5 Ways to Foster Love of Nature in Kids

Ah, how lovely are the glories of Mother Nature, brimming with beauty, abundance and life? But her most beautiful bounty is, without doubt, her little ones – the children of the world!

Mother Nature loves her kids – and we need to teach them to love her back. Time spent in the midst of nature is not only mentally and spiritually fulfilling, it also means time away from being cooped up indoors glued to gadgets. At Kinderkind, your best-loved online boutique for spring clothes for toddlers, we value the importance of instilling a love of nature in our children.

Childmind explains how being amidst nature can work wonders in kids:

https://childmind.org/article/why-kids-need-to-spend-time-in-nature/

Read on for our top five tips to get the little ones to opt for a day of hikes and picnics over movies and video games!

1. START THEM OFF YOUNG

We don’t have to wait for our little ones to carry all sorts of outdoorsy gear to get them exploring nature! Go ahead and expose them to the natural world from the time they are toddling.

Start off with walks in tree-filled sunny parks, or tummy time in the garden. Get those little hands busy feeling the grass between their fingers or the crunch of leaves under their little feet. Laugh together at that funny-shaped bush or that pebble that looks like a bear!

Books are a great way to introduce nature to kids. There are some excellent children’s books about nature that you can read together while looking at the colorful pictures and pointing out familiar flowers, bugs and animals!

Check out these super nature book recommendations for kiddos:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/children/2020/mar/best-childrens-books-about-nature.html

 2. STEP OUT AND ABOUT

What’s the best way to develop a love for nature? It’s to be in the midst of it! Just step out of the house with your little one, and feel nature enfold and embrace you instantly.

A family hike in the nearby hills or woods is an amazing outdoor activity for kids to spend some quality time in nature, discovering new trails and wondering at the glorious flora and fauna all around. Take a walk in the park, stopping to admire an unusual-shaped leaf or a busy bird building its nest.

And of course, don’t forget the favorite outdoor activity of all kids – a picnic! Prepare a simple repast, grab a blanket, and find a cosy spot to have your next Sunday lunch. Let the birds and butterflies join in – the best way for your little one to make friends with nature, isn’t it?

Here are some cool activities to do with your kid on a nature walk – and some ideas for after you’re back home, too!

https://artfulparent.com/13-nature-walk-activities-for-kids-and-free-nature-scavenger-hunt/

3. MAKE NATURE THEIR HOBBY

Kids love to record and research, are we right? Turn love of nature into an interesting hobby and see how they get hooked!

Get them some basic field equipment like magnifying lenses, a pair of binoculars, or a simple telescope. Older children can be given a simple camera if they show an inclination for photography. Encourage your children to observe nature and take notes on what they see. A cool nature-themed notebook can be used to make sketches of insects or to stick photos or dry leaves in. Old jam jars are good for storing tadpoles or pebble collections.

Another great idea is to get your little one some interesting field guides to the common animals, birds, insects, or plants in your area. Your kid will be thrilled when they spot a tree or bug they’ve read about or seen in a book!

We love these fabulous nature gifts for children from Thimble & Twig:

https://thimbleandtwig.com/nature-gifts-for-kids/

4. LITTLE GREEN FINGERS

Want to know a super fun and super simple trick to get children connected to nature? Get their hands dirty doing some gardening!

Gardening is a wonderful way to get kiddos in touch with the soil and help them encounter different kinds of bugs, worms, and other fascinating creatures. If you have a nice garden space, try planting a few fruit and veg plants. Berries, beans and tomatoes are easy to grow, and how delightful it will be for your child to pick the ripe fruit and veggies! No way are they going to say no to eating them, too. Let them experience the wonder of growth and creation in nature – seeing it first-hand, it will be a lesson they’ll never forget.

Kerry Michaels has some great gardening project suggestions for children. Find them here:

https://www.thespruce.com/container-garden-projects-kids-will-love-847955

5. BRING THE OUTSIDE IN

Nature doesn’t just belong to the outdoors – help the little ones bring a bit of nature indoors too!

Encourage kids to gather treasures from nature – feathers, leaves, pinecones, dead bugs – it’s all good! They can have their own special jars or boxes to store their rock or leaf collections, identifying and labelling their finds with a little help from you. How about creating a nature corner or nature table in the house, with small boxes and baskets to hold natural elements from outside? You can even use these items to make nature crafts!

Check out this interesting video for some great nature craft ideas:

It’s a big, beautiful world out there, and for kids, the possibilities for fun are endless! As we bring you the best kids’ fashion clothes from Kinderkind, we believe that when children are outside and surrounded by nature, they experience a free-flowing and ever-changing environment that stimulates all their senses. And let’s be honest – we’d love to see our little darlings with a trowel or watering can in their hands instead of the eternal phone or tablet, wouldn’t we!

Sending love from Be Kind blogs. Happy reading.