Spending at least 120 minutes in nature every week can completely change your life.
On top of having better immune systems and moods, nature also helps boost cognitive functions. On the other hand, not spending enough time outside can cause you to suffer from problems like a nature deficit disorder.
If you want to nurture your child’s love for nature then this article’s for you. From visiting the library to seeing wildlife in action, there are so many things you can do to set your kid up for success.
Read on to learn 4 parenting hacks to help your child get closer to nature.
1. Visit an Animal Sanctuary
First, on our list of parenting hacks, let’s talk about how to embrace your child’s love for animals. You can kickstart your nature journey by taking your child to an animal sanctuary.
For instance, you can find an Audubon sanctuary for birds, a reptile one for snakes, and there are also sanctuaries specifically designed for endangered animals. If it’s available, sign up for a tour of the facility so you and your child can learn fun facts about the animals.
Aquariums also make for great wildlife learning tools. If you’ve ever thought about having an aquarium in your home, you can see here how to make it happen!
2. Take a Field Trip to the Library
Instead of relying solely on digital information, give your child the gift of reading a physical book. Visit the nature section of your library and let your child pick out a book on their favorite subject. Whether it’s trees, bugs, birds, or something else, there’s a nature book out there for everyone.
3. Guided Hikes and Nature Walks
Reading about nature is great, but you’ll also want to give your child real-world experiences. For example, you can start introducing children to nature by taking them on weekly nature walks.
On your walks, point out the different types of plants, and make spotting animals a game! You can also use your nature walks as an opportunity for nurturing respect for nature. Lead by example, by doing things like throwing away your trash in the designated bins, and not disturbing wildlife.
4. Start a Leaf Collection
Last but not least, help your child get hands-on with nature by starting some type of collection with them. You can choose from things like rocks, pine cones, or leaves to go in the collection. The items in the collection don’t matter nearly as much as the act of getting out in nature to collect them.
Try All of These Parenting Hacks
For the best results, we suggest you try all of the parenting hacks in this article. Go ahead and do a quick online search today to see what animal sanctuaries are nearby. Next, grab a journal you can bring to the sanctuary to take notes about the animals.
Later on, you can have fun reviewing the notes with your kid, helping them cement the new information into their brains. For more fun tips, read another one of our articles.
