“25 Nature Adventures for Kids”

“25 Nature Adventures for Kids” was featured in the online parenting magazine, babble.com. Babble readers gave it a 5-star rating with over 6,000 views. You can read the complete article below or see it as it was originally published in www.babble.com.

- By Jenni Veal

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives,” says author Thomas Berry. If this responsibility sounds too heavy, rest assured that it is actually very simple to explore nature with a young child. Most of these activities can be done easily at home or in the neighborhood. Some take a little online research, phone calls or planning, but they are well worth the effort for the memories they create and the love of the outdoors they can inspire in a child. — Jenni Frankenberg Veal

1. Play in the mud. Mud can be made anywhere — in the yard, in a small pool, or in a bucket on the porch. Just combine dirt and water, and most children will know what to do from there. For extra fun, add utensils, pans, bowls and buckets (thrift stores usually have super-cheap ones). If your child is hesitant, dig in yourself and show him that it can be fun to commune with mud. The point is to get dirty with reckless abandon. Another fun mud project: Place your child’s muddy handprints on construction paper to create a unique keepsake. Turn the handprints into inspirational “mud art” by writing this line from an e.e. cummings’ poem at the top of the handprints: “The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.”

2. Build a fairy house. Find an out-of-the-way place to build a fairy house, such as at the base of a tree, in a corner of the yard, or even in a planter. Then search for natural materials that can become tiny chairs, tables and beds for elusive “woodland fairies.” Let your child’s imagination run wild as she searches for sticks, pine cones, leaves, seed pods, acorns, shells and rocks that can be turned into a fairy’s household items. When your child asks if fairies are real, just ask her what she thinks about it. For ideas and inspiration, read Tracy Kane’s wonderful children’s book Fairy Houses.

3. Grow a garden. Michelle Obama is growing a White House Kitchen Garden this summer with her daughters. Try this yourself at home, either in a small plot in the yard or in planters. You can grow plants from seed in the early spring or purchase plants in late spring. Tomatoes, lettuces, herbs and sunflowers are good plants to start. You’ll learn in your first year and can expand upon your knowledge the next year. Keep a garden notebook to record your successes and challenges, as well as pictures of your farmers and crop.

4. Visit a nature center. A nature center is often a community’s best-kept secret. These outdoor education centers typically offer helpful programs about local plants and animals, and nature center naturalists are great resources for information about interesting activities in your area. Look in the phone book or online for your closest nature center and plan to spend a morning or afternoon exploring what’s there.

5. Make a tree your friend. Have your child pick a favorite tree in your yard or neighborhood to make his own. Put a ribbon around it or something simple that declares it “his” tree. Name the tree and watch how it changes throughout the year. Have your child draw and photograph the tree to create a special tree book. Find out what kind of tree it is, and watch throughout the year to see what animals live in it and what kind of seeds it produces. This is a simple way to develop a child’s connection with nature.

6. Find a secret hideaway. Help your child to find her own secret hideaway in the yard, woods or at a park — under a tree, behind or on top of a rock, or in a special nook at the park. This can be a hidden place for your child to read a book, play and imagine. This can even become a spiritual place of sorts, such as a prayer rock or quiet spot under a tree for quieting the mind.

7. Go berry picking. There is nothing like picking your own strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries on a warm, sunny day. Look for local farms with pick-your-own opportunities. Or look for wild areas with berries ripe for the picking — for free. Be sure all berry pickers are wearing hats and shoes (not flip-flops). If you have space in your yard — it doesn’t take much — plant and grow your own berry bushes; it usually takes a couple years to establish bushes, but it is well worth the effort. Look online for the best-tasting crops so you aren’t disappointed when your plants bear fruit.

8. Rock hop in a creek. Childhood isn’t complete without a creek to hop around in once in a while. Creeks are great for wading, water fights, crawdad-hunting, rock-hopping and exploring. Find a favorite spot and allow your child time to play and explore. Be sure that any creeks children enter have acceptable water-quality ratings; check water quality through local municipalities and utilities.

9. Learn about songbirds. Place a bird feeder near a window or in the yard and watch who comes to visit. Purchase a bird guide, such as The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America (a Peterson Field Guide), to help identify the birds at your feeder. If your family gets good at identifying birds, try participating in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Check online for local birdwatching groups; these groups often host educational outings that are interesting for children and adults.

10. Start a nature journal. Buy a blank notebook and some colored pencils and, voila, you have a nature notebook. Pack the journal in a backpack for walks, hikes and canoe trips, and encourage your child to draw what she sees: trees, leaves, birds, pine cones, rocks — even you. Be sure to set aside 15 to 30 minutes to sit, draw and talk with your child about what she is drawing. Don’t critique drawings; simply let her draw and enjoy the experience.

11. Feed the squirrels. Gather acorns or other nuts in a basket and put them out for the squirrels. Watch to see if you have any takers. If you set up a squirrel feeder (dried corn-on-the-cob will work), create a fun maze for the squirrels using ropes, water guards or other deterrents — squirrels are smart and you’ll enjoy watching them navigate the maze.

12. Play outside. American children spend an average of 30 minutes of unstructured time outdoors each week, according to recent studies. Give your child the gift of unstructured play time to discover, create and imagine while outside in nature.

13. Paint rocks. This may seem simple, but rock painting is a great way to excite children about exploring outdoors. The most important part is the rock hunt, which can be done in the woods, the park or the backyard. Have your child search for “special” rocks. Then sit outside — armed with paintbrushes and non-toxic paints — to create rock art. Painted rocks are artful additions to potted plants, gardens and windowsills. If you live near or plan to visit the beach this summer, you can do this with shells too. The salt on the shells makes watercolors bright and beautiful, and it’s a great way to escape the sun for a while.

14. Visit a state park. Look online for state parks in your area and plan a weekend getaway. Many state parks offer camping or cabin rentals, as well as outdoor fun, such as fishing, hiking, canoeing and swimming. To get the inside scoop on activities and events, call the park and speak to a ranger — most are happy to share their recommendations.

15. Enjoy a campfire. Campfires represent everything wonderful about being outside — camping, friends and family, hot dogs and s’mores. Check with your local fire department about campfire regulations. If you can have a safe campfire in your backyard, invite the neighbors over to enjoy it with you. If not, plan a weekend getaway at a park or campground that allows for campfires.

16. Build a fort. Forts, tree houses and playhouses can be rustic or extravagant. There are many books today that offer wonderful and practical ideas for creating childhood getaways. Or use your imagination — and your child’s — to create your own.

17. Follow the phases of the moon. The moon affects nature and all living things, but it is so easy to overlook its changing beauty. Take a month to watch the moon phases. Each night at the same time, step outside and look up. Have your child draw each night’s moon phase. Or just look and listen to night sounds. Find some moon-themed children’s books at the library or bookstore that you can read together during your moon-study month. There are many websites that can provide additional age-appropriate information about the moon.

18. Pack up some books and read outside. Find a special place outdoors to read — under a tree, in a hammock, on a porch or at the park. Pack your backpack with books and snacks and head out to read with your child. This takes away all the distractions of home, such as phones, all things electronic, and the constant need to clean. If you need some new books, look for nature themes at the library or bookstore. Learn more about the importance of reading aloud to your child, as well as age-appropriate books, at Read Aloud Magic.

19. Explore in a canoe. Canoeing is a fun way to explore local waterways, as well as to quietly observe the plants and animals that live around water. If you have never canoed and are starting from scratch, call a local nature center, aquarium or outdoor recreation retail store for information about canoe outfitters in your area. There are also canoe and kayak clubs in many areas that offer skill training and outings.

20. Take a hike. Hiking is great exercise and a fun way to spend family time. Look online or ask around for local trails. Fill a backpack with snacks and water, and you’re off for an easy outdoor adventure.

21. Start a nature basket. Find an old basket, or something made of a natural material, that can be your family’s nature basket — a place to keep anything beautiful that is found outdoors. This is a great place to keep rocks, sticks, shells, fossils, pine cones or anything else deemed beautiful by your family while exploring the outdoors. Be sure not to disturb anything growing or take anything that should remain outdoors (such as bird nests). Keep the nature basket in an accessible place for your child to empty and look through whenever he feels the urge. Find a special place in the woods or near water for returning items back to nature when you are through with them or when you need more space for new items in the basket.

22. Inspire the imagination. If you ever thought you had “discovered” something ancient in nature as a child, you probably still remember it to this day. Children come alive when they believe they have discovered something, whether it’s a hidden treasure in the bottom of a creek or a flint rock that could have belonged to an American Indian. Help your child think like an archaeologist, anthropologist or historian by opening your mind to what you could be looking at in nature. Even the mere suggestion that a rock could be a dinosaur bone, that a crevice could be a footprint, or that a stone could be an ancient animal bone can stir a child’s imagination and joy in exploration.

23. Host a water day. Invite friends over for water fun in the yard or a park. A small pool isn’t necessary, but if you have space, use it. Make bubble buckets with water and soap. Play with water balloons. Bring ice cubes outdoors to watch them melt. Put out a sprinkler. Water toys can include bottles, sponges, spoons, cups and pitchers. This is a great activity for hot days in July and August.

24. Play in the rain. Turn off the parent voice in your head that says “Get out of the rain!” and let your child stomp in puddles and get muddy and soaking wet. Rain boots and an umbrella are optional.

25. Take a family camp vacation. Put away the Mickey Mouse ears and take the whole family to camp for vacation this year. Many summer camps offer weekend or week-long sessions for families to enjoy all aspects of camp together — activities, meals, cabins, campfires and roughing it. Call the traditional summer camps in your area to see if they offer family camp sessions or look online for family camps around the country.

Jenni Veal writes about nature education, travel and the natural landscape of the southeastern United States. As a magazine writer and editor based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she enjoys helping parents to discover the beauty within nature with their children.

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