Play Explorer: Camping, Hiking, and Enjoying Nature with Your Preschooler

When my son first saw bunnies in the wild he was shocked. He said, "They don't belong in the yard, they belong in their cage!" That was my wake up call to teach my child about nature and the great outdoors.

Preschooler friendly camping

The first time we went camping my son was three. We put night potty training on hold and brought plenty of nighttime diapers. There were other supplies we brought specifically for the purpose of making the camping trip fun and safe for our preschooler. My son had his own bag filled with a child sized sleeping bag, fishing pole, flashlight, bug catching kit, water shoes, swim diapers, water floats and a lot of snacks and drinks.

I had my own bag full of safety supplies. Included were a first aid kit, special sponge bob band aids, deet free bug spray, anti-itch cream, battery lantern, and comfort CDs. In addition we had serious talks about water safety, fire safety, and the importance of not touching or eating plants unless daddy said it was okay. Luckily the worst that happened over the 3 day camping vacation was my son got sand in his eyes.

Fishing

The favorite activity during our camping trip by far was fishing. The first day my son used his child's fishing pole with the fake bait. He mastered the cast and reel so the next day we cut off the fake bait and gave him a real hook and worm. With guidance he was fishing like a pro and caught several sun fish. A year later he still talks about that experience. I am glad he got to see fish up close and understand they do not just live in pet stores.

Hiking

This is not just good exercise, this is a wonderful way to experience nature and look for nature's littlest creatures. Every spring we go on short hikes to look for little bugs and morel mushrooms. We are teaching our son about the vast diversity in the insect world by keeping an eye out for little critters. Once we find one we use a magnifying glass to observe the characteristics and his dad helps him classify what family the bug is in. I may just be a proud, dorky mother but I was very impressed when my son identified his first spider by scientific name before his fourth birthday.

We are also teaching him what plants are safe and what plants to stay away from. If you are not an expert I recommend that you bring a field guide with you. Learning with your child not only gives them more information about the outdoors, you show by example that it is important to learn about and respect nature.

For longer hikes with little tykes I recommend a hiking backpack. You can find a wide variety of baby carriers for hiking at http://www.rei.com.

Don't discount your backyard or local parks

You can bird watch pretty much anywhere. Sometimes it is easy to forget how many different birds we share the earth with. Invest in binoculars and a bird identification guide and keep track of which birds you have seen. This is especially fun when you travel since you're likely to find a different set of birds in different locales.

Keep your eye on the ground and try to find animal tracks. Chances are if you are looking for them you will see dog, cat, squirrel, and other local animal tracks. It may not be too exciting for you, but your preschooler can feel like a real adventurer!

Even on walks around the block you can point out and indentify different trees and plants. There are so many ways to enjoy nature with your preschooler. You just have to go outdoors with your preschooler and look for them!