No Child Left Inside

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.