15 Minutes : Play It : Nature Walk

The perfect weather today encouraged us to take a quick walk around the block. We like to take a small pail to collect treasures such as pinecones, rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. We also try to name things around us--tulips, daffodils, dandelions, apple trees, magpies, robins. I often ask the children questions such as:
What sounds do you hear?
What flower colors do you see?
What does the bark of that tree feel like?
What is your favorite bird?
Do those blossoms have a scent?

Even these little conversations teach them about beauty and variety in their world. I smile when I hear my four-year-old point out quail, or my six-year-old notice hyacinth.