Just recently I shared my thoughts on nature study versus science in this entry: Nature Study or Science. I invite you to read that entry first and then return to this entry.
Meaningful nature study is something that all parents can offer to their children. Here are some simple tips to help you get started or perhaps refresh your normal routine.
Tips for Meaningful Nature Study
- Place the child directly in contact with nature. This means get outside! Use some time each week to go with your child outside and find something interesting to look at and experience together.
- Direct contact is a must. Look in your own backyard or neighborhood for subjects you can observe in person, not something you read about in a book. Real objects are the basis for real learning. Some of these objects will be appropriate to gather and place on a nature table in your home. (See my favorite nature table ideas here on my Pinterest board: Nature Display.)
- If you give a nature lesson, have in mind a clear objective for that lesson. Do you need to follow up on interest found during your outdoor time? Make sure to relate the follow up information to the outdoor experience for maximum benefits.
Ideas for Follow Up to Your Nature Study Time
- An oral narration- Talk about what you saw and experienced together. Here are some additional ideas: Using Your Words.
- A written narration and/or a drawing- Create a memory of the experience or subject. There are lots of ideas for nature journals here on my page: Nature Journals.
- A painting-You will find ideas for using watercolors in your nature journal here: Once a Month Nature Journal Project-Watercolors.
- A model- use clay, found objects, wire, etc. I have some ideas for using your nature items here on my Pinterest Board – Nature Crafts.
- A collection – possibly for your nature table. See my favorite nature table ideas here on my Pinterest board: Nature Display.
You may wish to read this entry and print out my free 3 Steps to a Better Nature Study Experience
“Adults should realize that the most valuable thing children can learn is what they discover themselves about the world they live in.” Charlotte Mason, volume 1 page 61
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