MCC – Kids Discover Nature

A Day on Block Island

by MCC

Block Island, Rhode Island is surely one of America’s Last Great Places. After spending the day there hiking, walking, swimming, playing in the waves, and more, I am thrilled it is being preserved for its natural beauty and picturesque views.

According to the Nature Conservancy, “it was formed by glaciers nearly 10,000 years ago and features a diverse array of habitats. Maritime shrubland, beaches, and open morainal grasslands support more than 40 state and federal rare or endangered species, including the globally endangered American burying beetle. Birds stop here while migrating in the spring and fall along the Atlantic Flyway. In addition to the plants and animals, the human community is dedicated to conserving open space to preserve their natural and cultural heritage.”

We loved it for all of those reasons, but mostly because, for such a small island, there are many ways to connect to nature. In another post I will detail some of the many nature-related activities families can enjoy when visiting.

Nature Activities for Kids

Connecting to Nature Through Photography

by MCC

A great way to involve your kids with nature is to encourage them to take photos of what they see. There is no need to invest a huge amount of money into a camera for them. You can give them a hand-me-down point and shoot camera that you no longer use. If you don’t have an old camera and don’t wish to make an investment in a kid’s camera, you could start off with a one-time use camera to determine whether your child has any interest. A old smart phone would work. Many kids have one these days. Even a toy camera would work with tiny kiddos.

You can begin by walking around outside and pointing at interest things. Your backyard, no matter the size, offer interesting subject matter. You can say “wow, look at that,” and snap a photo with whatever you are using. Then your child can copy you. Once they have practiced with you, they can go off and hunt around and find their own subjects of interest. Insects are a popular subject. They are easy to find and — ants are ever popular!

As your children grow, you might be surprised by the artistry and imagination behind the photos they take. You might consider encouraging them to submit photos for to contests, post photos to their own blog, and even join community photo displays. When photographing animals, here are some tips:

Focus on the eyes of an animal. Make sure that the animal’s eyes are in focus – properly focused eyes capture the viewer’s attention.
Include the environment around the subject. Photograph the animal in its environment instead of zooming in close. Showing the surrounding area tells a story.
Be respectful of wildlife. Never get too close to animals. If your presence is changing their behavior, you should back away.
Don’t forget to pack their cameras for vacations! Why not give them a tool to help them create their own family memories!

It would be fun to see photos your kids have taken. Head on over to our Instagram account @KidsDiscoverNature and share photos with the entire KDN community. Thank you for joining us there!

Birds

Fall migration is upon us!

by MCC

Watching birds migrate is a great way to teach your kids about Fall and the changing seasons

There is a chill in the air, the shadows are long and the daytime sky is the color of the deep blue feathers on a peacock. It is Fall and a favorite season for many. All of the changes that are occurring outside are exciting, beautiful and so visible!

A regular topic of discussion in our home this time of year is fall migration. It’s one of the wonders of nature that always fascinates. It is an easy topic for you to explain the “why” and “how” of it all to kids. It is a simple way for you teach them about seasonal changes and the effects they have on nature, animals, and even people. Teaching the topic of migration to children enhances their powers of observation, which is an important skill they will need for scientific study. Accordintg to MSN Encarta, migration is the “seasonal or periodic movement of animals in response to changes in cliate for food availability, or to ensure reproduction. Migration most commonly involves movement from one area to another and then back again.

Some of the easiest animals to spot migrating, depending on where you live, are monarch butterflies and Canada geese. You can often hear the geese long before you can see them. You may also see many other species of birds congregating in groups as they pass through your neighborhood. Each animal you see has a story — a particular destination and a interesting lesson behind it. Below is a list of common animals you see migrating with links to either cool videos or information you can use to teach your children.

If you have interest in teaching your kids about migration, below is a list of animals that migrate. You can do research with your kids and discuss the different migration patterns with them.
Monarch butterflies
Canada Geese
Flickers
American Robins
Sandhill Cranes
Red-tailed hawks
Bald eagles
Turkey vultures

There are hundreds of animals migrating this time of year and some of the most amazing migrations are seen by very few people. Several of the more well-know ones are:
Hummingbirds
Blue whales
Caribou
Salmon

I hope you enjoy reading the information and researching the topic with your kids. Have I inspired to spend some time outside this week helping your kids spot migrating animals? If so, please take a moment share with me what you saw by posting to my comments page. Thank you!

Photo credit: © Galyna Andrushko | Dreamstime.com

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Rain, rain go away….

by MCC

Let’s go out and play anyway!

It has been raining a lot this fall. There was a week of beautiful weather, which allowed a lot of outside play time, but now it’s raining again. It’s easy to enjoying every moment of time spent in nature when the weather is nice, but when it’s drizzly it is definitely a challenge. Sometimes you just have to put on your rain hats, boots and raincoats and head out. One you do, you may not take long for before your kids discover that a pile of dirt makes a great slide. Up and down they’ll on their bottoms and their bellies. Try not to stop them because you worry that they will ruin their clothes and watch the fun ensue. That’s what play clothes are for anyway!

Another great rainy day activity is puddle jumping. Make some fun with the puddles collecting in the yard and around the neigborhood. Your kids will have a blast getting soaked up to their chests while jumping into them. You may not have thought much about this, but puddles offer a terrific learning experience for children. You can discuss with them how puddles are formed from rain, what happens when you splash in them and what happens to them after it stops raining. You can also find things to toss into puddles and things to float on top. Try finding natural objects around your yard such as stones, leaves, grass, pinecones and flowers. Discuss what happens to each one when you throw them in the puddle. Sort them into piles and ask your children guess what will happen to each item – some float and some sink. You can have a great time testing the various objects over and over again. You will be amazed by how something so simple can keep kids mesmerized.

Before long, an hour or more may pass before you realize you are all soaked and muddy. You’ll burst inside laughing about how wet you are and then enjoy changin into our dry, cozy clothes.

Your son or daughter may not remember this time you spent together, but you may never forget it. That’s the thing about spending time in nature. The memories you create while being out there last a lifetime.

Research

10 Reasons Why Kids Should Play Outside

by MCC

This is one of the original, and most popular, articles posted on the Kids Discover Nature website when it was first launched back in 2009. Though the research utilized is dated, it is still applicable today. In fact, there have been hundreds of research articles posted online since 2009 on the topic and the results are most often the same. Nature and the outdoors have an undeniable, positive effect on the health and well-being of children.

(Updated 10/2021) You hear it in the news a lot …the important role nature plays in the well-being of children. Intuitively, it makes sense. Running around outside, breathing fresh air, using muscles to jump and climb. But, is there actually proof that shows time in nature positively effects children and their growth and well-being?

I decided to do some research. After searching on Google for less than one minute, I found links to the Children & Nature Network (C&NN) and it’s research library. I found enough to research to keep me reading for the next several weeks. .

After reading some of the research, I feel that in nature, my children are in good hands. I feel a certain sense of “thank you God!” In a world that is increasingly stressful, fast-paced, overwhelming and sometimes deranged, I am thankful to have a place to turn that can nurture and care for me and my children with no strings attached. It costs no money…only time, if we make it. The amazing thing is that it is always there waiting, beckoning, and sometimes pleading for us to to come and play in it and experience all it has to offer.

Below is a synopsis of the 10 main points I learned from my research. Below each heading is the source. There are a multitude of other studies cited and paraphrased on CNN’s website. If you have interest in the topic beyond what I have listed below, I encourage you to peruse their library. The information available is impressive and quite interesting.

1. K-12 students participating in environmental education programs at school do better on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and social studies.

Sources:
Abrams, K.S. (1999). Summary of project outcomes from Environmental Education and Sunshine State Standards schools’ final report data. Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books. (p. 206) Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books. (p. 206)

2. Children and adults find it easier to concentrate and pay attention after spending time in nature.
Sources:
Wells, N.M. (2000). At home with nature: Effects of “greenness” on children’s cognitive functioning. Environment and Behavior 32: 775-795.
Hartig, T., Mang, M., & Evans, G.W. (1991). Restorative effects of natural environment experiences. Environment and Behavior 23: 3-26.

3. Nature provides a rich source of hands-on, multi-sensory stimulation, which is critical for brain development in early childhood.
Source:
Rivkin, M.S. Natural Learning.

4. Children’s play is more creative and egalitarian in natural areas than in more structured or paved areas.
Source:
Faber Taylor, A., Wiley, A., Kuo, F.E. & Sullivan, W.C. (1998). Growing up in the inner city: Green spaces as places to grow. Environment and Behavior 30(1): 3-27.

5. Living in “high nature conditions” buffers children against the effects of stressful life events.
Source:
Wells, N. & Evans, G. (2003). Nearby nature: A buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior 35: 311-330.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books.

6. Views of nature reduce stress levels and speed recovery from illness, injury or stressful experiences.
Sources:
Frumkin, H. (2001). Beyond toxicity: Human health and the natural environment. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 20(3): 234-240.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books.

7. The ultimate raw material for much of human intellect, emotion, personality, industry, and spirit is rooted in a healthy, accessible, and abundant natural environment.
Source:
Kellert, Stephen R. (2005). Building for Life: Designing and Developing the Human-Nature Connection.Washington: Island Press.

8. Access to nature nurtures self discipline.
Source: Faber Taylor, A., Kuo, F.E., & Sullivan, W.C. (2002). Views of Nature and Self-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22, 49-63.

9. Nearby Nature Boosts Children’s Cognitive functioning.
Source: Wells, N.M. At Home with Nature: Effects of “Greenness” on Children’s Cognitive Functioning. Environment and Behavior. Vol. 32, No. 6, 775-795.

10. Children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention-deficit disorder (ADD) showed reduce symptoms after playing in natural areas.
Source:
Kuo, F.E. & Faber Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health 94(9):1580-1586.

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