"Mama! Mama, look! Look! I found a toad!"
(repeat, 96 times a day, all summer long)
It's pretty tough to gross me out. When my kids or summer campers discover a critter, I'm the first one that gets to see the thing with "tickly legs" or "slimy skin," and I usually can either identify it for them or help them look up the answer in one of our many guidebooks to Minnesota flora and fauna. And truly, it's a joy. Their little faces lighting up over the discovery of a wild creature blesses my heart tremendously, for many reasons.
Discovery--a word whose very synonyms are "unearthing, locating, finding, inventing." What great things for our kids! Learning takes many forms, and spending time outdoors lends itself well to challenging children to think outside the box, and discover for themselves the secrets of nature and life processes. Think about what they understand when they find a living treasure: they learn very quickly how that creature moves, what it eats, where it lives, how it behaves. I teach them gentle handling and respectful learning, and encourage the kids to place the creature safely back where they found it after a short look.
How we respond to children's little discoveries matters greatly in their future treatment of animals and their habitats. When you teach a child to quietly gaze in wonder at a butterfly, gently pick up a toad and count its bumps, or watch a bird feeding its babies in a nest up high, you also teach that child what it means to love and care for a world from which learning experiences come freely and often. Do you get grossed out easily? Bring along a bottle of hand sanitizer on your next hike or some wet wipes, and try to put yourself in the mind of your child--that precious sense of adventure will bring about a positive attitude about caring for the earth, and all that inhabit it.
On Sunday, September 30th, Shetek Lutheran Ministries will be offering our seasonal "Toddlers and Trees" program! Designed for ages 1-3, the event runs from 3:00pm-4:30pm and includes a make-and-take craft, outdoor exploration, a healthy snack, and storytime! All family members are welcome--come and enjoy the beginning of fall at camp! Call SLM at 507-763-3567 or email Katie@shetek.org to register.
(repeat, 96 times a day, all summer long)
It's pretty tough to gross me out. When my kids or summer campers discover a critter, I'm the first one that gets to see the thing with "tickly legs" or "slimy skin," and I usually can either identify it for them or help them look up the answer in one of our many guidebooks to Minnesota flora and fauna. And truly, it's a joy. Their little faces lighting up over the discovery of a wild creature blesses my heart tremendously, for many reasons.
Discovery--a word whose very synonyms are "unearthing, locating, finding, inventing." What great things for our kids! Learning takes many forms, and spending time outdoors lends itself well to challenging children to think outside the box, and discover for themselves the secrets of nature and life processes. Think about what they understand when they find a living treasure: they learn very quickly how that creature moves, what it eats, where it lives, how it behaves. I teach them gentle handling and respectful learning, and encourage the kids to place the creature safely back where they found it after a short look.
How we respond to children's little discoveries matters greatly in their future treatment of animals and their habitats. When you teach a child to quietly gaze in wonder at a butterfly, gently pick up a toad and count its bumps, or watch a bird feeding its babies in a nest up high, you also teach that child what it means to love and care for a world from which learning experiences come freely and often. Do you get grossed out easily? Bring along a bottle of hand sanitizer on your next hike or some wet wipes, and try to put yourself in the mind of your child--that precious sense of adventure will bring about a positive attitude about caring for the earth, and all that inhabit it.
On Sunday, September 30th, Shetek Lutheran Ministries will be offering our seasonal "Toddlers and Trees" program! Designed for ages 1-3, the event runs from 3:00pm-4:30pm and includes a make-and-take craft, outdoor exploration, a healthy snack, and storytime! All family members are welcome--come and enjoy the beginning of fall at camp! Call SLM at 507-763-3567 or email Katie@shetek.org to register.
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| Francis, holding two little friends! |
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