5 Ways to Help Your Child Become an Outdoor Observer

Find fast ways to introduce your child to the wonders of nature.

Ages

3-5

5 Ways to Help Your Child Become an Outdoor Observer

  1. Create play binoculars to train your child to focus his gaze. Tape two toilet paper rolls together side-by-side, and attach a string so he can wear them around his neck. 
  2. Put a hula hoop on the grass, and ask her to lie down on her stomach and study the area inside the hoop. She should describe what she sees — from weeds to bugs — and record her observations in a special "naturalist" notebook. 
  3. Place a foot-long piece of string in the grass and ask him to pretend to be a tiny ant hiking along its path. What would he see? How long would it take? 
  4. Have a texture scavenger hunt, where you challenge her to find things in nature that feel smooth, slippery, rough, cool, hot, etc. 
  5. Ask him to sit down on the grass, close his eyes, keep quiet and listen carefully for five minutes. Afterwards, talk about what he heard. Could he hear better than he usually does?
Science & Nature Activities
Observation
Attention and Focus
Critical Thinking
Age 5
Age 4
Age 3
Sounds
Science and Technology
Five Senses
Observation
Early Science