Nature is not just hard reality, it is also imagination; no wonder kids go wild for nature. A favorite event in our area is fairy weekend in the forest. This year there were also beings from outer space making themselves at home in the trees.
A large, outdoor gardens in our area has many nature celebrations each year. One of the biggest is over two dozen homes for woodland fairies made entirely out of bits of nature. These are tucked into spaces in the forest and have to be discovered by. Adults by themselves on the quest for fairy and other imaginal beings are quite conspicuous. But I was camouflaged by 3 kids.
Fairies do not only appeal to girls. The two girls, each 3 years old, were entranced by the fairy homes but so was a 7-year old boy. He was just as delighted by the woodland creations and mystery.
All 3 of them were more drawn to the wood, shells, flowers, and pine cones than the recycled metal of the space creatures. Somehow, the aliens seemed less alive.
Not all cities and towns will have fairies in the parks, but kids can look for evidence of them anywhere. Apparently, fairies like shady spaces and avoid bright sun. During the hot part of the afternoon, they are usually napping. Because they are so tiny and can fly, we only catch glimpses of fairies, like sparkles or shimmers in the air. The best places to look for them are cool, mossy areas often near little pools of water.
Because they are much closer to the ground than adults are, children are much better at finding fairies. They will happily search for fairies when we take them to an area with trees and bushes. Our task is to find and time and space where children can explore both the real and the imagined, where they can play both in and with nature.
Could your go wild for nature include some fairy play?
