Expand Your Water Awareness in Pittsburgh Parks and at Home
Water truly is everywhere in Pittsburgh, from our Three Rivers to the abundance of rain that falls on our roofs. Have you ever wondered what happens to the rainwater that flows off your roof during a storm? Or how much water a big tree soaks up from the ground? What about where the drinking water that pours from your sink faucet comes from?
As the Education and Outreach Associate at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, I am always thinking about the water that surrounds us and how to help Pittsburghers of all ages learn more about this essential resource.
Even though we can’t bring our hands-on educational activities to Pittsburghers at community events right now, my organization and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy are still sharing resources to help you expand your awareness of water and the environment. You can try out these fun educational activities at home or in your favorite park!
Check out our webpage witheducational activities for kids and young adultsto explore!You’ll find fascinating water experiment guides, word puzzles, online games, and art ideas.
We are also creating videos that demonstrate experiments you can do at home.These videos highlight the importance of this natural resource and provide tips for being a responsible water citizen.
Head over to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’sParks on the Go webpage to discover entertaining family-friendly activities, nature exploration videos, lesson plans for educators, and more. The ‘Wade into Park Waters’ section has a growing list of educational activities and videos about our local water cycle as well as resources to help you make a positive impact on water in your neighborhood.
Take your new knowledge with you the next time you visit a park. Look around for the presence of water. You might find a puddle, drainage channel, wetland, stream, or lake.If you take some time to observe the environmentand wildlife near the water, you will learn more about how that water fits into the park and the larger landscape of our city.
As you continue to learn more about water, you will see more and more connections to water in your life everywhere you look!