When a young child captures a specimen of nature in the backyard, one parent might tell them they can keep it in a jar, while the other tells them to take it out of the house and let it go. Instead, make this a learning opportunity for the child and a chance to demonstrate respect for nature. It's also a good time to reinforce time away from the screen and experiencing the world around them.
Allow them to keep the creature for a brief time and study it. Take some digital pictures of it and allow the children to decide which ones are their favorites to keep. Use an online application with your child to research information on the critter, what it eats, and the most favorable conditions for its habitat.
When it's time to let it go, allow the children to decide where they’ll release it. You could use it as an excuse to visit your local state park to let it go there and look for other forms of nature.
You might be fortunate to have butterfly garden close enough for you and the children to visit. There are numerous butterfly conservatories and indoor butterfly gardens located across the United States. These facilities provide a year-round tropical environment where visitors can observe a wide variety of butterflies flying freely.
A conservatory near us became a favorite place for me to bring my autistic granddaughter when I was running out of options to keep her busy. For the safety of the wildlife we were about to see, and to help secure her cooperation once we were inside, we would go over the rules they had posted by the entrance. The most important one was that everyone must remain on the walkway throughout our visit.
Once you and your child are back at home and the creature they once had in a jar, or saw while on an outing, is gone, use any digital photos you took and ask them questions that encourages them to talk about the experience. What did they like most, what was their favorite and what made them smile. Have them draw pictures or use art clay to recreate what they remember.
Temporarily capturing a little piece of live nature to touch and see can be so enriching for our kids with a little bit of coaching. It’s also a great opportunity to guide them away from screen time for a while and help them to open their eyes to the true beauty around them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bill Corbett is the author of 8 books, including the book, LOVE, LIMITS AND LESSONS: A PARENT'S GUIDE TO RAISING COOPERATIVE KIDS. You can see more of his work at http://BillCorbettsBooks.com.
