Even though the heat index is 105 around here - we have spent a lot of time outside this summer. As a result I have been thinking about how to improve our backyard - to make it more comfortable for adults and more interesting for little man. At first I checked out a bunch of books on building decks, patios and playground equipment. Then I started thinking about how nature study is a cornerstone of Charlotte Mason's approach. So I've been thinking about how I could make that more possible here.
Little did I know that there is a movement (or here) and almost a syndrome named for children's lack of interaction with the natural world! They really advocate for natural spaces (ponds, tree stumps, grasses, etc. ) where kids can be kids. So today I tried to give little guy some time among the plastic playground equipment (he LOVES those swings) and take him to an area that was just rocks and leaves and trees. He really liked crumpling the leaves and throwing them.
If this is something you've thought about but don't know where to start you might try these two sites:
Kids Gardening - lots of neat ideas about planting, gardening and getting in touch with the natural world
Play spaces - this is a collection of photos and comments about what makes play spaces work (and fail)
Natural Playgrounds - This is a company that specializes in creating these types of landscapes and they have lots of pictures of their work - which is fun to look at.
I am not a fanatic but I do think that we are all refreshed by nature and our children should have an opportunity to explore and wonder about the world God created.
2 comments:
KEWL sites and ideas! LOVED the title of this post too!!! Lots of food for thought!!!!!
We are lucky to live in a place that has many parks that are designed around nature. Two of the biggest are Forest park (miles of hiking trails in the hills and trees, the Rose Garden(the actual plants not where the Blazers play), an arboritum, the zoo, forestry center, Children's museum and more) and Tryon State Park between Lake Oswego and Portland. It'a a wonderful park that offers camps and classes so kids can learn about forests, nature and how to preserve and take care of it. We haven't been yet this year, it's been to cold and wet. We also head to the beach and the tide pools, although probably not as much this summer with gas prices. Closer to home we have a wonderful old growth stand that they have made into a walking park, it has a creek running through it and if you go in the spring it's very muddy.
Thanks for reminding me to get out to these places more this summer now that the sun has come out. The temps this week are a wonderful 70 degrees! Want to come for a visit?
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