More greenery in the scenery

My son has switched around the place settings at the dinner table. He is now sitting in the spot that I normally occupy, across from his Daddy and with a wide view of our backyard.

I easily slide into the seat next to him, so I can sit next to my husband and still get an outside view, too.

The truth is, the place where we eat dinner is one of my favorite spots in the house because of the view. The windows look out over a lot of greenery, and I find it a peaceful way to end my day. I am not at all surprised that my son wants to take in that view, too.

Whether they can articulate it or not, our children need to feel connected to nature. This is just one of the reasons why we all go camping with the cub scout pack my son is in. I don't necessarily enjoy sleeping outside in the woods, however, the fact that my son and his friends can stomp around the woods every day we are out there for hours makes it worth it.

The challenge - of course - is finding safe places for our kids to go outside and play. I love it when my son wants to explore the woods behind our home (even though I am scared of snakes) and think it is funny to hear his adventures via the walkie talkie he brings outside with him. Things like, "Mom, I have found a large tree knocked down; over." and "Mom, I am going deeper into the dark forest; over." and "Mom, the squirrels are really running around out here; over." Those comments let me know that he is enjoying some fresh air.

I know we are lucky. It is not every child who gets the chance to play outside whenever they want these days. But if there is a way we can get our kids to experience just a bit of greenery, it is definitely worth it in the long run.

How do you help your child experience nature? Tell me in the comments.