nature learning

Today, in the middle of some weekend let-down bumps, we took ourselves out to our favorite local park land. It was chilly and windy, but not actively raining. (We were sneaking in some nature time in between storms.) It was nearly perfect, truly.

I had everyone pack for a light hike and asked the kids to please bring their sketch books. We started off with the immediate hit of a successful geocache find, then we hiked up to the ridge for some exercise. Along the way, both kids, Little Brown Mouse especially, pointed out plants he was familiar with, rocks, and other things easily overlooked. He had so many observations and curiosities.

Once we had walked along the ridge a little way,  Little Brown Mouse found a spot, plopped down on his sit-upon (a lightweight, waterproof mat that Lala Bug made for each of us), and we all sat for a bit. He brought his pocket knife, the kids whittled sticks and wrote in the dirt, we snacked, and then I asked if anyone wanted to sketch with me. To my surprise, Lala Bug didn't. (I think we had a tired/lost-in-thought girl today.) Little Brown Mouse was up for it and accepted a challenge to find and record a plant using certain information I asked him to include. If I could guess the plant based on his entry, he won. He did and I guessed and he won! (I got this idea from a recent John Muir Laws workshop I attended-another highlight this week. You can find videos online or similar ideas in his nature journaling book. He also has a free nature journaling curriculum.)

We chatted for a bit, observed the different types of clouds we were seeing and what that meant about our weather (this has been a great book), and then Lala Bug called out that she saw a Turkey Vulture. I set my timer, and for the next 15 minutes, we watched for birds and counted them for the Great Backyard Bird Count. This is our third year participating in the count.

We had just the right dose of fresh air, movement, and exploration, and I was struck by just how much my kiddos are seeing, learning, taking in, and excited about in nature.

Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.

- John Muir