Introducing your child to the natural world

by Tawn Feeney –

Those of us who care about sustainability certainly don’t want it to end with us. We want our children, and our children’s children to carry it on. But first, what exactly is “sustainability”?

A quick definition: “Sustainability is the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” This is not a new practice. It has been an integral part of life for millennia with our ancestors, particularly with the peoples who are native to our continent.

If we are to have any hope of passing along this love and respect for the natural environment to the next generation, we must start with our children, and start with them when they are very young.

As a speech pathologist specializing in early child development for 50 years, as well as a parent who tried to instill these values in our children and grandchildren, I would like to offer some ideas.

When should you start to introduce your child to the natural world? My answer would be as soon as you can. I remember when my son was fussy during the first few months of life, I used to carry him around the house, showing him the houseplants. Sometimes he would smile seeing the sunshine through their leaves. I would place his hands on the soft fur of our kitties, all the while singing and talking softly to him. Later we would lie outside together on a blanket in the grass under a tree. He was only three months old when we took our first camping trip with him. This is not recommended for the faint of heart, however!

We found ways to be outside in all kinds of weather, even in winter, except on the worst days. As soon as he could sit up we pulled him through the snow on a cushioned sled. In the summer we would spend as much time as we could, just exploring our backyard. You don’t need an expansive wilderness to introduce the natural world to your child. To a young child a yard can be a universe. When I myself was a preschooler I thought that the small grove of trees in our backyard was a forest, and the empty lot next to our house a prairie. The walk down the street to see the koi pond was like a trip to the ocean.

Try to resist the temptation to buy the latest cool toy or computer game, especially for children under 5. I can tell you that most children of that age would rather play in a tub full of water, or dig in the sandbox, if given the opportunity. All the best play for children is free!

Of course a child’s world needs to expand as they grow. Luckily we have literally hundreds of natural environments to share with our children within a hour’s drive of our homes, most even closer than that. Get off your couch and go outside with your child. Go hiking. It’s free and the best thing you can do for your health and your relationship with your child. Just don’t make it into a lecture or an “educational experience.” Just walk together and share in the glories about you. Point out things that you wonder about without necessarily having any answers. Honor your child’s interests and questions by sharing the exploration with him or her, letting them lead the way. This is deceptively hard to do sometimes because as adults want to have all the answers, but it is important to let a child experience the moment and try to figure things out for themselves.

Share picture books about nature with your child. Check out websites about plant and bird identification, etc. Take pictures of the world about you and let him/her take over when they are ready.

Luckily for your child and the future of our world, you have a love of nature and a desire for it to flourish, so we are in good hands.