We are working on becoming very nature oriented. Quiet honestly, I LOVE the IDEA of being outside, letting kids climb the trees, finding out the names of local trees, flowers and insects. So, it's the idea that I love. Not so much the implementation. In fact, I believe it's an answer to prayer that I found a great friend who loves the implementation of such activities. Yay! This fantastic mom is leading a series of outdoor explorations and I honestly couldn't be more thankful. We went on our first exploration around our neighborhood. It was a slightly chilly day, but made for a great walk and day to learn about our favorite climbing trees: Pinyon Pines.
We walked our friends to our favorite climbing spot and got busy showing them how we climb. After a bit of exhausting climbing out came the trail guide. Kids were instructed to find different clues about the trees: a pine cone and some pine needles. Upon comparison we learned that the needles grow in bunches of 2 and the pine cones were rather short and squat. We drew pictures of our findings in our notebooks and wrote down the tree's name.
It was an amazing turning point in my children's viewpoint of nature. Never before had we looked like scientists to determine what was around us. We could more thoroughly enjoy the trees now. Going forward, my boys are actively wondering and asking questions about what is around them. One of our largest goals for this summer is to learn our local state park inside and out. The names of trees and plants, insects and rocks/minerals. They are so excited to get out and explore the trails!
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