Embracing Nature.

It’s not always easy to get outside with young children. Actually, some days it seems really difficult. Especially, if you live in a place that doesn’t have the most desirable weather. 

But, a quick internet search will tell you that children thrive outdoors; physical exercise, exciting stimuli, and outdoor appreciation are some of the popular reasons. In her book, The Discovery of a Child, Maria Montessori said “the best way of invigorating a child is to immerse him in nature.” So, it has to happen! There are tons of ways to embrace nature and I’m going to talk about two! The first, of course, is to get outside. The second is to bring nature indoors!

Getting outside:

You absolutely need to commit to investing in the right gear. This is goal number one! It’s so easy to make sure our children are ready to be in the elements but we often forget about ourselves! So, as we glide into the spring season, make sure you have what you need; rain boots, a rain coat, maybe even rain pants! I know I need sunglasses, bug spray and allergy meds. 🙂

Next, understand there is a difference between playing in the yard or going for a walk… and then being in nature. Now, all of it is important. But going into the woods, or exploring a stream, or digging in the dirt are sensorial experiences for young children. It’s about the sights and smells, the sounds and touching things along the way. It’s about stepping over roots and climbing over logs. It’s different than playing on a swing set or walking around the neighborhood. So make sure, you’re mixing up your outdoor time between the places that are comfortable and places that offer a new and exciting (even, messy!) experience.

Also, a lot of people wait until they’re on vacation to explore their surroundings. But there’s really no need! All Trails will help you find trails right where you live!

Bringing nature inside:
Even though the motto around here is “when in doubt, take them out” — there are times we can’t be outside as much as we need (or is recommended.) During those times, it’s nice to bring elements of nature indoors!

Here are some ways to promote nature exploration indoors:

Let the light in! Every morning, we make sure to open our curtains and blinds in every room of the house so that we can see outside. When the weather allows, we open our windows and doors, too. We also position things outside so that we can see them from inside; bird houses, bird feeders, a window thermometer, a rain gauge, weathervane — the list is endless. 

Other ways to include nature indoors is through learning materials, books, music and art. Learning materials can be a wonderful resource! 3 part cards, keeping a calendar and weather chart, tracking the daily temperature, nature puzzles, small booklets — all super easy ways to bring in nature! Books are a great way to investigate and learn about nature — plants, animals, seasons, land, air, water — the opportunities are endless. It’s best when they include real images of things in nature rather than cartoon images. Music is fun! There’s most likely a little jingle or nursery rhyme about whatever it is you’re learning. One of our favorites is about the water cycle! And then, art! You can draw nature, or paint or make things from nature out of clay. 

Some other fun ways to include nature indoors is to have LIVE creatures inside your home. I don’t recommend going into nature and trying to find a new pet (!) and I don’t recommend taking a live creature from nature indoors to observe and then release. And I’m certainly not suggesting to just pick every flower around the neighborhood! I think we have to be very careful to protect nature, and to teach our children to do the same. We cannot disturb the natural world or take what doesn’t belong to us. But you can get a house plant! Or a flower pot — an herb plant. There’s a lot of responsibility and gentleness needed for plant care. But there’s so much to be done! Watering, leaf polishing, smelling flowers — learning about parts of a flower, or leaf or tree! If you’re really into it, you could raise live creatures! Each spring, we order caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies (and then we release them.) It’s such a special experience! You can choose butterflies, ladybugs, ants or even praying mantis! 

It’s also really fun to prepare the space indoors. Have nature tools available even though you’re inside! We have child-sized watering cans, magnifying glasses, binoculars, a microscope and a telescope. You can offer a small box to collect a couple of items outdoors to bring indoors to observe and compare! There are tons of ways to make discoveries and we want to be able to fulfill those curiosities when they present themselves. 

Finally, embrace nature when there’s an over abundance! Even though I don’t encourage every rock, stick and leaf to come indoors and I don’t recommend picking every flower from the garden… sometimes bringing in a bucket of snow for exploration, or a pile of leaves for leaf rubbing, or a bouquet of flowers for flower arranging — is just what you need!