Five Things Nature WillTeach Your Child
By Mark J. Stevens
www.luisasnature.com
Deep in the woods, something small is lurking and just waiting to bediscovered. Leading children into the arms of nature will expand theirhorizons and help make them become well-rounded individuals. Here are 5things your children will learn by interacting with nature:
JOY: The varying strength ofair blowing on leaves will teach yourchild the joys of the subtle differences of sound intensity floatinginto their ears. The gifts of rotating seasons will enlighten theireyes with ever changing surprise. The smells of wood or a passing skunkcan excite the smallest of explorers and teach them the effects ofdiffering wind direction or dampness. Sticks and stones come in manyshapes, sizes and consistency. Once your children appreciate thediversity below their feet, each outing into nature will be a joyousoccasion.
SHARING: If you talk to yourchildren about your discoveries in naturetogether, they will learn the very valuable skill of sharing. Just siton a log and look at a tree or long grass or a caterpillar or at theclouds and talk to each other about what you see and feel. If yourchild enjoys silence, you can discuss the walk through the woods or inthe fields afterwards. Words are a good way for your children to sharetheir experiences with you or their friends. But they can also draw apicture of their favorite spot in nature #150; another creative way ofsharing their experiences.
SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: Giveyour children some tasks to achieve innature. Start with simple tasks such as finding a pinecone or acorn.Then move on to more difficult challenges such as finding threedifferent-colored lichen or moss or insects. Go at your child#146;s pace.It makes no sense to overwhelm children with impossible challenges.They should have fun while successfully completing a task and gainingknowledge. This will instill a sense of pride in your children.
CURIOSITY: Plant tomatoes andflowers in the backyard with yourchildren. Let them till the soil, put the seeds in the dirt and waterthem. You will not only see the tomato plants grow gradually, but yourchildren#146;s curiosity will grow in leaps and bounds. Ask them how theirplants are coming along and you will see their sense of pride andcuriosity abound. They will regularly run out into the yard to see howtheir plants are doing. They will learn how the soil, weather andinsects affect their plants. Similarly, by asking your children somesimple questions about the birds and the terrain along any given trailyou will open your children#146;s eyes and make them curious. They willsoon be asking questions that even you will have to research to getthem the right answers.
GRATITUDE: When taking a walkwith your children along a stream or neara lake or simply in the rain, the topic of water will come up at somepoint. Once your children learn about the source of water, they willgain an appreciation for a simple glass of water that they need tosurvive. They will learn how individual parts of ecosystems areintertwined and will develop gratitude for our oneness with nature. Ifyour children have the opportunity to take a walk with you through thedesert or in a dry climate, their appreciation for the basic elementsof nature such as water will grow even more.
You can inspire your child to keep a journal of his or her naturediscoveries. The combination of exploring and writing will be a sourceof learning that will grow in time like branches on a tree. The pageswill be replete with words of joy, sharing, sense of accomplishment,curiosity and gratitude.
Mark Stevens, author of LUISA'S NATURE (Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing,Spring 2008), is a news journalist currently working in Europe. Formore information, visit
www.luisasnature.com
.Permission granted for useon DrLaura.com.
