As mentioned in a previous blog post, it is good for your health to play outside! Whether you are participating in a sport, playing with friends or using your imagination, it is important to get outside and explore what nature has to offer. Now, set down the remote, turn off the computer, DVR your show, put the tablet away and get outside!
Now that you are outside, what do you do? Take a look around and observe all of the beautiful resources nature has to offer. Have you ever noticed the different types of plants in your neighborhood or the bugs that populate the ground you walk on? There are so many things you could do while enjoying the environment.
When I was a child I would tie clover flowers together to make a necklace while my brothers would climb the trees in our backyard. Monika Kotulak provided us with a long list of games that can be played in the environment, here are just a few:
- “Touching nature” while keeping your eyes shut to see if you can remember the texture of different objects. Be careful not to touch poison ivy!
- “Meet a tree” blindfolded, have a partner lead you to a tree where you examine the bark and size of the tree trying to determine its age, texture and more.
- “Rainbow” is played by giving children all different colors of paper and having them find something in nature that matches that color.
Along with those games you could also join a sports team or go to the playground. Make sure to clean up after yourself wherever you go so others can also enjoy the environment. KPWB works to keep the environment beautiful so we may all do beautiful things in the environment.
Source:
Kotulak, M. (2010, Sept.). Environmental Education Through The Eyes of Young People. Games For Nature. Retrieved from: http://oakrakow.pttk.pl/j/images/stories/games_for_nature.pdf
