have you ever wondered how a rock is made? Have rocks just always been here? Is a rock…born? Let's dive into the study of geology and discover the creative and fascinating ways God made rocks—including mini crystal caves called geodes! Here’s our trail map: What are three ways rocks are made?How are geodes made?What makes geodes different colors inside?How can we grow in beauty and wonder inside? Resources Mentioned and used for Research: Join this month’s giveaway of a geode cracking kit and...

Have you ever heard that owls are wise? On this episode, we are meeting some very smart birds and learning how their brains are designed. But is being smart the same thing as being wise?  Here’s our trail map: How does an owl’s brain work?Meet three other very smart birdsWhat is the difference between being smart and being wise?How can we be wise? Resources Mentioned and used for Research: Get Eryn's book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation:...

Have you ever seen a Venus flytrap catch a fly?! These fascinating plants might look like they come from outer space—but that’s far from the truth. If they’re not from space, where are they from and why do they eat insects? Here’s our trail map: Do Venus flytraps come from space?Where did Venus flytraps get their funny name and where do they come from?Two theories as to why Venus flytraps eat insectsHow do Venus flytraps catch insects?What can the design of Venus flytraps teach us about...

Did you know bears don’t hibernate? But what is it called when they take a long, sleepy nap in winter? We’re exploring four fascinating ways God designed creatures to rest and why rest is important for us, too! Here’s our trail map: What is hibernation?What is a bear’s winter nap called?What are four ways God designed animals to rest?Why is rest important for us? Episode Links: Order Nat Theo T-Shirts Through September 3rd: https://erynlynum.myshopify.com/ Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in...

Have you ever had an up-close encounter with a wild animal? Seeing God’s creatures up-close is wonderful—so long as we’re aware, safe, and respectful. I’m sharing my four close encounters with mountain lions on today’s show! Here’s our trail map: How did God make mountain lions special?What is the difference between a mountain lion, cougar, and puma?Can a mountain lion roar?How can you be safe when in mountain lion habitat?How can awareness keep us safe as we follow God? Episode Links: Order...

Why are Christmas trees not perfect? On this special Christmas feature, we're sharing one of our family's favorite children's books: Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect. Join us for this story full of nature, beauty, and wonder! Nat Theo Club Members can access a video with illustrations to read along. Join the Nat Theo Club to access more resources here: https://erynlynum.com/nattheo Thank you to Guideposts Books for granting permission to use this story. Order Why Christmas Trees Aren't...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly? We’re learning how birds fly and how bird flight inspired human flight and changed history! We’re also meeting a super inspiring person mentioned in the Bible named Bezalel (Beh-za-lel). Here’s our trail map: How are birds designed to fly?How did birds inspire and lead to the invention of airplanes?How can God’s designs inspire our creativity and inventions? Resources Mentioned and used for Research: Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder:...

Have you ever been near a wildfire? Today my family is sharing what it was like living through the largest wildfire in Colorado’s written history. We’re also discovering how wildfire can be helpful and what important jobs it has in nature. Here’s our trail map: What is it like to live through a wildfire?Can anything good come from a wildfire?How is a tree born from wildfire?How can we grow through hard times? Resources Mentioned or Used in Research: Access full Episode Activity Guides by...

Let's explore the fascinating world of invisible living creatures. That’s right—invisible! Not because they have super powers or an invisibility cloak, but because they are so tiny we cannot see them with our eyes. We're exploring: What is a microscope and how was it invented?How were the tiny, invisible creatures called bacteria discovered?What important jobs do bacteria have?Why do bad bacteria that cause diseases exist?What can bad bacteria teach us about God’s good grace? Resources...

Have you ever seen a snake wearing glasses? Did you know dragonflies have around 60,000 eyes? We're exploring the fascinating ways creatures see the world and answering these questions: How many eyes do insects have?Do snakes wear glasses?How do chameleons move their eyes in two different directions?How can we protect our eyes to see everything good, beautiful, and true? Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's...

Have you ever seen a ladybug wearing a sweater? How about a bee wearing a scarf or a spider wearing snow boots? Insects might not have a winter wardrobe, but God designed them to brave the cold in very creative ways! We're exploring: Why did God make seasons?How do insects survive cold months?How can we live and do well in hard times?How can we create a legacy for those who live after us? Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith...

When God created plants, He made them in a very different way than animals and humans. And so the ways trees make friends and communicate with each other look quite different than our friendships and the way we talk! On this episode, we're exploring: How are trees and plants different than animals and humans? Do trees have friends? How do trees communicate? Why is it important that we choose our friends carefully? Resources Mentioned: Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity...

Wait... chameleons have crystals in their skin?! And there is an octopus with a costume box?? Today we're exploring creature camouflage and learning about two animals God created with very special camouflaging strategies. We're looking at: What are cells in creatures’ bodies?How does a chameleon change colors?How does a mimic octopus change shapes?Why don’t we need to blend in or change who we are? Resources Mentioned: Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides! Download...

Have you ever seen fireflies glowing throughout a forest or field? God created a whole host of creatures that glow in the dark! Today we're exploring: What is bioluminescence?What creatures glow in the dark?How do fireflies light up?How do we shine God’s light? Resources Mentioned: Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides! Download the free Glow-in-the-Dark Creatures Coloring Page to go along with this lesson Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your...

Discover the incredible water birth of hermit crabs! Today we're exploring the many fascinating ways God's creatures have babies. We'll look at: How are hermit crabs born?What creature gives birth in a snow fort?What creature has its baby while hanging upside down?How are human babies different from creature babies? Join the Nat Theo Club! Receive a full-color digital guide to go along with every episode as they air! Resources: Download the free coloring page for this episode Join the Nat...

If mushrooms are not plants or animals, what are they? Today we're exploring the fascinating world of fungi! We're looking at: What are mushrooms? (Are they… aliens?)What other living things are like mushrooms?How does fungus help humans, plants, and our planet?How does fungus use code like a computer? Join the Nat Theo Club! Receive a full-color digital guide to go along with every episode as they air! Resources: Video of wild orchids Video of fly agaric mushroom Eryn's New Book: Rooted In...

Can butterflies remember their younger days as caterpillars crawling across plants and munching on leaves? My kids are chiming in on today's episode as we explore: How do caterpillars turn into butterflies?Do other creatures experience a similar change?Can butterflies remember being caterpillars?Why are our memories so important? Resources: Video of ladybug larva (babies) on Eryn's Instagram Page Eryn's New Book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's...

Have you ever seen a bear in the wild? If so, what color was it? I once saw a bear fishing in the river, and its color surprised me! On this episode, we're exploring: Are all black bears black?How did the black bear get its name?How are black bears designed to thrive where they live?Likewise, how does God give us what we need to live well and follow him? Resources: Eryn's New Book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation The Burgess Animal Book for...

Once upon a time, I watched the sun disappear! On today's episode, I'm sharing my all-time favorite story about the sun. We're exploring: Why the sun is so important How the sun gives energy to plants Why sunflowers follow the sun all day long And how in the same way, we can follow God’s light all day long! Resources: FREE Printable Summer Verse Cards Eryn's New Book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation Focus on the Family Interview: Helping Kids See God's...

Have you ever held a roly-poly? My kids and I recently became roly-poly trainers! We made some fun observations and today we're exploring: The fascinating life of a roly-poly What really is a roly-poly? Are there things in nature that aren't what they seem? Are there words we use and hear that aren't what they seem? How can we trace words and things in nature back to their identities? Note for parents and caregivers: This episode breaks down the concept of "Linguistic Theft." A very helpful...

When my kids told me about axolotls, I thought they were mythical creatures! But then we brought one home as a pet. On this episode, you'll hear from my kids what they think about axolotls. We're exploring: What is an axolotl? How does it regrow parts of its body? What other creatures "regenerate?" How does God, in a similar way, regrow our hearts and minds? Scriptures Referenced in this Episode: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of...

Over six billion birds are on the move! We're exploring the magnificent wonders of bird migration and answering these questions: What is migration? How do birds know when to migrate? How do birds prepare for their long journeys? How do birds find their way and navigate the skies? What can birds teach us about boldly following God’s plans? Discover the two things birds need to take their incredible journeys, and three "compasses" they use to navigate the skies. Scriptures referenced in this...

Which animals have antlers? What are antlers made of? Why do deer shed their antlers? And what does all of this have to do with the way we live and follow Jesus? On this episode, we're exploring the antler world, playing a game of "Spot The Imposter," learning why people collect antlers, and discovering how we can shed our old ways and live in God's abundant life. Resources mentioned in this episode: Order Eryn's new book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's...

Do you have questions about climate change? We all do. What is it and is it really happening? Most importantly, what does the Bible say about climate change? Wait...what? The Bible talks about climate change? It does! Today we'll explore what's really happening, what God says about a changing planet, and why we should not live in fear. Plus, we'll explore a few fun ideas for caring for God's creation! Resources mentioned in this episode: Order Eryn's new book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your...

Have you ever sensed something was not right? God created monarch caterpillars with an incredible ability to sense danger and avoid it. They cut toxin off at its source so they can stay safe and thrive in God's design. God created you to do the same! He will help you sense harm and stay clear of danger as you live out his great plan for your life! Resources mentioned in this episode: Order Eryn's new book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation Scriptures...