Nature Play
at the Greenville Zoo - Part 2
Welcome back to the series, where
we talk about nature play at the Greenville Zoo. This entry will be about how
to implement nature play indoors if you do not have the outdoor space. I will
also share tips from the Brookfield Zoo on how to interact and guide the
children through the activities.
To
pick up from the last blog, nature play is all about connecting kids to nature.
The ultimate goal is to get kids outdoors interacting with natural materials.
However, not everyone has the outdoor space available. Not to worry though, because nature can simply be brought indoors. The key components to include in your indoor nature play is natural materials. Seed pods, rocks, seashells, sticks and dirt are only a few examples of the diverse array of natural materials you could choose from. The ideas you can create with these materials are endless and there is always something for everybody.
Sensory bins are a great
way to bring nature to a kid’s level. I have done several nature play
activities with just sensory bins. These bins are usually about a foot or two off the
ground or simply placed on the ground. The purpose is to have the materials
right at the child’s eye level, so the height will depend on the age.
Now filling your bins is the fun
part. Keeping in mind the age of your child. You could fill it with one single
substance for introductory purposes or you could add multiple parts to engage
and nurture creativity. Rice, sand, or corn kernels paired with funnels, cups
or seed pods are great for fine motor skills. The children have the opportunity
to pour, fill or scoop with the materials provided. For the older kids I like
to enable habitat building or an “extreme” sensory bin. With the building of
habitats I will provide
grass and sand sensory items to represent different habitats. I will include
sticks, rocks, seed pods and plastic animals that correspond with the different
habitats. The extreme sensory bin is a chance for kids to get some hands on
experience with a natural material that they may not usually come across. I
recently facilitated a mud bug hunt,
where I filled the bin with wet mud and hid plastic bugs for the kids to find.
They were pleasantly surprised by the texture and the freedom to get elbow deep
in mud. 
Art with nature
can also be accomplished inside and there are many ways to include art into
your nature play. Bark or leaf rubbings, nature sketches, or painting with natural
materials are a few ways. I have also had the children make nature bracelets
with masking tape. We simply wrap the tape around their wrists sticky side
facing out, so they can attach leaves or other natural materials to their
bracelet. 
The “physical” aspect of nature
play may be limited to the space you have but it is possible. Building with
blocks can be an indoor activity. It is most effective when you use wooden
blocks with natural edges to challenge the builder to practice balancing and
engineering skills. Math can also be implemented in your indoor nature play.
Counting or comparing patterns can be done with various natural items such as
pine cones, and seashells.
Now that we have covered
some activities you could easily implement indoors, let’s talk about some ideas
presented by the Brookfield Zoo on the best way to
guide your child through nature
play. The Brookfield Zoo has a very special counterpart dedicated to just
children and nature play, called the Hamill Family Play Zoo. Here is where they practice the theories of
nature play on a daily basis. They talked about when interacting with the child
through play it is important to not let your opinions or ideas overtake the progression
of the play. We should let the child blossom with their own ideas. The best way
to make sure you are not taking over the activity is by limiting your physical
and vocal involvement. Phrases like and similar to, “I like what you created”
or “That’s really cool” are objective enough to encourage the child to continue
building or playing how you want them to. It subconsciously makes them look for
your approval and encouragement rather than having full confidence in
themselves. The trainers at the Brookfield Zoo have great tips on how to avoid
this outcome. The phrases they suggest start with “I see” or “I noticed”. You
could continue the sentence like, “I see you used shells to create your
structure”, or “I noticed that you used a lot of blue in your drawing”. This
language is called “mirroring language”, which reflects back to the child what
they are doing and saying. Noticing what the child is doing, provides rich
vocabulary associated with the play and invites conversation with the child.
This helps supports the child’s learning by focusing on what they are really interested
in.
Well, I hope these tips and ideas help
you engage with your kids at home and inspire you to bring nature to them no
matter what the circumstances!
Photo credits: http://www.playathomemomllc.com/2013/04/50-sensory-bin-ideas/
http://www.earlyyears.co.uk/inspiration/8-dinosaur-small-world-play-ideas/
