Milford chronicle., 1922-08-18
NATURE STUDY FOR LITTLE
CHILDREN
By August M. Swain

When Froebel was looking for q
name suitable for his system of edu-
cation, he did not call it "CbiId
School" or Child House." but "Chih
Garden," and he intended that the
gardener" of the kindergarten should
be the teacher herself.
Nearly half of Froebel's Mother
Plays deal with the things of nature.
At one time he said, "a little child
that freely seeks flowers and cher
1shes and cares for them in order to
wind them into bouquet for parents
or teachers cannot be bad child. or
become a bad man. Such a child can
easily be led to the love, and to a
knowledge Of his Father-God- Who
gives him such gifts"
Love of nature is the heritage of
childhood. It is a tendency in everv
child of every land, be he black
white or yellow.
All nature is akin to Childhood.
DIrus' ANIMALS, flowers, insects are all
DeauIlIuI TO children, even the "lovely
snail" op'
we all know how dog will allow
d cnlIu TO stumble over him, recog- |
nlzlng the action by only an express
ION OF long-suffering indifference: he
VII stanu all Kinds of teasing which
ne would not tolerate from an admit
mere seems to be a silent but mn
CuaI understanding among young ami
sls ilaIs OF all kinds whether thev have
four legs or two. nave
AS primitive man opened the early
scenes OF his life among the wonders
VI nature, SO the child needs the evS
peIience OF the race in nature wonder
anu pay All natural phenomena are
matters OF personal interest tn tbe
youns child; and towards the moon I
stars' sun, wind and rain he feels the !
interest of the race. W
II is well to be able to tell the chill
iIen the names of the plants and
lowers lowers they bring, and to awaken in f
neIn longing to know more of the
.S tUnuerIuI life of the bird, bee and
Chlldren love the stories of animal
no plant life; they love nature he
@use Iney are a part of it. II is q 8
oou Ihlng for children to collect
pecinens; how they revel in fbe
.UoIS Us, no matter what season il NAV
{: What can be more joyous than tn
atner acorns, nut and berries in the 8
uIullln woods? Will not the children
: interested to know that acorns -.
row only on oak trees, and that thav Ill
70 Ine SEEDS of the oak as well &c
'0q Tor squirrels? 90
we may have only a vacant 1ot noo,
~ II SO' we possess a whole miami
-, IN the mud and scum of things ia ia
Anere always, always Sometime tiC
SINGS" tIC
d1oW % many different weeds grow s5 I
Wny can some grow there m
1lIe others are unable to do so9 tai
ne c14 OF our most delightful kinder ms
zen excursions was the suggestion ce1
child, to see how many 6ifferan+ M, ~,
JUS OF cloVers we could find. and No sI1,
Z seemed bored. We need NOT he oJ
rpIlsed If questions of real scion @o
!; value be asked by the children me
ny 90 people call those white fiow- tisi
uoswOod!,' was the thoughtfuI in inc
~ OF one of my kindergarten chill cor
n. 7''- '0n GILL COL
low do birds fight snakes?p 1IT 1nT
What is the grease inside the but- 10,
cup used for?' 'H' JUL & "a!
Is is IS true that only female polar "A A
rs -h1bernate?". F0-NA -
why does the mullen have such a Wv
MS -alS, SHOWS a spirit of real inquiry. a n
IoW the child's Imagination grows orie :, Z
ne pictures the building of the con
is' ;s @ Ine return of birds and insectsi
II songs become part of his nafnre
life. 00'iieSS 10 III
rye tbo o,oII-4I unIIct observation, to chez
luIate the imaginative powers. in
7 words to see things, to know CIR
ss-does 1t not seem worth while?
no knows the inspiration given tn
artist, poet or scientist
we wander with the fairies
ugh the meadows and woods. en- -
lg with them the concert of in "
bird and breeze? - pep.