Early May. The sun is warm on Aaron's cheeks as he leans in to examine the textures of the tree. Sparkles of dew catch the light through his magnifying glass, and the skin on the grapefruit looks like a network of yellow-veined spiderwebs, a perspective he's never noticed before.
Nature pokes out of cracks in the sidewalks, flits out of bushes, and hides under logs.
The natural world is thick with possibilities for children to investigate, explore, discover, and express. Such experiences foster emotional connections with natural elements and help children develop a sense of respect for the environment and empathy for all living beings. Nature is also intriguing and deeply fulfilling to children because it is constantly changing, always surprising, and continually teasing the senses. Young children become young scientists who are constantly theorizing about how the world works, eager to collect, sample, compare, associate, and test. A rich outdoor experience furthers this development like no other environment can.