From late April on we start watching for signs of Spring. Green starts popping up from the ground and gracing the tips of bushes and trees. The kids start asking questions about every new thing they see and I start taking pictures to look up the information about the plants and to monitor their growth.
The excitement builds by the day as the kids watch the stalks getting taller and starting to bud.
Finally they start to blossom and more and more questions arise.
Together we asked questions like “What flower is it?”(Pl@ntnet.org), “Is it safe to touch and smell?”, “Is it invasive and what does invasive mean?” (Ontario Invasive Plant Council), “How are plants named?” (PlantHeritage.org.uk), and more.
Keep in mind that these flower walks were 20 to 30 minutes a couple of days a week so of course all questions couldn’t be answered in that time. Taking pictures of the flowers, snails, butterflies, and other interesting finds gave us the chance to look them up later and learn more.
As the season continued towards Summer we noticed flowers dying and new flowers budding. We talked about the cycles and how some flowers and plants had their seasons. Some new flowers will bloom later in the summer for the Fall season just as the summer flowers will also die.
The kids became fantastic flower finders!
They could spot flowers beneath other plants that I hadn’t even noticed.
Looking for new plants, flowers, critters, changes, and more, helps a child build awareness of their environment. Being more aware of their surroundings helps keep them safe and brings greater joy to simple walks. Turn short walks into memorable experiences that bring excitement, joy, and laughter any time of year!
ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST ARE COPYRIGHT OF ROWYN FAY.
