Mr. 3’s favorite activity is to explore the park after we drop his older sister and brother off at school.
Here are some practical tips on how to encourage speech and language development through nature particularly through trees for kids.
🌲Find an open space to let your child explore in whether it be a yard, a park, a field, the woods, etc.
🌲 Try to go outside at least one time a day whether rain or shine
🌲 Find leaves from different trees that you can show your kids and ask them about their shape, color, size or type.
🌲If possible, find parts of a tree like we found in the picture below.
We talked about the shape of the leaf and the spiky green case that holds the smooth conker or horse chestnut. We also touched the bark and I added words like rough, scaly, patchy.
🌲Count the number of trees that you see.
🌲Ask your child to help you take a picture of the tree so that you can later identify the tree.
🌲Collect leaves, sticks, nuts, or shells (if you are allowed) to bring home to put on a nature table, look at later, or to explain to another person that wasn’t with you.
🌲Let your child climb the tree (if possible) talking about where they put their foot to climb up and pulling themselves up etc.
🌲Visit one of the trees you have previously explored at least once a month to discuss changes the tree may have experienced. For example, talking about the leaves changing color or falling down, or the shells are becoming larger to make room for the nuts and seeds.
How do you make learning about nature fun for your kids?