Our week of Nature Camp

We just finished a week of teaching Nature Camp at the Recreation Department to preschoolers. I was sad for the week to come to an end, as we learned and accomplished so much! I'm always amazed at how eager children are to soak up any knowledge pertaining to nature, and how calm and peaceful kids are when they are allowed to "just be." And though it was a preschool class, my kids and I were able to learn and explore as well!

The first day it was raining, but we managed to get out for a mini-nature hike (dodging raindrops.) We collected some items that we found on the ground- small twigs, pine cones, acorns, pine needles, flowers, leaves. We brought them back to the classroom and, using magnifying glasses, we explored our collections, made observations, and wondered. We had inadvertently picked up a few bugs in our collection, but this led us to a conversation about respecting all life, and the important role bugs play in our lives. (I know, this part is easy for us to forget!) We played with our "pet bug" for a while before letting him out to find his family. When we were done exploring our treasures, we made nature collages, using brown and green paints mixed in with glue. They came out beautifully, and I was amazed at how long the kids spent on these two activities! Later in the day we read a book on decomposition, which really helped open a window on something we didn't often think about.

The four day camp included so many fun things- we identified trees by their leaves and bark, talked a lot about respecting all nature, explored the pond, caught a frog in the net (and promptly let him go, because he was scared), observed fish and birds and bugs, read about pond life and backyard nature, made pine cone bird feeders for the kids to bring home (with shortening and bird seed, since we can't use peanut butter in our programs), smashed open geodes, looked under rocks, went bird watching (not so easy with preschoolers, but they did well!) We even captured some frog eggs, and learned about metamorphosis. (My kids knew about the process already, but hadn't experienced it hands on.) We even took the time to smell flowers and to hug a tree!

It's my opinion that people are too hurried these days, and we hurry our kids. But kids need this time in nature; to observe and think, to wonder and imagine. And it's not just the little kids who wonder about what lives under the rocks- my kids and I had a ball exploring and discussing these things! I'm so glad that we never stop learning, because what a boring world it would be.