Getting Outside and Getting Inspired by Nature
March 2026
Today, I felt the sun on my face, and it made me Smile! We have had so many bitter cold days this winter in Illinois. It was nice to see the sun gleaming high in sky in shades of blue, even though it was still a balmy forty-degrees outside. I get excited seeing the first signs of spring in tiny tips of daffodils and crocuses poking up through the soil. Taking just a moment to observe the simple beauty of nature has brought a sense of joy to my life. There are so many benefits of being outdoors and exposing children to nature. In an article Playing Outside: Why It’s Important for Kids, 2024. American Academy of Pediatrics states, “Research shows that when children spent time in natural settings they had less anger and aggression”. It also supports physical health and can help reduce stress. Providing opportunities for children to observe, engage, and learning to respect the natural beauty that surrounds us in our everyday environment can ignite some wonderful experiences that can spark curiosity and a love for nature.
Our outdoor exhibit, Habitat Park, is reopening this month. Habitat Park provides so many ways to get outside with your children, including the children’s vegetable garden, the grass maze, and the climbers and tunnel. Here are some things to consider when spending time outdoors with children.
Concepts to Explore with Children:
- Pattern: spirals, symmetries, stripes, meanders, and fractals
- Color: plants, animals, insects…
- Texture: hard, rough, smooth, bumpy, prickly…
- Sound: birds, squirrels, dogs, geese, ducks…
- Shape: hexagons, spheres, circles, triangles, ovals…
Simple Tools to Bring Along:
- Paper and crayons so children can draw what they see
- Camera so children can take photos of things of interest to share with others
- Magnifying glass.
- color paint swatch strips from hardware store
Conversation Starters:
Excerpts from NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) website Collection: For Families–Nature and the Outdoors.
- Ask, “What’s different about what you see today?” each time you and your child walk outside.
- Model using all five senses. You might say, “I’m seeing the big clouds,” “I’m touching the wet grass,” “I’m hearing the jets of an airplane,” or “I’m smelling the fallen pine tree needles.” It’s not safe to taste many things outdoors, but you can “taste” the air.
- Play “I spy with my little eye” from your window and help children learn to give clues about what they spied.
Modeling positive language and behavior, spending time together, and creating this emotional connection with your child will go a long way in supporting your child’s nature play endeavors. “The tiny bug is crawling on the leaf! Maybe it’s looking for food.”
See you at the Museum!
Erika Gray
Director of Education
Additional resources
Articles
Books
- Colors in Nature by Stepanka Sekaninova and Jana Sedlackova. With magnificent hand-painted illustrations and a playful, sensory approach, this book helps kids connect colors to the world around them—how they might feel, sound, or even taste. From the golden glow of honey to the soft pink of flower petals, each spread is a celebration of nature’s palette.
- In My World by Lois Ehlert. Take a walk with bestselling picture book creator Lois Ehlert in this vibrant die-cut celebration of nature’s many wonders. Complete with a simple rebus game, this gentle book of discovery will inspire readers of all ages to share their love for nature–and to look at the world in a whole new way.
- Little Cloud by Eric Carle. The clouds drift across the bright blue sky–all except one. Little Cloud trails behind. He is busy changing shapes to become a fluffy sheep, a zooming airplane, and even a clown with a funny hat. Eric Carle’s trademark collages will make every reader want to run outside and discover their very own little cloud.
- Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman and pictures by Beth Krommes. With simplicity and grace, Joyce Sidman’s poetry paired with Beth Krommes’s scratchboard illustrations not only reveal the many spirals in nature—from fiddleheads to elephant tusks, from crashing waves to spiraling galaxies—but also celebrate the beauty and usefulness of this fascinating shape.
- Wonder Why by Lisa Varchol Perron and illustrated by Nik Henderson. Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue or why thunder crackles in the night? Wonder Why takes the curious young reader through the arc of a day–from blue skies to rain and thunder, a rainbow, and finally nighttime. Each stanza poses a “wonder why” question that is answered simply and accurately in a beautiful verse.