For a St. Patrick’s Day, science, nature, green, and kindergarten readiness activity, how about an I Spy activity? Time in nature is a treasure that enriches us in all kinds of ways. For kids, outside play also helps them develop their connection to nature and gives them an opportunity for both fun and learning. Today’s play-of-the-day can happen in a playground, park, or your neighborhood. Since green is the color for St. Patrick’s Day, you and your child can play “I Spy” and look for things that are green. Up, down, and all around, in the sky and on the ground.
On the way to the playground, we saw some bushes, early plants, and some sort-of green circles on the sidewalk. The shrub is a ‘junifer’. We even saw a green compost container and green equipment. This simple activity added something new to our ordinary walk to the playground. It was fun to discover many things that were green. Being able to look for something specific and find it amidst all kinds of other distractions is an important part of paying attention. Your child may be ready to figure out that some of the green things are plants and others are not. Sorting things into groups is another valuable learning skill. Are some of the green things alive? That’s science learning. What do you and your child “I Spy” that’s green? Any leprechauns?