Nature Study: Enjoying Spring

Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all:
the earth is full of thy riches.

For the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of witnessing spring blooming all around me. Daffodils are growing in our yard, the trees are starting to sprout their leaves once more and the temperatures have made for some wonderful afternoons spent outside playing in the backyard. I know some of you may still be digging yourselves out from the snows of winter, but I am truly excited about the possibilities of warmer weather and what it means for our homeschooling journey.

Below are a few ideas you may want to try this spring with your preschooler:

Take a nature walk (or stroll). While my son plays in the backyard we also take time to gather interesting colored leaves, check on our butterfly house, and take time to notice little things we might overlook. If you prefer to leave your yard and go on a walk or stroll, take a paper bag and collect interesting things to talk about when you get home. When we go for strolls around the neighborhood, we look for squirrels, count the houses we pass, and point out the colors we see.

Plant some flowers. I’m not much of a gardner, but we have managed to grow some flowers in the past and little kids love getting their hands dirty! You can plant a small flower garden or even grow some flowers in a paper cup. The kids also love checking on their flowers daily for growth and watering it.

Make a weather chart. The coming of spring usually brings with it some interesting weather, at least where we live in the south. Some days can be absolutely sunny and gorgeous, and then sometimes we have severe thunderstorms. Talk about the weather each day and make a chart to record what the days’ weather is like. If it’s cloudy, put a picture (or draw your own) of a cloud on the chart for the day.

Spring cleaning. I love cleaning and organizing and spring brings with it another opportunity to get things in order around our home. Let your child help you with simple projects like bagging up clothes that no longer fit or storing away your winter clothing. It may take a little longer with a little one helping, but your child will feel a sense of accomplishment.

Visit the zoo. Baby animals are also a common site in the spring and spending the day observing them at the zoo is educational AND fun.

These are but a few ideas to help you get started on a journey of exploration and learning this spring. I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments section.

Mandy is a preschool homeschooling mom to her three year old son. In her column “Knee High Homeschoolers,” she writes about the joys of homeschooling a preschooler and shares helpful links and practical information gained from experience. Visit her blog, Inching Along.

Tags: Homeschool Methods, learning environment, Nature Study, Unit Study

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