Kids are naturalists by nature: give them a sky full of stars or a handful of daisies, and they become instant astronomers, budding botanists. And if you want to understand why they call the outdoors "great," just watch your toddler dash toward a muddy puddle or a pile of pinecones. Although the natural world doesn't exactly need improvement, the ideas here will help spark kids' innate curiosity, bring an outside adventure indoors, and turn April showers into grand, soggy fun. Sure, Mother Nature's not the mom who wipes the glue off the cat or sings "Itsy Bitsy Spider" for the millionth time -- but she sure knows how to keep little ones happy.

NURTURING A LOVE OF NATURE

Ages: 12 months and up
Nobody can remind you better than a small child that life's all about the journey. So the next time you go exploring, whether it's in the woods or your own backyard, consider these tips from Colleen Kelley, an educator at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Engage their senses   Kids love to look, listen, touch, smell. Ask your child to rub a piece of bark and then a fuzzy milkweed pod: can she tell the difference between rough and soft? Or name a color (you can also point one out in her clothes or shoes) and ask her to find something in nature that matches.

Use nature as a playground   Mix destination-bound walks or hikes with periods of free play in which kids can simply crawl in the dirt, sit on a log, or balance on a stump. (Consider the practice developing their coordination a bonus!)

Relate   Children are curious about how they're similar to other living things. Look at the parts of a tree and compare them to your child: Which of her body parts are most like the roots? The branches? The leaves? Can she move like a squirrel digging for acorns, or crawl like a bug?

Tie it all together   When you return home, consider crafts, activities, and even snacks that will reinforce what you've seen outside. For example, use cookie cutters to make frog shapes from firm Jell-O and toads from crisped rice treats, then note the difference: frogs have smooth skin, and toads, bumpy. Finish with a chorus of ribbets and a reading of a nature-themed storybook (we like Denise Fleming's "In the Small, Small Pond").

Model respect for nature   If you roll a log to look underneath it, ask your child to move quietly and slowly -- "What would it feel like if somebody took the roof off our house?" -- and be sure to replace it when you're done. Picking flowers? Say, "We can pick a dandelion since there are so many -- but let's leave those few violets alone."