Winter Nature Shelf

How do you create and celebrate the moments of joy that come throughout the year?

I like to create a nature shelf in the entrance to our setting that can be used as a way of creating a wonderful sense of arrival for young children and their families. It encourages discussion and a love for what is seen and experienced in the world around us. With a hope of making children and their families more present and strengthening the connections between home and setting. By encouraging children to add their natural treasures to this working display or observations.

Here is a winter themed Nature shelf that I set up at the beginning of December last year. It simply had an artificial tree, Pussy Willow in a tall vase, pine cones and Holly collected by the children, twinkly lights to bring the enchantment and then the wonderful book Pick and Pine Tree by Patricia Toht. This book is a delightful read about a family choosing and decorating their own Christmas tree- offering many discussion points between setting and home. 

I like to collect snippets of observations and questions children ask too and just hand write these onto card and add them to the shelf. If placing your nature shelf in your provision you might want to include sketch books or paints to encourage children to create their own representations of the natural artefacts. 

Over the winter period you might want to include other seasonal items like;

• LED Candles in candle holders
• Small world figures like peg people (like these wonderful custom made Peg families Click Here and use code HYGGE10 for 10% off!) and small world animals and birds.  
• White fabric and wintery decorations
• Snowy artificial trees
• Pine cones
• Wooden stars
• Baubles in a jar
• Mirrors
• Sheepskin rug
• Dried orange slices
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Twigs in a jar
• Nature sheet about winter trees
• Information sheets on making a bird feeder for parents to take home

I would love to see how you set up your nature shelf. Make sure to share them with us on social media using our #hyggeintheearlyyears 

If you would like more support in Nature based learning then check out our Wanderlust Nature Study Programme here