benefits of early Connections.

Nature provides us with an opportunity to discover, engage, and build a relationship with our environment and its intertwining systems. Children who spend time in nature benefit cognitively, social-emotionally, and physically as they develop the skills to strengthen their mental health and well-being by engaging with their surroundings. Additionally, exposure to different natural environments assists children in thinking beyond their immediate surroundings. This consequently can build a well-rounded, more diverse perspective, awareness, and appreciation for the world around them and help them understand their place within the world. Understanding that they are a part of nature is the foundation for environmental attitudes, cognition, and behaviors. As children build environmental literacy, they build knowledge and skills, resulting in them becoming more environmentally responsible and engaged adults.

Creative Connecting_Early Childhood Nature Journaling Sparks Wonder and Develops Ecological Literacy.pdf

Develops Systemic thinking

"Students who have developed a strong naturalist intelligence, not only experience the love of nature or interrelated systems separately, but connect the two and apply them to problem-solving in many subject areas." - Kelly Johnson

HERE ARE SOME ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN

Sound Mapping

Takes a sheet of paper and sits somewhere silently for five minutes. Any sound you hear in front, draw on the top of the page. Sounds you hear to the left, draw on the left of the page, etc. Sounds can be drawn as cartoons or words, with distances from the page center proportional to distance in the field. Have a discussion about the experience.

Questions:

What unexpected sounds or unique sounds did you hear?
What sounds were easy to hear? Why?
What sounds were hard to hear? Why?
What sounds were from living things? Non-living things?
What sounds were human-caused? Other-than-human sounds (“nature” sounds)? Which sounds were easier to hear?
What did you hear that was unexpected or that you might not have heard if you hadn’t stayed very quiet?
If with others...Compare your map to another’s map (someone farther away from you). What is similar? What is different?
How might their map be different at a different time of day? Or a different season? Or a different location?

Note: This is an adult-friendly activity as well.

I Spy...Cloud Watching

Not only is cloud watching a great mindfulness technique, but it can also be used to connect you to nature! Find a quiet spot to sit or lie down outside and stare up. Look out and up—are there any clouds today? Ask your kids what they see – what shapes, colors, creatures, or other things. There's often more to see than just clouds. I spy nature connections forming!

Kids have a great imagination. To help them be mindful, have the kids lay on their backs or sit. Have them watch the sky over a period of time and discuss what images or what type of cloud they see. You can read Little Cloud by Eric Carle to inspire some creativity.

If the child sparks an interest in the science of clouds, dig deeper and ask questions such as, "What color is the cloud or if it is thin and wispy?"

Use the chart to the left, to help the child identify what type of cloud it is. This is a great activity to practice relaxation, observation, and weather analysis!

Scent jars

Using your senses is an important skill to develop. Before starting the activity, ask your young ones to guess which jar will smell the best or the strongest. Have them smell each jar and see if they were right!

Materials:

4 jars
Cinnamon sticks
Green onion
Chives
Oranges

*Other scented objects if desired

Procedure:

Fill each jar with the desired scented object
Have the child predict which jar will smell the best or the strongest
Have the child smell each object and confirm whether they were correct

Nature crowns

Calling all princes and princesses! Take a walk in your backyard or a nearby park and grab any objects that catch your eye. Use the objects you liked to make a royal nature crown.

Materials:

Objects from nature ex//leaves, branches, flowers etc. *ensure there are no insects on it
Elmer's glue or a hot glue gun
Ribbon *optional
Construction Paper

Procedure:

Take your child on a nature walk and pick up leaves, flowers etc.
Return home
Cut construction Paper into a thick band that wraps around your child's head
Glue the objects onto the band
Glue the band together to fit their head
Let the crown dry for 2 hours if needed
It's time to wear your crown!

Nature counting

1,2,3! It's time to step out in nature. Have your young explorers grab matching objects with the corresponding numbers. This is a great activity to have your child actively learn about nature and math.

Materials:

Objects from nature
Number Cards (DIY or purchased)

Procedure:

Take your child on a nature walk
Have your child pick up matching objects with the corresponding numbers
Align the matching objects with the corresponding number card

Modification: (CHALLENGE)

Complete steps 1-2 above
Tape a large piece of paper on the ground or do it on construction paper
Lay the nature objects on the paper in a 5x5 grid
Draw a line to the right of the paper
On the right side of the line, write the heading "How many can you find?"
Below the heading, write the object you would like them to find. ex// rock
On a post it note, write a number in the range 1-5
Have your child count how many objects he found and use the appropriate number

sHAPES IN NATURE

Nature is filled with various shapes. It's time to go out and discover what shapes are out there! Observe what shapes nature makes. Pick up nature objects and make shapes out of them.

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