“How can I possibly teach my child about nature? I don’t even know a moth from a butterfly.”

The outdoors is just a different setting for learning to take place. The same concepts and skills you help your child learn while sitting in your house can be done in the backyard or a park. Instead of sorting plastic animals into a muffin cup, sort items found on the ground in your yard. Use hula-hoops or flying discs turned upside-down to divide the collection.

Not only is the outdoors a great learning environment, but you and your child also can learn in the outdoors by observing and exploring the natural environment together. Parents and caregivers act as their child’s "tour guide" while exploring. Answers are not needed, only the ability to guide children through the process of learning. 

Just by being older than your child, you have so many more experiences, and can draw upon those experiences to help answer questions. It’s okay to not know all the answers. Together, you can explore, discover, and observe.  Children frequently want to know the name of things. While you know the bird they are pointing at is a robin, ask your child, “What would you call it?” 

What to do?

Sometimes with kids we have "teachable moments," like when the leopard frog hops across the trail, and we have "sneaky education" where in the midst of having fun, the kids learn a thing or two. Sneaky education is a planned event, but the children don’t need to know you planned it!

Pre-plan an outing at a local park or nature center for you and your child. Check out what you’re likely to see, the park rules, and locate the restrooms and drinking fountain. Look for an area that has a variety of groundcover, colors, and shapes, nearby restrooms, and shelter in case of a change in weather.

Many park areas have brochures or information about poisonous plants or animals that may be found at the park.  Read over this material and familiarize yourself with what should be avoided. Check park rules for allowed activities. Many nature centers and parks do not allow the picking of anything living or taking items home.

A good practice to start instilling in these young children is that "things" already laying on the ground may be picked up, examined, smelled, shared with your neighbor, and then before leaving the area, all "things" are left behind for others to find. Another thing to consider when planning is to start these "outdoor learning sessions" at your comfort level.

Things to do!

Put together an “explorer’s bag.” Use a backpack or shoulder tote and put in plastic magnifying lenses, bug boxes, clear zipper bags, large plastic spoon, TP binoculars (see directions below), paper or art book, crayons, colored pencils, trash bags, and other items to help children explore their natural environment.

Teacher supply stores, nature centers, or museums may have bug boxes, “bug inns,” and magnifying lenses.  Magnifying lenses, bug boxes, and zipper bags can be used to look more closely at the smaller animals, (including insects), and plants that the children may find.

The clear zipper bag also can hold some pond water for closer inspection! The large plastic spoon can be used to help reach items, especially in ponds. Use the art supplies to help your child record what they see on the outing. Be sure to date their artwork and include the place. You could even record the animals you saw, the trees you looked at, etc. The trash bags are there to collect trash (or for your own).

Again, cleaning up trash is another habit that can be learned early, and it helps keep the park clean.

Supply List for a Nature Outing:

TP binoculars
Explorer’s Bag
Hand cleaning wipes or gel
Snack items
Water

Make your own "TP Binoculars"

 

What You Do:

1. Tear off 2 pieces of masking tape long enough to go around 2 tubes held side by side.
2. Have one person hold 2 tubes side by side with the top and bottom even.
3. Have another person take one piece of tape and wrap around both tubes near one end. Repeat for the other end.
4. Use the hole-punch to punch two holes to attach the yarn for the strap to hang the binoculars around your neck. The holes should be across from the other on the same end of the tubes.
5. Tie yarn through each hole for the strap.
6. Write the owner’s name on the binoculars.

What You Need:
• 2 toilet paper tubes per person
• Masking tape
• Hole punch
• Yarn; precut to 3 feet for adults and 2 feet for children; one each
• Fine-tip marker

Your children will think you’re really cool if the snack or the dessert on your outdoor learning day also has a nature theme. Two favorites are Dirt Cups and Ants on a Log!

Dirt Cups

 

What You Do:

1. Crush cookies until they resemble dirt and set aside.
2. Combine pudding mix and milk until well-blended. 
3. Fold in the whipped topping.
4. Fill plastic cups with pudding mixture alternating with the cookie crumbs.
5. Top with cookie crumbs.
6. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, and then decorate with gummy candies and other toppings.

What You Need:

2 cups cold milk
1 pk instant chocolate pudding
1 pk whipped topping, thawed
1 pk Chocolate sandwich cookies
10 7-ounce plastic cups
Suggested toppings (for children over 3)
Gummy worms
Gummy frogs
Candy flowers
Chopped peanuts

Ants on a Log (For children 2 and over)

What You Need:

Celery Sticks (cleaned and de-stringed)
Peanut Butter
Raisins

What You Do:

1. Smear peanut butter on celery sticks.
2. Place a few raisins on peanut butter covered celery sticks — Ants on a Log!

For Texas Ants on a Log – use prunes instead of raisins!

Additional Articles/ResourcesFollow up your outdoor learning time with an outdoor themed book. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

The Other Way to Listen
Byrd Baylor
0-684-16017-X

Guess Who My Favorite Person is?
Byrd Baylor
0-689-71102-6

Moon Song
Byrd Baylor
0-684-17463-4

Owl Moon
Jane Yolen
0-399-21457-7

The Big Sneeze
William Van Horn
0-688-04665-7

The Very Quiet Cricket
Eric Carle
0-399-21885-8

References:
Sharing Nature With Children
Joseph Cornell
1-883220-73-4

Article Prepared by: Linette Riley, University of Idaho Extension Office, American Falls, ID