It is important to teach children that we are not alone in this world.  We are a part of the greater fabric of nature that binds us all together.  Whether children live deep in the country or in the heart of a bustling city, they don’t have to go far to touch a tree, pick up leaves and seeds, or collect rock samples.

Infants: Neurological foundations for rational thinking and general reasoning appear to be largely established by age one.  Not so much what is wired, but how much of the brain gets interconnected in the first months and years of an infants life seems to be the determining factor.  It is important, when taking infants on a “Nature Walk,” to describe everything you see.  Talk about the tall trees, the short bushes, the sounds of the birds and bees, and the feel of the wind or sun on their hands and faces.  While on the walk, sing nursery rhymes like “Jack and Jill” from my book Teaching with Heart because words are a magnet for thinking and reasoning skills.  “Constant patter may be the single most important factor in early brain development” said Dr. Betty Hart, professor emeritus of human development at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Toddlers: When toddlers go on the nature walk give them each a nature box, (an egg carton) so that they can collect their own treasures.  When returning to the classroom have the children make a collage with what they found on their walk.  Sing a nursery rhyme like “Jack and Jill” when they are leaving or returning to keep them occupied and not distracted.  Change the names in the rhyme to the names of the children who are with you to keep them interested and involved.

Preschoolers:  Young children are curious.  Each season brings with it new opportunities to explore in a unique way.  Nature experiences are an excellent method to develop critical thinking skills. These can be encouraged through concrete experiences with comparing and categorizing activities.  Theme walks are a wonderful way for children to learn about themselves and their world. Draw attention to:

1.   Looking up one week or down the next: What do you see in the sky or on the ground?

2.   Color walk: Discover everything red/green/blue/yellow.

3.   Animal walk: Find a cat, dog, or bird, etc.

4.   Insect walk: Look for ants, bees, spiders, moths and butterflies, etc.

5.   Look for: shadows, rainbows, sunshine, moonlight, snow, rain, and clouds:

• Cumulus (puffy, white – fair weather) Cumulonimbus (dark, puffy – rain or snow)
• Cirrus (high, wispy – made of ice) Stratus (grey, layered - associated with drizzle).

6.   Also look for seeds sprouting in gardens, leaves on trees, flowers on the pathways, or birds at a feeder, spiders on webs, and fish in ponds.

Try to take theme walks once a week and encourage the children to look for different things.  After each walk, write an experience chart and ask each child what they saw. The environment surrounding them is a primary factor in leading them towards their full potential, all the while developing problem-solving skills that will help them cope with the world around them.