Educator Tips to Inspire Outdoor Adventures for Kids! Nature Tots
There are many fun ways to spend valuable outdoor time with your little ones this Fall and Winter. We reached out to educators that lead programming at three of the Alliance for Watershed Education Centers, asking them to share their insights on getting outside and engaging young tots about the natural world around them.
Little Explorers at Bartram’s Garden, Nature Tots at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and Tiny Trekkers based at Cobbs Creek Park all host monthly meet-ups of nature-based activities for preschoolers. The season for these gatherings is coming to a close but many trails and park grounds are open all year long with events and programs returning in the Spring.
Read our interview with the Park Ranger Hannah Thompkins who leads the Nature Tots programat John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, and plan your next trip with GoPhillyGo.
What is your favorite lesson to teach and why?
My favorite lesson to teach is the macro-invertebrates lesson. This is a lesson geared towards highschoolers that we adapt for lower grade children. We take water from the refuge impoundment and take samples to study macro/micro - organisms living in it! It's so exciting to see the children get stoked about critters that they had no clue were there, but still populate our waters.
Are there any books about the environment or nature that you recommend for pre-k age?
I recently read Senorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer for our most recent Nature Tots! program and loved it. It is written in English and Spanish, to tell the story of migrating monarchs on their journey from North America down to Mexico. They make a grueling journey despite being so small, and it's important to recognize their contributions as they become more endangered!
What is a fun activity folks can do at home?
My toddler and I made suncatchers at the start of the season using paper plates, wax paper, glue, coloring utensils, tissue paper, and leaves/flowers from the yard. We have them hanging in our window now and he loves to point them out on sunny days. (Can provide directions on how to make these if needed!)
What is your advice to a parent who might be a little hesitant to take a small child on a trail or in a park?
Be confident in yourself and take your time! Your little one loves being outside for all the same reasons adults do. There's stimulation in every crevice of the outdoors and they'll constantly be entertained without you having to do or say anything. Give yourself and your child grace, the first few times will be a learning experience but once they've got the hang of it, you'll be in the backcountry in no time!
What is your favorite park, nature-space in the Philadelphia area, to take a pre-k age child?
Living in South Philly, we tend to frequent FDR! The playground uses a mix of nature based and non-plastic materials which is great for exploration. The trails are easy, there's good birding, and we love checking out the pond to look for fish or waterfowl!
