Instilling in kids a foundational sense of wonder and awe for the beauty of nature around them is one way to help them develop skills like empathy, problem solving, connection, and creativity. Plus, exploring the great outdoors is the perfect low-cost activity that offers hours upon hours of fun and learning opportunities. Here are a few of our favourite low-cost activities to help kids connect with nature in a meaningful way.
1. Nature themed treasure hunt
Before you go for a walk, create a list of natural items that you might be able to find in your area. Examples of items could be leaves, sticks, flowers, feathers – anything nature provides. You could make it even more challenging for older kids by listing specific types, colours, or species of these items. Once home, take stock of what you’ve found, find them in a book or online to learn more about them, and then return the items to your garden or use them for arts and crafts.
2. Foraged arts and crafts
Speaking of arts and crafts, there are so many ways you and your kids can harness the beauty of nature to create wonderful things. Collect leaves and seedpods and paint them, then press them onto paper to make patterns. Choose a few coloured flowers to smoosh up and mix with water to make watercolour paints (wattle flowers are perfect for this). Take some paper and place it over a leaf, then use a pencil to colour over it and create rubbings. Collect citrus fruits from the garden and cut them into slices, then dry them in the oven and use them to create bunting decorations or even a unique pair of earrings or a necklace. Use your imagination and the list of nature craft possibilities never ends. Remember: when foraging, only ever take as much as you need.
3. Visit a national park or botanic garden
If you live in or around Sydney like we do, you have plenty of national parks and botanic gardens in your vicinity. Some might be just a quick walk down the road, others might be worth a day trip via car, bus, or train. Each of these natural spaces is filled with unique plants and animals (including plenty of natives which is what we LOVE to see). Most will have a cafe for food and drinks, or you can pack a picnic lunch from home. They’ll often host events as well, some tailored specifically for children to learn all about the natural world around them.
4. Discover First Nations cultural events and learning opportunities
We cannot recommend this one highly enough. Aborginal Elders are the original caretakers of the land and their wisdom, when it comes to native plants and animals and how we can best support them to thrive, is second-to-none. It is likely that you will have an indigenous group (or groups) within your local area with incredible knowledge to share (we recommend searching online or at your local library or information centre). It is so important that we offer our children opportunities to acknowledge and respect the indigenous cultures that intertwine so closely with the land we all share and must care for.
5. Find a spot with a view to watch a sunrise or sunset
There is little more awe-inspiring than heading out to a spot with a beautiful, uninterrupted view of a sunrise or sunset. Pack some snacks, bring a camera or some art supplies to allow for creative flow if the kids (and yourself) want to try and capture some of the wonder of the sun, the sky, the clouds, and surrounding scenery. Try and make it a regular thing – maybe once a month – as a way to connect with the vastness of nature and also to connect with each other.
We hope you’ve found some inspiration within the low-cost nature-based activities suggested here. It just goes to show that you don’t need a full bank account to be filled with love for the world around you 💖
