Blog

Our Nature Shelf

This week we have decided to share our nature shelf and how it was introduced in our setting. We started the Hygge wanderlust nature course last September. As a setting Immy and I love being out and about with the children in the woods, beach etc and feel that the children as well ourselves benefit hugely with the experiences that the wider world provide us not just from a learning perspective but also from a calming mindfulness perspective too. Being outdoors being able to touch, smell and see the nature around is makes us all feel so much better.

The Wanderlust Child Nature Study course has definitely given us lots of new and reminded us of old opportunities and experiences that we provide our children with us being able to now scaffold and extend the learning given with additional ideas. The nature shelf has been a huge hit with both myself and Immy as well as the children. Last October we cleared a space in the playroom on top of one of the ikea units and this w...

My outstanding member Sam Goldsworthy Childminding not only features in our Wanderlust Nature Study Programme but is also one of our regular blog writers. 

We hope you enjoy her blog post this week!

This week we are writing about our favourite nature based learning ideas - as many of you are probably aware we absolutely love taking the children out and about to experience nature daily. We feel this has so many benefits such as building confidence, managing and taking their own risks, improves concentration and cognitive skills. It also provides many learning opportunities such as problem solving, outdoor maths, arts, literacy and many more.

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 We often visit the local woods. We go to the same woodlands each time as the children are comfortable with their surroundings and they have built a rapport with these woods. We talk about the different flowers and leaves that we can see growing or fallen from the trees. This changes with the seasons so there is always something new to spot...

Light play provides some excellent opportunities in your setting for children show some natural curiosity around science, engineering and wonder. Here are some resources you might like to audit your lighting play for…

• Light box
• Over head projector
• Torches (range of coloured lights)
• Shadow Puppets

Variety of loose parts to add to your light box;

• Shiny and reflective resources
• Coloured glass gems
• Twigs of varying lengths
• Mirrors
• Foliage
• Small world characters and buildings
• Plastic ice cubes
• Coloured counters
• Sweet wrappers/ cellophane
• Coloured cocktail stirrers
• Coloured plastic shot glasses
• Variety of buttons
• Paper doilies
• Numicon

Creative opportunities on the light box;

• Water beads
• Paint
• Black sand
• Eco glitter
• Clay
• Shaving foam

Don't miss out on the amazing opportunity to learn more about nature play here