Kids learn new things every day while they grow from babies to teenagers. They’re always studying different concepts at school or testing their skills. Kids should also get to know the planet and form a personal connection that benefits their personal growth. Parents can use this guide to learn how to connect your children with nature even while they’re young.

Kids should get to know the planet and form a personal connection that benefits their personal growth. Try these tips to connect your children with nature.

1. Spend More Time Outside

Whenever possible, spend more time outside with your kids. Take an evening walk after dinner or get the mail together when they get home from school. They’ll love the extra time with you and happily learn whatever you point out about the planet.

Show them how the sky changes color when the sun starts to set or how birds stop singing so they can sleep at night. Little things adults take for granted might not occur to young children. They’ll learn more about the planet when their parents lead them through nature, hand in hand.

2. Read Helpful Books

Even if you don’t have a backyard because you live in a city, you can still read helpful picture books with your kids so they learn about the environment. Stories introduce them to how plants grow, different types of animals and how nature works. When they get the opportunity to put that knowledge into action during a field trip or vacation, books will connect your children with nature more quickly because they already understand what they’re experiencing.

3. Build a Natural Playground

Parents can also build a natural playground so their kids engage with nature in new ways. Playsets with timber climbing walls, hollowed log tunnels or wooden tree houses provide a sensory experience that’s more interactive than a nature walk.

The equipment also changes their perspective. By taking away the plastic slides and swings, natural playgrounds eliminate expectations and foster open-ended play, encouraging your child to think creatively. They’ll bond with the natural elements in their playset and feel more positively about the environment.

4. Embrace the Dirt

If you want to connect your children with nature, dirt is unavoidable. They’ll stain their clothes and interact with nature that isn’t as clean as your home. Kids who don’t come into contact with microbes develop less robust immune systems, so getting hands-on with your backyard will improve your child’s body as well as their education.

Let them splash in puddles after a rainshower or dig into the soil while you do yard work. They’ll benefit from their play and can always clean up with a bath after dinner.

5. Find Community Activities

Children need to learn more about the environment than what’s available in their backyard. There are many ways they can experience the world through community activities. Research what’s available where you live, like going strawberry picking on the weekend.

Instead of reading about how strawberries grow from seeds into delicious fruit, they’ll pick and prepare the berries themselves. It makes a more significant impression than any classroom lesson, so look for opportunities to engage with nature in the community whenever possible.

6. Start a Garden

Gardening is another way to interact with the environment on a level your kids can enjoy. Whether they’re curious toddlers or active teenagers, garden with your family to create bonding experiences rooted in nature.

Talk about what everyone wants to grow, like flowers or vegetables. The kids can draw the layout and any extra decorations. Give them control over what they plant, where the garden goes and even what tools they use while growing their plants. They’ll feel personally connected to the experience and remember more of what they learn.

7. Visit New Destinations

During their summer break, take your kids on nature-themed vacations. Research destinations for your next family trip so they see how the environment changes in different parts of the world. They’ll love digging for shells at the beach or taking a tour through a cave nestled in the mountains. Getting outside of their known world makes the planet bigger and teaches them more about how nature works.

8. Throw Away the Schedule

It’s difficult not to operate on a schedule when you have kids. Everyone has a routine that includes things like attending school or carpooling to extracurricular activities. Whenever possible, throw away the schedule while your kids explore the world. It may only be possible on the weekends, but if your children have time to experiment with natural elements and new biomes, their fascination will help the environment make a better impression on them.

Connect Your Children With Nature

Now that you’ve discovered many ways to connect your children with nature, think about what they’d enjoy. They might prefer a nature walk on a local trail or a new playset in your backyard. Consider their age and interests before trying new activities that help them engage with nature and walk away with valuable lessons.