ive always loved being in nature so incorporating it into our everyday learning just makes sense. living where the changing seasons are makes it so nice to see all that nature has to offer. the changes of the weather, the animals, plants, and the changes within our own home as i decorate with the season in mind. all of these changes intertwine, helping us to expand our thinking to the outside world. i believe this is so important to teach from a young age in order to give a sense of responsibility and nurture curiosity in the world around us. nature
i love showing my kiddos all the beauty and wonders of nature, along with the potential dangers to be aware of. the book “finding wild” is so helpful with this. i adore the illustrations too!
letting children spend hands on time in nature allows them to explore and soak in all kinds of information, giving them a growing appreciation of the many wonders and endless opportunities to learn. i like choosing books that go with each season and wanted to share some that we’ve been loving as we slowly shift into the lovely season of spring. i also keep in mind our “letter of the week” as i choose our books, helping to associate a picture with the letter for memorization and recognition.
here’s our spring reading list:
“i am a bunny” by richard scarry
“finding wild” by megan wagner lloyd
“puddle” by hyewon yum
“secret tree fort” by brianne farley
“bunnys many colors” by lisa mccue
“birds” by keith and jonathan west
“petunia” by roger duvoisin
“when spring comes” by kevin henkes
“the velveteen rabit” by margery williams
im sure there are lots and lots of other amazing spring books, and would love to hear of any that you’re reading to your little ones! we also enjoy doing seasonal crafts, and i wanted to share some that we’ve done so far/plan to do.
spring activities/crafts:
• birds nest: this is a quick and easy craft to do with all ages. we cut the bottom of a brown bag and rolled it down to make the nest, then added pieces of brown paper, cut out a bird, and colored it (we also added some leaves)
• paint a picture of a puddle – little ones love making raindrops and it’s a good opportunity to talk about the weather and the importance of rain for plant growth
• nature walk – we took a guided nature walk over the weekend as a family. it was so refreshing and we always come back feeling rejuvenated after being in nature all together! (definitely bring snacks and water to keep everyone happy) nature
• make a bird bath/bird feeder – pinterest has lots of good ideas for this too!
i hope you have found this helpful and i would love to hear any spring activities you enjoy doing with your little ones!!
best regards,
laura
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