Winter & Spring Nature Play

April 20, 2009 by admin 

tracks-200x300In my family we make it a goal to have unstructured play in nature every day. Unstructured play in my family means giving my children access to a safe environment without distractions like toys, playground equipment, and electronics and give them the opportunity to explore nature and learn to be creative on their own.

When we spend time in nature I notice a huge behavioral change. My children tend to be calmer, more obedient and happier when we’ve spent time outside. Child development specialists have preached the benefits of nature play for years, some of which include an increase in your children’s academic potential, social skills and creativity.

During the cold months of winter and often into the first parts of spring, our goal of spending time in nature can be difficult. If the temperature is really low or the rain coming down in sheets, it keeps us from staying outside, but the following is a quick activity my girls enjoy doing even when nature isn’t so friendly.

After a new snow or rainfall they love to investigate our yard, the park or the empty field by our home for fresh animal tracks. They become little detectives trying to imagine what kind of animal made the snowy or muddy track and what journey it was taking. They even enjoy making up stories about the creature throughout the rest of the day. With spring showers still in full swing your children should have ample opportunity for some outdoor detective work!

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One Response to “Winter & Spring Nature Play”

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