Nature walks are one of the easiest and cost-effective activities you can do with you kids. Children of all ages can find something interesting to do/see while exploring the great outdoors. (Equally true for grown ups like me who don't particularly love hiking. Or sweating. Or mosquitoes.)
Charlotte Mason (a British English educator in the 1800s whose writings created the foundation for the homeschooling philosophy that carries her name) believed that regular exploration and investigation outdoors among nature encouraged a vital foundation of curiosity and investigation in children:
"It is infinitely well worth the mother’s while to take some pains every day to secure, in the first place, that her children spend hours daily amongst rural and natural objects; and, in the second place, to infuse into them, or rather, to cherish in them, the love of investigation..."The child who learns his science from a text-book, though he go to Nature for illustrations, and he who gets his information from object lessons, has no chance of forming relations with things as they are, because his kindly obtrusive teacher makes him believe that to know about things is the same as knowing them personally..."Let them once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight and habit through life..."
Here are a few ideas/activities to inspire you as you plan to explore God's creation as a family and encourage your children's curiosity and discovery:
- Make up a nature walk scavenger hunt: before heading out, write up a list of different items to look for and check items off the list as you find them. Some examples: different kinds of acorns/seeds, colored leaves, insects, plants, rocks, birds, or animals. You can even bring a camera and make it a photo scavenger hunt!
- Buy some cheap binoculars and let the kids use them to spot far away objects like birds in trees, or turtles swimming lazily in a lake. (We lucked out and got some in fast food kids meals!)
The beauty of nature is everywhere!
One mom had a brilliant idea for toddlers/preschoolers: collect different colored items (flowers, leaves, etc) while on a neighborhood walk, and then create a display on paper by sorting the items by color:
Thanks Bethany for permission to share your idea/photo!
- If you have a park or nature center within driving distance, USE IT. Many of them have easy trails to hike and often host kid-friendly events or activities throughout the year.
Butterfly display at the Louisville Nature Center
Hello, Nature? Is that you?
Lastly, be sure to allow lots of margin to let your children to investigate, explore, and study the things in nature that interest them. (Warning: This might require you to hide your cringes while they poke at a particlarly disgusting bug or take the time to study a pile of termites eating their way through a fallen log.) G-bug and Truth have often surprised me with their thoughtful questions and observations while on our walks, and have regularly educated me in how a particular animal, bird, or plant behaves. Amazing.
Comment below and share your favorite places and memories that you've enjoyed while exploring the great outdoors!
