WILD CHILD: Embracing Spring

Spring is here in all its warm then cold then rainy then windy fun.

This time of year is some of the most fun for our younger WILD CHILDren. Some vaguely remember the previous spring, but for most this changeable weather and rapidly changing natural space is something new and exciting.

Each day new birds start to sing, new plants pop out of the ground, and even the ground changes—from hard to muddy to white with snow to dry. The weather looks and feels different from morning to afternoon and the quick differences are easy to remember and compare.

While it’s tempting to bundle up and stay inside on the trickier weather days, don’t miss this opportunity to explore and discover with your child. Make a point of heading out to a place near your home or joining one of our WILD CHILD Outdoor Playgroups each week. Try to visit the same places regularly to see how they change and how they stay the same.

In many ways the changeable weather of spring and fall our some of the most fun for giving children the chance to see how things change. So next time it rains put on you boots and rain gear and see where the puddles are. When it snows check where the snow stays and where it melts. When it’s sunny see if you can spot new buds and leaves popping up on plants and through the earth. Whatever you do make sure you get outside!

Written by Tandy Morton, WILD CHILD Outdoor Playgroup Facilitator