BE a nature detective
Related to the Nature Time episode, “Let’s Find the Squirrel!”
Season: Fall
Time: 30 minutes
Become a nature detective with your child as you explore outside. During the fall, leaves and seeds drop from trees. Some drop straight down while others are blown in different directions by the wind or carried away by animals. Together, you can look for clues to find the tree that the leaves and seeds fell from.
Being a nature detective can help children:
Develop curiosity about the natural world
Practice language and communication skills
Learn the names of plants and animals
A Song to Sing: Curious me, curious you. Together we can learn something new.
What To Do:
Take a walk with your child. Look for leaves and seeds on the ground.
Encourage your child to pick one up and describe its shape, color, and how it feels. Help your child identify it. Maybe it’s a leaf, an acorn, or a pinecone.
Together, follow the clues to figure out where it came from. Ask these helpful questions: Are there similar leaves or seeds nearby? Which way is the wind blowing? Are there animals, like squirrels, nearby that may have carried it away from the tree?
Sing while you’re searching for clues: “Curious me, curious you. Together we can learn something new.”
Mindfully collect a few pieces of nature to bring home and display on the kitchen table or a bookshelf as a reminder that we’re always connected to nature. These objects can also become opportunities for open ended play.
Reflection: I am grateful for trees because…
We hope you had fun together! Want to share? Snap a photo and share it with us on Instagram.