Winter fun in Michigan

Summer is Starting---

Children enjoying sitting by Angel statue and playing a pretend story game that Angel will color the flowers.

The child is deeply involved in observing the plant leaves.

 Being out doors help children impove  their energies and social skills . When they are out doors just keep your digital camera handy to record their talks as well as capture their shots to have a picture observation for later time to record  as documentation in portfolios.

Let the child explore and learn in nature. Be a facilitator do not impose your thoughts and ideas on them. Let the child see the world through their eyes.

Playing in Natural environment help children to develop healthy bodies and healthy minds. Little boy is careful about his balancing skills and enjoying walking on a log. Where as he is keeping himself safe too.

A Day of Bare feet----- Toms One for One

Last year, in summer time we did the project of bare feet. How animals walk with- out shoes and how do they feel? But do we ever realize how does those children feel who do not have shoes and are forced to walk bare feet? This Year on April 10th we supported TOMS! We did a 2week long project about how some children do not have the primary necessities of life and sometimes spend their lives in open air. What are the difficulties they face. Through this project and natural environment i promoted humanitarian awareness among children. We talked with children what kind of infections can happen to you, if you have to walk barefeet all the time and how damaging it is for our health. Also through this project they learned, in little cold weather how it feels to walk bare feet. Together we all supported the compaign of TOMS shoes. 

Importance of Nature in Children's life.

March is here but still cold.  Children are curious, how snow is melting and then again comes back some of the days. They are enjoying the hide and seek game of snow.They go out in our secret garden, where our Dinosaur  lives (pretend play  with the large Tree). 
Along with children i am also learning about the behaviors of birds and little animals.As children grow we also grow with them. Process of learning never stops. It's wonderful to watch children learn through their imaginative play and  be creative and curious. As  scientific evidence shows the importance of children's interaction with nature, i would also like you all to read this article. http://lhhl.illinois.edu/adhd.htm

The Importance of Children’s Interaction with Nature: 

A growing body of literature shows that the natural environment has profound effects on the well being of adults, including better psychological well being, superior cognitive functioning, fewer physical ailments and speedier recovery from illness.  Research is also providing convincing evidence of the more profound benefits of experiences in nature for children due to their greater plasticity and vulnerability (Wells & Evans 2003).  

Nature buffers the impact of life stress on children and helps them deal with adversity.  The greater the amount of nature exposure, the greater the benefits (Wells 2003).

Children who play in nature have more positive feelings about each other (Moore 1996).

Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility, and they are sick less often (Grahn, et al. 1997, Fjortoft 2001).

Outdoor environments are important to children’s development of independence and autonomy (Bartlett 1996).

Stream turning into Ice. Children's observation.

Children with views of and contact with nature score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline.  The greener, the better the scores (Wells 2000, Taylor 2002). 

on our way to our secret garden , children observed the water in little stream turned into Ice. They were all happy to play on it and slide and later jumped on it and enjoyed the clunking sound of breaking Ice. It was facinating for them touching the Ice and breaking it. 

Spirit of Sharing Nature

TRUE GREEN: 21 WAYS TO PLANT A CITY

TRUE GREEN: 21 WAYS TO PLANT A CITY

A must read article by Richard Louv.