Introducing Children to Nature

Yesterday I took a brand-new group of children to forest school. Their parents were attending meetings at our conference's teachers convention, and I was the child care for ages 5 to 9. I was asked to offer forest school--and was happy to do it!

There were logistics to plan for--everything from preparing a new site ahead of time to taking children I had never met into the woods for their first forest school experience.

My first task with them (besides collecting them at the conference center and getting them across campus) was helping them into the right frame of mind. I needed to motivate them to work together--they immediately appreciated the power of voting. There were safety guidelines to share. Names to learn. Tools to become acquainted with. Procedures to learn. But most of all, I hoped they would meet their Creator amid the beauties of nature.

Children and nature belong together! But that doesn't mean children automatically learn to love and appreciate nature. They can run wildly though a forest without pausing to notice their surroundings. It's up to us to help them stop and notice, to wonder, and to appreciate nature as God's gift to us.

I spent some tense moments in prayer as the day approached, asking for wisdom. And God showed up!

As we walked along the little gravel road leading to Mountain Lore, I asked them to stop for a moment. We shared what we noticed around us. I asked, "What is the most important book in the world?" They knew this: "The Bible!" And they were able to tell me why the Bible is important: the Bible has stories we learn from, and we learn about God in the Bible.

"What is the second most important book in the world?" I asked. This stumped them. Someone suggested the dictionary. Others came up with equally valid ideas. I suggested Nature as the second most important book, because God made every detail and reveals Himself to us in nature. He meets us in nature and loves us through nature! We can also find stories in nature all around us that help us know God better. We glanced around and saw stories all around us!

We moved on, had our opening meeting near the actual site, and proceeded to enjoy two glorious days of forest school. I was so pleased. They caught crawdads and minnows, traversed a log over the creek, made mud pies, dug holes, and stopped in wonder when deer gazed down at us from the hill above.

It doesn't take long for children start connecting with nature and its Creator, but it takes a little bit of attention on our part to help get them in the right frame of mind for it.

May our children always love their Creator and find Him in the great outdoors!