There's a book called "Last Child In the Woods" by Richard Louv that talks about the importance of helping your kids connect with nature. Here are just some of the actions we can take:
1. Maintain a birdbath, build a bat house, or care for plants in your yard.
2. Find an old board and place it on bare dirt. After a day or two, lift the board to see how many creatures have found shelter there.
3. Keep a "wonder bowl." All the natural wonders picked up on walks, like acorns, rocks, and feathers can be stored there to enjoy.
4. Give your children a 'green hour' each day - a time for unstructured outdoor play.
5. Adopt the "sunny day rule." If it's a beautiful day, there's no excuse for being indoors. Get the kids outside.
6. Be a cloud spotter. Look up at the sky with your kids and take turns saying what the clouds look like.
7. Take a hike or be a stroller explorer. Or put together a stroller group that meets for weekly nature walks.
8. Adopt a tree. Pick an existing tree or plant a special one to help mark an important family occasion. Take pictures of the tree after a big windstorm, in the fall, or after the first snow. Record what animals and birds use the tree. Watch for its seeds and plant them.
9. Raise butterflies - from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to emerging butterfly. You can find the kits in many children's catalogs or some hobby shops.
10. Get your kids to count and draw the birds they see. Keep binoculars and a bird guide handy.
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1 comment:
At some point in everyone's life they should make a point to check out a meteor shower in a secluded, dark place. It's nature at it's most amazing!
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