Many of us are spending more time around our homes these days, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate nature. Every walk, whether it’s on a park trail or a neighborhood street, can be a nature walk.

We have five tips to help you explore the natural world in your neighborhood and help your children learn more about the outdoors.

Go on themed nature walks

Choose a focus for your walks so you can study one aspect of nature more thoroughly. For instance, one day you could focus on trees. Take photos of different trees you see on your walk, let your child bring a small notebook and make notes about the trees.

Talk about the differences in their shape, bark, and leaves. When you get home, spend some time on the laptop or iPad and look up your favorites or the ones you saw the most. And learn more about them.

On your next walk, you can focus on flowers, birds, small animals, or insects.

Take walks at different times of the day

Walk at different times of the day and notice differences. Do certain flowers bloom in the morning? How are shadows different during the day? Use all five senses to notice how the environment changes throughout the day.

Look for fireflies at dusk or pay attention to nature sounds during the day. Can you hear more birds in the morning or evening? Go exploring at night armed with a flashlight.

These walks help sharpen observation skills and help raise your child’s awareness of the natural rhythms of nature.

Invest in nature walk gear

Chances are you have much of what you need already, but your tiny explorers will take their mission more seriously if they have the right tools. 

Make sure they have an affordable magnifying glass, a flashlight or headlamp, a sketch pad, a small notebook, colored pencils, and a starter compass.

You can use these tools to create maps of your neighborhood or other trails.

Expand your explorations

Take family field trips to nearby trails and learn about those areas too. You can compare observations, discuss differences. When you venture out, however, make sure to check for hours of operation and any restrictions associated with COVID-19 concerns and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Encourage good outdoor manners

Exploring your backyard and walking through your neighborhood provide plenty of opportunities to teach your kids about making smart decisions outdoors. 

For instance, don’t litter. Throw away or recycle your empty bottles, snack packaging, or juice boxes. And leave what you find. If you see a beautiful flower, appreciate it, don’t pluck it and take it with you. If you are planning a scavenger hunt, require your kids to take a photo of an item rather than take it. And finally, respect wildlife. Observing a roly-poly is different from terrorizing a roly-poly. Teach your children to respect all living creatures.

The most important tip for your next nature walk? Enjoy it! Use it as an opportunity to unplug, and get some fresh air and exercise. It will benefit you and your whole family.

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