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Yes, summer is here and with it a spell of sunny weather that gives toddlers a great opportunity to connect with nature! So, if you love to get outdoors with your little one to help them explore the environment, here are just a few ideas to get you going.

1. Go for a toddle around the countryside

The fine weather is out, so throw your toddler’s wellies in the cupboard, strap on their sandals and head out for a walk in the great outdoors.

Whether it’s an amble to the duck pond in the local park or a cooling walk through the woods spotting insects and flowers, your little one is bound to discover a world of fascination and excitement.

And if a big walk is too much for little legs, that’s no excuse not to get out there. They will still love seeing nature from the comfort of a pushchair or watching it whizz by from a child’s bike seat.[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://theconsciousparent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/baby-390555_1920-1.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://theconsciousparent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/child-3089906_1920.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

2. Watch your garden grow

If you still haven’t found time to get out into the garden and sew some seeds with your toddler, then you still have time.

They will love helping you sew radish and carrot seeds, watering the plants as they grow, then pulling out their bright pink and orange roots! A real sense of achievement for little hands, as well as a useful lesson in how flora grows around us.

While your vegetables are growing, you can also plant some herbs and flowers together. Get your little one to feel their different textures and smell their different aromas – an immersion in a new sensory world that can be truly captivating for little ones!
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3. Create some nature art

The great outdoors presents us with a wealth of natural art materials in the summer, so make the most of them to encourage your child’s artistic talents.

Take your little one to hunt for leaves and flowers, then bring them home to create a pretty collage. Or if it’s one of those rainy summer days, you can still stick to the nature theme by cutting potatoes and carrots in half and using them as stamps to create prints of butterflies and bugs – a lovely idea for family greetings cards or nursery wall art.

Of course, you may have may more ideas for how you can use the natural world in arts and crafts. From daisy chain necklaces to leaf mobiles and flower masks, there are endless ways you can use nature to fuel your toddler’s imagination and have hours of fun.
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4. Go on a leaf hunt

A leaf hunt is a great way to get your toddlers to explore the shapes, colours and textures of different leaves.

Let them hold each leaf and ask them to describe it. Tell them what tree or plant it is from and see if they can repeat it.

If you collect the leaves as you go along, you can also bring them home and have fun sticking them in a scrapbook – something that will make your leaf hunt memories last far longer than that one summer’s day.
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5. Throw an outdoor kid’s party

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor kids’ parties, so why not make the most of the better weather by organising a trip to a petting farm? From lamas and goats to cows and sheep, toddlers love to interact with different animals and find out more about them.

On the other hand, you could use nature to inspire little imaginations with a nature-themed fancy dress party. From pretty butterfly dresses to vibrant busy-bee suits, your back garden will swarm with little ones having fun. And you can even throw in some nature related games and competitions to help boost their understanding of the world around them!
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6. Turn nature to nibbles

It is good to help your toddler to learn where food comes from, so get them involved in activities that help them do just that.

Whether pulling up the carrots they have planted and helping you arrange them in a salad or going out for a spot of berry picking, these activities will help your toddler become aware of our reliance on nature.

Plus, a bowl full of tempting strawberries that they have picked themselves can also help to tempt a toddler that is resistant to weaning.

Hopefully, you will find the above ideas useful for exploring nature with your toddler.

Just remember to take care to protect them from the sun at all times. Then whether you go for a walk in the park or a trip to the beach, you are bound to have a fabulous time in the great outdoors!
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