The Montessori method is well known for its methodically designed sensorial materials and activities. We decided to take our learning outdoors in nature to learn about different colours and do a nature hunt with my preschool-aged child.
I have never seen a child being bored in nature. Wonder outdoors never stops. Open-ended play always evolves. Imagination gains vivid and intense colors. Nature conveys peace into a child’s heart and mind leaving no room for worry. To quote Maria Montessori:
” There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature.. That the child may better understand and participate in the marvelous things which civilization creates”.
Maria Montessori was very wise to point out that in nature children learn about the world at large. Nature helps them to understand our place in it as humans develop respect for the order that rains in nature and guides the flow of life from one to another.
Once I’ve begun homeschooling my preschooler by firmly establishing a daily routine and weekly schedule, I realized that I could lose many learning opportunities without including natural activities in our curriculum. I implemented a natural environment to teach early learning concepts and encourage natural wonder, curiosity, and knowledge of the outside world we live in. It is done by extending indoor activities into the outdoor setting. Just like during the Montessori cycle at home, outdoor learning is primarily child-driven. I set my daughter with the right tools and gave her a task guide allowing her to take control and lead further.
This week we took off to visit a local Botanical Garden that has incredibly bright colors to explore. Tools we used:
- magnifying glass
- clipboard
- pencil
- paper
- colored texters
I love using printables whenever I can. However, I also think that it’s great to draw, colour, and write things by hand for a child to observe, and, hopefully, get encouraged to follow the example. And when the time comes learning to write won’t be a chore, but a natural part of life she saw me do all the time.
We began an outdoor nature colour hunt by brainstorming possible colours we might find along the way and made the chart. My role was to remind what colors were on our list to help the child to stay on task. Attention to detail is a great skill to teach young children. The magnifying glass does a great job when it comes to that. Looking at different colours of blooming trees and flowers was a perfect opportunity to reflect on the previous week’s topic – parts of the flower.
One of the precious skills that get developed through this exercise is the ability to observe. It involves self-driven deeper learning – a great skill to have that is beneficial in any profession.
We kicked off our weekly outdoor exploration activities and I will be sharing them as we go. I have a couple more posts lined up with outdoor math explorations, and beach and seaside Montessori-inspired outdoor activities. You can access Nature Hunt printables from the Resource Library here.
you might enjoy our nature printables
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Taiga Biome Boreal Forest Animals Plants Facts$8.00 -
Deciduous Forest Animals Plants Facts Biome Pack$8.50 -
Rainforest Animals South America Safari Toob 3 Part Cards$3.00 -
Tropical Rainforest Animals Plants Facts Biome Pack$9.00 -
2D Shapes in Nature Match Up Picture Cards Coloring Tracing Sheets$2.00 -
Animal Tracks 3 Part Cards Student Book$2.00 -
Colors in Nature Match Up Cards Coloring Tracing Sheets$1.50 -
Animal Coverings 3 Part Cards Student Book$2.00 -
Colors in Nature Picture Sorting Cards Coloring Sheets$4.20 -
Forest 3 Part Cards Nature Journal Forest Quest Poster$3.00