Get ready to explore nature and the outdoors this Spring by getting outside to discover all that is around us! Children will benefit greatly from being outdoors and it presents them with many learning opportunities. They will use their bodies, minds and senses to discover many new experiences. Additionally, they will also improve both fine and gross motor skills. This is done from simply learning to balance on logs or using little fingers to find worms in the muck!
In the Aistear theme of Exploring and Thinking children are encouraged to 'learn about and make sense of the world around them'. With the support of the adult, children are encouraged 'to learn about the natural environment and its features, materials, animals, and plants, and their own responsibility as carers'. With this in mind, the outdoors presents so many great learning opportunities for children!
Explore Nature with Great Products from Insect Lore
At The Early Years Shop we have a number of products that make great additional resources for teaching about nature. If you are looking for some inspiration check out this Spring themed book from Irish Author Gillian Powell M.Ed. 'Thrive Spring Outdoor Nature Activities for Children and Families'. This book is filled with over 50 pages of ideas on how to explore the outdoors without venturing very far!
There are also a number of items from the Insect Lore range that children will love when exploring in the outdoors. The Creature Peeper gives children the opportunity to take an up close look at the world of insects. This periscope-style interactive viewer is ideal for looking at ladybirds, worms, grasshoppers, twigs and small stones. Children will be able to see the insect or item from above/below at 3 times the original size!
Children will love to carry the Best Ever Bug Jar about with them as they explore the outdoors. If they find a bug or insect they can collect it in the jar. They can have a look up close without the risk of it escaping up their sleeve. When they've had a chance to look at the bugs up close they can safely release them from the jar!
Introduce the children to microscopes with the Life Cycle Microscope. With a large and comfortable eyepiece lenses it allows for easy viewing. In addition, it includes an over sized knob for little hands, allowing the children to zoom to 8X magnification! It has a special LED light that showcases the details in slides or other objects placed inside. Use feathers, bugs, leaves, twigs or whatever else you find while exploring to get a closer look! Great to use in Aistear role play on themes such as Science, Working at a Lab or a Vets Practice.
Explore Nature - Plant Your Own Garden!
If you are looking to explore the life-cycle of plants and flowers with the children we also have Flower Seeds available. This is a great way to start the process of having your own garden at your service. Whether you have a small or big space it is an opportunity to encourage bees, butterflies and ladybirds into your outdoor area. This gives the children the chance to get closer to nature right outside the window! One of the Exploring and Thinking learning goals states 'children will develop an understanding of change as part of their lives'. Children will learn how a seed grows into a flower or plant and from this it will help them to understand that they too will change as they grow!
