There was once upon a time when children would just play and essentially live outside. But those days are largely gone, for most children anyway. With so many of us living in cities, it’s more difficult than ever for kids to develop a strong relationship with the great outdoors. So if you find that your child seems to have an affinity with nature, then it’s important to encourage them.
After all, if you live in an urban area, then it’s unlikely that they’ll naturally have opportunities to dive into their interest. So it’s up to you to make it happen. Below, we’ll look at some useful tips for doing just that.
Go Into the Outdoors
What better way to spend a weekend day than in the great outdoors? No matter where you live, there’ll be a place of natural beauty located somewhere within driving distance. This will give your child the chance to get up close and personal with nature, which is something that they may otherwise only have occasional opportunities to engage in. There’s a lot of value in hiking as a family, too — it can strengthen bonds, boost happiness, and improve health and fitness. If you are an avid camper, take your kids to teach them about survival skills, using natural resources, and appreciating the outdoors for all it has to offer.
Day Trips
Of course, it’s not as if you can go into nature every day. Plus, during the winter months, it probably won’t be that appealing anyway. One fun activity you can do as a family that will help to nurture your child’s love of nature is to visit natural history museums, botanical gardens, or playgrounds. Again, if you live anywhere close to a medium-sized city, there’ll be something available to you. This will provide a fun day out and help to bolster your child’s educational levels.
At Home Learning
Your child will learn about the natural world at school, but if your child loves nature, then those couple of hours a week of learning are unlikely to satisfy their curiosity. So why not look at diving into their chosen subject a little deeper at home? There are plenty of ways to do so. You could use the videos at Generation Genius to bolster your child’s educational level, buy some nature-themed books to keep on the shelf, or watch nature-themed documentaries and TV shows. These activities are perfect for a rainy day at home and will be a real investment in your child’s passion.
Planting Vegetables
You can’t beat hands-on experience! Most homes are more or less entirely disconnected from the natural world, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re looking for a fun and valuable project to undertake with your kids, consider planting a vegetable garden in your yard. This is much easier to do than many people believe, and it’ll give your kids a thorough understanding of the food-growing process. And on top of all that, you’ll be able to enjoy fresh vegetables that come straight from your yard, which is highly satisfying.
It’s always important to nurture your child’s passion, no matter what it might be. You never know what it might lead to in the future!
