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NATURE: A NATURAL PLACE TO EXPLORE WITH CHILDREN

Spring is a good time to focus on helping young children develop an understanding and a respect for nature.  As the weather improves and children spend more time outdoors, they will surely enjoy exploring the rich flora and fauna of the natural world. Children are naturally curious about these things and they are also natural investigators. 

          Here are some wonderful activities to encourage young children's appreciation of nature.

 

  • Plant a garden and watch it grow.  Start small, choosing whether to plant flowers, vegetables, herbs, or a combination of these.  Document the entire process with photos, ending with shots of picking a flower bouquet or harvesting and enjoying home-grown vegetables.

 

  • Dig for worms and then "trans-plant" them into your garden,     explaining how worms can be    helpful in gardens.

 

  • Take a theme hike.  Hikes are a great opportunity to develop young children's observation skills.  Choose a theme before you start, such as a signs of spring walk (notice little green shoots, chirping birds, buds on trees, etc.); a listening hike (identify the sounds of nature that you hear along the way); a color hike  (choose a color and note everything observed in that hue); or a sensory hike (identify different textures--rough bark, smooth stones, prickly grasses, etc.)  There are some wonderful places for nature walks in our area, including the beach, the Green Bay Trail, the Grove in Glenview, or  the Chicago Botanic Garden.

 

  • Lie on your back and watch the sky. It can be a busy place!  Notice insects and birds. What do the  clouds remind you of?  At night on your back at the beach, check out the stars. What are some constellations? Look for shooting stars.

 

  • Hang a birdfeeder near a window, with child-sized binoculars and a bird field guide nearby. Create a list of local birds. Family members can check off the ones they see.

 

  • Plant pumpkins to be harvested at Halloween (and carved into jack-o-lanterns). Chart their growth with photos collage.

 

  • Read the book, Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, and then start a seed collection. Follow the ideas in the book for collecting, planting, classifying, and other projects using seeds.

 

  • Watch a sunrise or a sunset.  Play outside on a night with a full moon.

 

  • Explore you backyard. What insects and animals live there?  How many different kinds of trees, plants, and flowers can you identify?  Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close by Nic Bishop suggests many backyard activities and  also has a wonderful picture index of common insects, reptiles, and small animals that might be found in a backyard. 

 

  • Start a nature collection.  Collect stones, shells, or feathers.  Pick wildflowers and press them between two sheets of wax paper in a heavy book.  Collecting gives children an opportunity to use their observation and classification skills.

 

  • Subscribe to a children's nature magazine. The National Wildlife Federation publishes several , including: Wild Animal Baby (12 months to 3 years); Your Big Backyard (3-7 years); and Ranger Rick (ages 7 and up).  Also, National Geographic World (for ages 7 and up).