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Subject: |
Five Things Nature Will Teach Your Child |
| Date: |
2009-03-02
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Five Things Nature Will
Teach Your Child
By Mark J. Stevens
www.luisasnature.com
Deep in the woods, something small is lurking and just waiting to be
discovered. Leading children into the arms of nature will expand their
horizons and help make them become well-rounded individuals. Here are 5
things your children will learn by interacting with nature:
JOY: The varying strength of
air blowing on leaves will teach your
child the joys of the subtle differences of sound intensity floating
into their ears. The gifts of rotating seasons will enlighten their
eyes with ever changing surprise. The smells of wood or a passing skunk
can excite the smallest of explorers and teach them the effects of
differing wind direction or dampness. Sticks and stones come in many
shapes, sizes and consistency. Once your children appreciate the
diversity below their feet, each outing into nature will be a joyous
occasion.
SHARING: If you talk to your
children about your discoveries in nature
together, they will learn the very valuable skill of sharing. Just sit
on a log and look at a tree or long grass or a caterpillar or at the
clouds and talk to each other about what you see and feel. If your
child enjoys silence, you can discuss the walk through the woods or in
the fields afterwards. Words are a good way for your children to share
their experiences with you or their friends. But they can also draw a
picture of their favorite spot in nature – another creative way of
sharing their experiences.
SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: Give
your children some tasks to achieve in
nature. Start with simple tasks such as finding a pinecone or acorn.
Then move on to more difficult challenges such as finding three
different-colored lichen or moss or insects. Go at your child’s pace.
It makes no sense to overwhelm children with impossible challenges.
They should have fun while successfully completing a task and gaining
knowledge. This will instill a sense of pride in your children.
CURIOSITY: Plant tomatoes and
flowers in the backyard with your
children. Let them till the soil, put the seeds in the dirt and water
them. You will not only see the tomato plants grow gradually, but your
children’s curiosity will grow in leaps and bounds. Ask them how their
plants are coming along and you will see their sense of pride and
curiosity abound. They will regularly run out into the yard to see how
their plants are doing. They will learn how the soil, weather and
insects affect their plants. Similarly, by asking your children some
simple questions about the birds and the terrain along any given trail
you will open your children’s eyes and make them curious. They will
soon be asking questions that even you will have to research to get
them the right answers.
GRATITUDE: When taking a walk
with your children along a stream or near
a lake or simply in the rain, the topic of water will come up at some
point. Once your children learn about the source of water, they will
gain an appreciation for a simple glass of water that they need to
survive. They will learn how individual parts of ecosystems are
intertwined and will develop gratitude for our oneness with nature. If
your children have the opportunity to take a walk with you through the
desert or in a dry climate, their appreciation for the basic elements
of nature such as water will grow even more.
You can inspire your child to keep a journal of his or her nature
discoveries. The combination of exploring and writing will be a source
of learning that will grow in time like branches on a tree. The pages
will 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. For
more information, visit www.luisasnature.com.
Permission granted for use
on DrLaura.com.
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