Perfect Day for Nature Play

September 9th, 2009 | Author: Shannon

This morning, I sat in my backyard on a pine stump, listening to the gentle breeze, buzzing of dragonflies, spashing ducks in the pond just through the woods, and ongoing chatter of almost-three-year olds.

My son turned a pile of stumps into a roller and planned an enourmous construction project, his friend played along side stacking bark, picking up sticks, building a castle in the scruffy pine trees.

“Let’s go to the other site.”

“Okay, I’ll bring the tool box.”

“No, not that one, the other one. Come on catch up.”

I followed to the new site, one year old in tow (actually she really lead me), to find more sticks and branches, bark and moss.

Mean while, the morning clouds lifted and sun began to shine, warm and crisp on our skin. The aroma of warmed pine needles filled the air.

“Let’s go back to the roller. We have more work to do.”

Back and forth, up and down the path playing, freely and joyfully, communicating, learning the textures and words for these new experiences.

I love this age children. Each moment is so full of joy and wonder and creativity. It’s awesome to watch this play in nature, the tools magically appear, the setting fits perfectly for the vast imaginations of these learning beings.

And the toddling one-year-old kept right up, making piles of bark and sticks and pine needles, completely engaged in her own world… imitating each of my actions, and many of her older coherts.

She pointed to a stick, reaching out her hand, “Please.”

A chicken got out of our small, chicken tractor designed to keep the chickens in and the wildlife out. That stubborn chicken is still out there in the woods eating bugs and grubs and perhaps missing her friends back home.

We came in to eat, nap, and get ready for an afternoon of nature play.

Bookmark It