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Exploring Nature with Young Children
Help them find their own place at their own pace
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There are few things that can provide more vicarious joy than watching a young child play outside in the wintertime. Children have a way of seeing the magic of a snowy day that many adults have forgotten. A child’s wonder in the winter woods can also be an opportunity for them to make observations about trees and forest habitats, which can lay the foundation for forest literacy and a lifetime connection to nature.
When you’re spending time with little ones outdoors, try to forget some of the “academic” things you know and focus instead on observations. What patterns does snow make when it’s sticking to different trees? What stories can you make from the weaving animal tracks on the ground? How do your fingers and nose and toes feel in the cold? What emotions do you have when you’re in a snowy woods? What do the branches of the different trees sound like as they brush together in the wind? Chances are, the children you’re outside with are already noticing these things, though questions posed from a patient and interested adult can help them put their observations into words.
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While it’s important to give young children plenty of time to direct their own play in nature, careful adults can help introduce forest literacy in a way that still encourages inquiry and exploration. Project Learning Tree’s newly updated early childhood activity guide, called Trees & Me: Exploring Nature with Young Children, is full of seasonal, developmentally appropriate ideas for helping young children become aware of trees and forests. The guide is designed to be used by all kinds of adults, from formal and nonformal educators to parents, grandparents, and other caregivers. The ideas presented in the guide can be used in a variety of settings: wooded parks, school forests, urban school yards, or even sidewalks.
Project Learning Tree materials are best used after having a chance to try them out yourself, so take a look at the Wisconsin PLT Professional Development page for information on how to request an in-person Trees & Me workshop for your group, or to take an online training yourself. In the meantime, get outside with a young person this winter and have some fun!
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ACT FAST: DEADLINES APPROACHING | |
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The 2023 School Forest Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have provided leadership or made other significant contributions to school forest programs over the past year.
All nominations are due by Friday, January 26th.
Awards will be presented in the spring of 2024 at a time arranged within the honoree’s local school district or community.
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We hope you will consider applying for a Wheels to Woods (W2W) grant.
The next round of grants is due Wednesday, January 31st for trips in February - August.
W2W provides grants up to $350 to cover transportation costs to and from a forest or forestry industry field tour for any Wisconsin K-12 classroom with priority funding for underrepresented student populations.
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The Wisconsin Forestry Center will offer it's Science of Tree Felling course this March.
Scholarship application deadline is Friday, February 2nd.
Wisconsin high school students are eligible to apply for one of five scholarships to cover registration fees for this 3-day UW-Stevens Point Forestry course, where they will join forestry
students and industry professionals in a field-intensive chainsaw training.
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REMINDER: 4th-grade Teachers: Order Arbor Day seedlings now!
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Every year since 1984, Wisconsin 4th-grade students have been eligible to receive a free tree seedling from the DNR reforestation program to complement their Arbor Day observations.
School principals, 4th-grade teachers and 4th-grade homeschool parents should visit this DNR webpage to order seedlings for Wisconsin 4th-grade students. The order forms on that page are for obtaining seedlings for 4th grade students only, not for school forests. (You can do both. To order seedlings for school forests use the forms on this page. )
The seedlings will be shipped this spring in time for Arbor Day celebrations and come with protective bags and instructions on how students should plant and care for them. Planting a seedling and watching it grow can be a great learning tool. Find additional ideas for planning an Arbor Day celebration on this DNR webpage.
If you have any questions about the free seedling program for Wisconsin 4th-graders, please email Carey Skerven at the DNR’s Griffith State Nursery at Carey.Skerven@wisconsin.gov.
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Forestry Field Skills for Educators | |
Join us for a day of field practice as we brush up on timber cruising skills such as tree measurement, calculating merchantable tree volume and basal area, and compass use. We will also touch a little bit on winter tree identification.
Date: Thursday, January 25
Time: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Marshfield, WI
Fee: $25
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School Forest
Foundational Planning
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Bring a team and join us for a day of foundational planning where we look at the steps needed to integrate the forest into your district’s learning objectives, gain resources, and network with other school forest educators who are looking to develop, use, and sustain their school forest programming.
Date: Thursday, February 8
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location: Stevens Point, WI
Fee: $0
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Great Lakes School Forest Webinar | |
Join this webinar to learn about:
- State Forest Programs in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota
- Engaging activities using Project Learning Tree
- Connecting with other people from your state to share challenges and successes
Date: Tuesday, February 27
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Online
Fee: $0
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Have questions or need additional resources? Contact us at leaf@uwsp.edu. We are here to support educators and students with forestry opportunities. | |
Published for January 2024 | | | | |
