Nature, Right Outside the Door

12/06/2022

Nature, Right Outside the Door

I am from the power of those who came before, who erase my doubts of my existence, who fuel my resistance, and who guide me in creating gifts of love for the future.
Theressa Lenear, in Stories of Resistance

“From what initially looked like a place lacking in natural wonder and beauty, we discovered that the simple splendor of nature surrounds us if we just stop to take notice…Right outside the door of this typical child care setting, nature was waiting for us with grass, rocks, leaves, pods, and small creatures to attract and hold the children’s and our attention for hours, days, even a lifetime,” writes Deb Curtis in Really Seeing Children.

Curtis describes the results of sharing these simple natural items with toddlers:

After more than an hour, we reluctantly interrupted the children’s exploration for lunch. During our time together, the children:

helped us see nature’s patterns, textures, rhythms, and all the possibilities for engaging our hearts and minds.
showed us the roots of scientific inquiry.
taught us how to use our senses to examine and make discoveries, to try out ideas, notice cause-and-effect, and the impact our actions have on the world around us.
gave us the gift of seeing the joy, mystery, and excitement in the simple beauty of nature.
reawakened our own sense of wonder and appreciation for our kinship with the remarkable natural world surrounding us.

PS—I missed Deb's lovely reflection on Betty Jones last week, and am sharing it here:

"Betty Jones, more than anyone, impacted the way I see children and their amazing ways. Her playful curiosity and brilliant mind lit up a room and forever changed all she touched. I am deeply grateful to her for the joy I continue to find everyday in my work."

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