Humber is becoming a greener campus and everyone is participating! Humber Sustainability Highlights feature people and departments around the College integrating sustainable practices. This month’s focus is the Early Childhood Education program’s initiative to connect children with nature.
It is universally known that when children are given the chance to play outdoors, they will take it. With that in mind, the Forest and Nature Program pilot was developed for children to foster their curiosity and build a relationship with nature.
“The goal of the program is to give children repeated access to the same outdoor spaces to build a relationship with and learn about the natural world around us,” says Kaitlin Beard, an educator from the Humber Child Development Centre.
Normally, the children went out once a week to the Arboretum. But the program changed their weekly routine to three times a week allowing them to explore more of the meadows, wetlands or the forest at the Arboretum.
“Their skills – developmentally – were incredible. They went from looking at big wide open spaces to honing in to details,” says Beard.
Not only were the children taught to become conscientious of their actions in nature, they became more focused and in-tuned with their minds and bodies.
“By the end they were saying: ‘we can’t rip leaves off trees because they can’t grow, but if they’re on the ground then we can use them…’ The program teaches children to be stewards for the future,” says Beard.
The pilot program ran for the month of June with a small group of four-year-old children. Beard and Louise Zimanyi, a professor for ECE, attended Forest and Nature School Canada to become certified Forest and Nature practitioners. After their training, they implemented the Forest and Nature Program pilot at Humber’s daycare.
“The children are natural curious explorers. They even say with excitement: ‘we’re going on adventures at the Arboretum today!’ ” says Beard.
Try out these tips so you too could go on adventures and connect with nature!
- Take a walk at a park. There are many benefits to walking, but walking in nature doubles the health benefits!
- Go for a bike ride using park trails. Just taking in the scenery – even in passing – calms your mind and reduces stress!
- Start your own garden. If you don’t have outdoor space, grow potted plants along your windowsill or balcony.
- Visit a greenhouse or garden. Gain some inspiration for your own garden or simply enjoy the loveliness!
