In Discovering Nature with Young Children, Ingrid Chalufour and Karen Worth list 3 things to keep in mind when discussing how to be a good naturalist.
1) “Stay safe (such as what can be touched, what should be avoided)”
Child safety is always the first priority!
2) “Keep animals and plants safe”
Be careful not to tread on any animal habitats or plants. As naturalists, we want to leave everything in the naturescape exactly how we found it.
3) “Look very carefully at what they find”
Take a closer look at the plants, bugs, etc. on the natural preschool playground by using magnifying glasses. Also try creating nature journals to draw the plants or bugs being observed.
Check out our Naturalist Toolkit by visiting adventurouschild.com and scrolling down to “News and Events” or check out some of our new natural playground equipment.
Chalufour, Ingrid, and Karen Worth. Discovering Nature with Young Children. St. Paul: Redleaf Press, 2003. Print.