Time spent with nature is a prescription for better physical and mental health. Families can encourage nature play at home both in the home and outdoors. Here are 6 ways to recreate some of the areas at the Gaffield Children’s Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at home.
Time spent with nature is a prescription for better physical and mental health. Families can encourage nature play at home both in the home and outdoors. Here are 6 ways to recreate some of the areas at the Gaffield Children’s Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at home.
At home, indoors:
Allow fort building using materials at hand.
At home, outdoors:
· Allow fort building play using found or collected natural materials.
· Climb trees.
· Build balance beams or seesaws.
At home, indoors:
Forage small items on outdoor walks then use them inside when building tiny homes for imaginary creatures.
At home, outdoors:
Use found natural objects to build tiny homes or villages for imaginary creatures.
At home, indoors:
Grow plants on window sill or in containers.
At home, outdoors:
· Cultivate a garden or a couple of food plants in containers on a balcony.
· Consider joining a local community garden.
· Let your child choose a food plant to grow.
At home, indoors:
· Listen to rain and make music with it.
· Use bubble play, water-pouring play.
At home, outdoors:
Make mud, mud pies, earthworks, and riverworks play.
At home, indoors:
Arrange flowers purchased at a market or bodega.
At home, outdoors:
Grow flowers in backyard or on balcony; notice whether the flowers draw insects.
At home, indoors:
· Do a “window watch”: Look out the window together in search of something living- birds, insects, trees, even stars.
· Older kids might enjoy “citizen science” recordkeeping by creating written logs with lists.
At home, outdoors:
· Take walks in the neighborhood, schoolyards, parks, to the bus stop. Look for things that are living and let your child direct conversations and interactions.
· Look for “signs of spring,” etc.
· Lead a worm rescue or test puddles on rainy days.
