Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, worms are wiggling, days are longer, and temperatures are hotter! In other words, summertime is here! Summer is a great time to explore and enjoy the natural world and to take advantage of the "teachable moments" it offers.
Children love nature and are drawn to the outdoor world of flowers, bugs, birds, and summer showers. As caregivers, we can offer activities that stimulate children's curiosity and help them learn more about subjects they already find interesting.
Flowers
The flowers of spring and summer provide the perfect time to talk with children about how things grow. Spend time reading books about plants, flowers, and trees. For an activity, soak lima beans in water for several hours. Then have each child put a bean in a zip-loc bag with a damp paper towel. Tape the bags to a sunny window and watch the roots grow almost overnight. Transplant the beans to small pots, paper cups, or garden areas and continue to watch them grow. Measure the bean sprouts every few days and keep a growth chart.
On a larger scale, create a flower garden outside. Find an appropriate place outside where children can work to prepare the soil and plant seeds. Allow the children to use small rakes and shovels to prepare the garden site. Be sure to make a map of the garden, and place plant markers along the rows so you will know what is sprouting. Also provide watering cans so the children can water the garden when needed. Talk about how flowers need nurturing and continuous care, just like people.
Insects, Annelids and Arachnids
Bugs abound in the summer months. Take advantage of this with a bug theme. Read books with the children that help them see the differences and similarities of bugs and insects. Talk with them about what makes a "bug" an insect, a spider an arachnid, and a worm an annelid. Have an entomologist (a person who studies bugs) visit and bring interesting bugs to examine.
Go a step further by sending the children on a "bug hunt." Use paper cups, coffee cans, or small glass jars (with caution) as containers for bugs. Give the children small magnifying glasses and turn them loose in an area where there are flowers, rocks, fallen logs, and patches of grass to "hunt" for different types of bugs. After the hunt, have the children come together and talk about the different bugs they found. You can create a worm habitat in a dirt-filled aquarium or glass jar. Remember to cover the outside of the aquarium with black construction paper before placing the worms in the dirt. Also, after you put the worms in the aquarium, wait a few days before removing the paper. Once the paper is removed, you should be able to see where the worms have burrowed tunnels in the dirt.
For even more bug fun, make bug snacks such as "ants on a log" (celery with peanut butter and raisins).
Birds
The songs of birds provide a source of music. You can listen to CDs or cassettes of bird songs as you read books about birds. Spend outside time listening for songs you heard on the CD or tape or identifying birds seen in books. If the proper place is available, provide a bird feeder, birdbath, or birdhouse. The bird feed and bath, in particular, will allow the children to observe the interesting and sometimes humorous behavior of birds. Also, the children can help replace food and water when necessary.
If the children can observe birds making a nest in a birdhouse or natural setting, talk to them about what the birds use to build their home, what food they need for their young when they hatch, and how birds take care of their eggs.
Summer Showers
With the intense heat of summer come afternoon showers and thunderstorms. This provides a great time to talk about the weather. Read book about how and why weather changes. Have the children make big clouds, lightening bolts, raindrops, and a sun. Then hang them from the ceiling. On rainy days, keep a box of beach props handy and have an indoor day at the beach. Props can include swimsuits (a bit larger than the children), towels, beach balls, floats, and beach music. Perhaps you can even turn snack time into an indoor picnic.
Take advantage of good weather, too! On partly cloudy days, take paper and crayons outside and let the children draw clouds they see. Talk about the different shapes of the clouds, what objects they resemble, and why they change shape. On hot and sunny days, have the children bring their swimsuits for some fun water play. For young children, all you need is a sprinkler. They will have a great time running under the water and letting it "chase" them. For older children, provide buckets, rags, and liquid detergent and let them have a "car wash" using the outside toys.
Outside time is one of the most important periods of a child's day. The natural world provides endless opportunities for children as well as caregivers to learn new things. Make sure you build the outdoors into your summer fun!