Let's Connect With Nature

One of our favorite things to do whenever we go to a new park or nature center is to get a different view, or perspective, of the area. We’re always finding hills to hike (or run down) and towers to climb. I also try to incorporate all 5 senses, which is another great way to get a different perspective of nature.

In part 1 of this post are ideas for getting a different perspective by watching and listening. In part 2, I’ll cover smell, taste and touch.

These activities can be a great way to enhance observational skills and expand your child’s vocabulary!

I hope you will spend some time outside and try them.

Watch

· Look at something from far away, and then close up.

· Lie on the ground and look up. Try under a tree.

· Lie on the ground and look along the ground. Find a dry area or a place with a nice patch of grass. You can also bring along a blanket…we have one dedicated just for outdoor activities like picnics and fireworks.

· Climb a hill and look down.

· Look at something from the animal’s point of view. What does a blade of grass look like to an ant?

· Sit on the grass and watch how it’s constantly moving and shifting. Watch to see if any tiny creatures jump or fly by. Imagine how big the area would look to a small bug.

· Walk into a valley and look up.

· Look for colors everywhere. This is especially fun in spring when the trees and flowers begin to bloom.

· Watch a sunrise or sunset. A lake is an especially beautiful place to do this.

· Look for shapes in nature. Try to find heart shapes in leaves, rocks or tree trunks.

· Look for patterns on tree trunks and on plants. Look for things with spots or stripes.

· Look at something through its reflection in a puddle or pond.

· Talk about how the parts of a tree or plant are connected. Start by looking at the base of the tree (where it’s usually very sturdy and wide) and go to the narrower branches and then delicate leaves. Do this with flowers too.

· Pay attention to how close or far apart things are around you. Are you in a dense forested area or grassland where the trees and grasses are close together? Or an open field where there is more space between?

· Watch how things in nature rely on each other…like when bees pollinate a flower.

· Talk a walk at night and talk about how different things look.

· Pick a letter of the alphabet (maybe what your child’s name starts with) and look for things that start with that letter.

· Take a walk on a windy day. Fall is a great time of year to do this. We once took a walk on a windy fall day and it was “snowing” leaves the whole time. It was so beautiful with all the leaves gently falling all around us. At first we just watched them and then we all started to jump around to try to catch them.

· Walk along a riverbed to follow a twig or leaf as it floats down the river.

· Look at how and where the shadow of a tree falls. Look in the morning and then revisit it in the afternoon and again later in the day to talk about how it has changed.

· Talk about ways to describe the area you are in. Is it open, windy, green, dry, hot, rocky etc?


Listen

Stand still and listen with your eyes closed. You’ll probably be able to hear better and concentrate better this way. You can also amplify sounds further by cupping your hands behind your ears to mimic an animal’s ear (which is usually larger than ours).

· Listen and describe the sounds you hear.

· Talk about what the sound might be...a bug, a bird or something human generated?

· Move to another area and see if the sounds are the same or different.

· Go outside at night and see if it sounds different.

In part 2 of "Getting a New Perspective on Nature" I'll give you some ways to incorporate smelling, tasting and touch into your nature adventures.

Until then…happy exploring!!

Chris Hettwer

To leave me a comment or suggestion, or join in on a conversation about this post please visit my blog Let's Connect With Nature.

Every fall I look forward to going to one of our local apple farms. Our son gets to see where apples come from and how they grow on the tree. We get to pick them ourselves and eat them right from the tree, and we walk through several acres of trees smelling the fresh apples (and some not so fresh that have fallen on the ground). We get to smell, taste, touch, see and hear. The next time you do an activity with your children (or scout group), try to incorporate all the senses, and see how it takes your experience to a deeper level.

Here are some other activities that you can do to inspire gratitude for the plant that gives, every day.

• Trees give us so many different products! Print off this list of things that we get from trees (it’s from the Idaho Forests Products Commission). Go around the house and either point out the items or ask your child to guess what items came from a tree. (Tip for scout groups…this also makes a great memory game for a group of kids. Gather 15-20 items that come from trees, put them on a baking sheet or tray and cover with a towel. Show the items to the group for 10 seconds before taking the tray away. Ask the kids to write down as many items as they can remember. See if anyone can guess what the items have in common before you mention trees.

• Be a tree! This works inside, but for the best effect head outside on a sunny, breezy day. Find a tree to be near and pretend that you are a tree. For younger children keep it simple. Stand with your eyes closed and imagine your feet are anchored to the ground like roots. Spread your arms out and wiggle your fingers like branches. Sway back and forth when the wind hits you. For older children, use this great script from Joseph Cornell’s book Sharing the Joy of Nature, and experience the life of a tree through all four seasons.

• Get a new perspective! Look up close to a tree and far away, feel the different textures of the leaves, the bark, and the branches. Hug a tree! Try to slow things down. Sometimes we’re so caught up in the hectic pace of our everyday lives that we either forget to slow down or have a hard time doing so. Close your eyes and listen to the leaves rustle and the branches creak. Smell the air, the bark and the leaves.

• Animals need trees too! Ask your child what the tree provides for animals? Who uses the branches, the trunks and the leaves?

• Try real maple syrup! In spring, head to a local nature center or camp to see how Maple trees are tapped to make maple syrup and maple sugar. Some places sponsor a breakfast where you can come and try the freshly made syrup on pancakes.

• What does a tree see? Imagine you’re high up in a tree. What would you see?

• Look under a fallen tree or log and see what you find!

• Do a bark rubbing! With one sheet of paper and several colored crayons rub the bark of 2 or 3 different types of trees.

• Make a mystery box! Explore the sense of touch by placing different objects from trees in a box. Have your child touch the items, one at a time (without removing them) and describe the textures. Have them try to guess what it is. Try using twigs, buds, maple tree “helicopter” seeds, pine needles, bark, acorns, leaves, pinecones etc.

• Identify one or two types of trees. Find a tree identification guide at your library or purchase one. There are also a few online guides like this one from the Arbor Day Foundation,

 I hope you have a wonderful time exploring trees in your neck of the woods!

Chris Hettwer

To leave me a comment or suggestion, or join in on a conversation about this post please visit my blog Let's Connect With Nature.