Getting outside and exploring nature, whether in your own backyard or going for a bush walk is intrinsic to child development. Not only does being outside help to regulate both child and adult emotions but building a connection and love of the natural environment could not be more important than it is right now.

Children find wonder in what we may see as the simplest of things, a rock or a leaf. Do your pockets end up full of treasure collected by your child? Mine definitely do! Nurturing this wonder and resisting the urge to hurry them up to reach your destination is so important.

We want them to be observant and notice the ants on a log and follow them to where they are going, building critical thinking skills. We always take our magnifying glass to really get up close and investigate things. We always stop to look and feel what is around us. My daughter who is 3 and a half loves moss, she call it the "little carpets" on the rocks.

children climbing up into the roots of a tree

Ways you can encourage your little ones to engage in you nature walks:

Make journey sticks: take some sticky tape or some twine to wrap around a good stick, then collect things along you walk like leaves, feathers and seed pod adding to your stick. You end up with a beautiful nature wand or journey stick at the end. Alternatively you can use a nature boquet holder to make a beautiful nature boquet.
Make leaf kebabs: using a stick thread leaves onto it. A great fine motor activity and you can even try and make a rainbow or a pattern.
Take a basket to collect you treasure. You can then use this in future plays at home.
Go on a senses treasure hunt: find something hard, soft, crunchy, heavy etc
Make some leaf or bark rubbings. Get some paper and lay it over some bark or a leaf, rub a crayon over it making a beautiful rubbing of the texture.