In fairy tales, forests are dark, forbidding places where children get lost and face terrifying ordeals. In real life, though, forests--with their dappled light, sweet air and towering trees--are a kid's paradise. If you are lucky enough to live in or near a forest, your kids likely have their own relationship with the trees and animals living there. While they may not grasp the intricacies of forest life, they probably understand on a deep level a forest's seasonal changes and undoubtedly have their own secret places, plants and trees that are special to them.
For those of us who live in towns and cities, visiting a forest is a rare and rich treat, like a deep drink for the soul. The best thing we can do to help our children learn about the forest is to get them there and let them explore. You will see them tightrope-walk on fallen trees, stop to smell a wild flower in bloom or investigate holes pecked in the sides of trees. Given enough time to really relax, kids will lie on their backs and watch sunlight coming through the leaves, play hide-and-seek, whittle a stick or wade in a stream.
The activities here are meant to complement a child's forest adventures. They will challenge her to explore the relationships between forest plants and animals, to use all her senses to identify a tree, and to discover the hidden world of insects. For later on, a leaf-print T-shirt project makes a colorful memento of a day in the woods.
Maggie Megaw is a frequent contributor to FAMILYFUN; additional material provided by Rani Arbo.
