connecting to nature

#9 Nature Play with Grass

Nature play with grass really is one place where kids go wild for nature. Grass stains on the body or clothing are like a badge of honor for nature play.

nature play with grassBabies explore nature through the medium of grass from the time they can sit up or crawl outside. We’ve all seen little ones that were unsure about crawling in grass and tried to lift up their knees from that new sort of floor that is so tickly. There’s so much that’s new to explore.

Older kids like to pull out clumps of grass or throw glass clippings up in the air to create clouds that swirl and twirl down to the ground. Grass appeals to most of the senses with different textures to feel with hands or feet.

nature play in grassThere are colors and shapes to see, and a very specific smell when cut or mowed. Most kids only try tasting it once. Grass makes only the softest sounds if it’s long enough to swish from the wind or walking. Part of the appeal is there is no sound at all when we walk on the grass.

Grass invites all sorts of play like running, chasing, kicking balls, dancing like fairies, and if long enough, even hiding. Another way to experience nature through grass is to roll down a grass-covered hill.

nature  play in grassGrass is also a wonderful place to lie down on the ground and stretch out, especially when combined with a sunny patch or shady spot, depending on the temperature. Occasionally, it’s also a wonderful patch to take a nap and it is certainly a preferred location for pitching a tent or building a blanket fort or Gorf, that is a Good ol’ reliable fort.

Falling down hurts much less on soft grass. Maybe grass is nature’s padding so kids can have a softer place to play? Do these ideas of nature play in the grass encourage some outside nature time for your child?

 

(P.S. Do these ideas tempt you to get in touch with more nature and outside fun ways to play?)

#8 Go Wild for Nature with Blanket Forts Outside

Making and playing in blanket forts outside is another great way to go wild for nature. Another word for one is a GORF, for Good ‘ol reliable fort. Mostly used by kids, adults often wished they had a blanket fort or GORF, too.

blanket forts outside

According to Stephen Moss, naturalist and parent of five, “Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves.” Here is an excerpt from a previous post on some of the self-learning.

Depending on the weather, GORF’s are great fun outside. They appeal to kids because a fort gives them a place of their own. Inside a GORF the kids make the rules and decide what happens. We don’t think of making decisions as being a skill, but kids need lots of opportunities to make them and experience the outcomes so that they learn how to make good decisions. For instance, it’s a bad choice to push on the walls of the fort because it collapses. Squishing into the space is a better choice. It’s a bad choice to fill the fort too full of stuff because there there’s no room to play inside. But kids need to learn what happens from their decisions.

Forts feel like safe spaces for kids. Because it’s such a small space, kids feel more in control. They also learn that it is okay to fail. Each time a fort collapses, that is a fail. Or is it? It’s easy to deal with by building it back up again. That’s a great lesson for life! Inside, the fort can be quite magical, as kids can imagine it is anywhere and pretend to be and do what they want.

Making a blanket fort is easy, especially with some old sheets or blankets. The one in the photo is a sheet draped over the play structure, but a clothesline  or big patio table also works.  A blanket can be draped across a rope between two trees or pieces of lawn furniture that won’t tip. Blanket forts outside can even help with resistance to naps. Could this be your child’s nature play-of-the-day?

 

(*You are invited to share your suggestions for ways to go wild for nature. Here’s contact information.)

#7 Go Wild for Nature: Kids and Gardens

Kids and gardens are both growing so it’s quite natural for them to be together. A garden is not a wild place but usually carefully planned and tended. Gardens to not need to be huge spaces, they can be as small as a few pots on a deck or balcony. Whatever size the spot, it’s excellent for experiencing and connecting to nature.

nature kids and gardensSeeds aren’t the only thing that grows in a garden so does children’s awareness of their senses. Gardens are definitely hands-on. Hands get to dig in the soil, pour water from a watering can, feel slippery earthworms and fuzzy caterpillars, pull up weeds, and gently touch the plants. Whole bodies get to feel the warm sun and cool shade.

Not only is there lots to touch, there are many things to see. There are so many different sorts of just the color green: pale, like new tomatoes and deep, like zucchinis. All the colors make a rainbow in the garden. There’s a never-ending variety of shapes, lines, sizes, and patterns. The light dances among the leaves. Tiny movements hint at the location of little creatures but sometimes they are almost too fast for eyes.

nature kids and gardensFrom the smell of the soil, to the perfume of flowers. kids explore all the scents and odors in a garden. Before vegetables are ready, kids are exploring how things taste. Gardens are also full of sounds as the wind rustles the leaves and feet scrunch on rocky paths. Birds might sing along.

Children use their senses to learn about the world around them and their own inner one. Nature teaches many other lessons such as patience, order, responsibility, and more. Kids get to experience basic natural science. For instance, life-cycles, the importance of water and light, and more. Gardens do not just include plants, but insects too.

Kids who are involved in gardening develop a partnership with nature. They begin to understand how to care for nature’s gifts and how to care for themselves. Does your child have a garden?

(Have you seen some of the resources growing in 123’s garten?)

Nature Soup: Go Wild for Nature #5

Nature play involves interaction as children both explore what is already there and create with it. Making nature soup is one way kids go wild for nature. The recipe for nature soup needs two main ingredients and takes advantage of an infinite number of additions and variations. The two essentials are a child and a … Continue reading Nature Soup: Go Wild for Nature #5