(I found these examples online of what people were putting on their nature tables)This year I think in our school room I think I am going to incorporate a "Nature Table". I've seen it online, and the kids love it! Basically on your outings throughout the year, or when you take walks with the kids, you collect specimens from nature and bring them home to display. You can let the kids explore the items, look at them with magnifying glasses, and read about them in books that you display. Perhaps they can even categorize, or identify things like feathers, rocks, or shells too!
I found some basic guidelines on how to set up one:
1. It takes time to build up a good collection - but even a few items will look attractive. Keep you eyes open on your nature walks - it is amazing what you will find!
2. Different seasons will bring different treasures. Watch out for empty birds egg shells in the spring, and nests blown from the trees on blustery fall days. In the winter remember to take photographs of footprints in the snow. And summer days at the beach will easily add to your collection.
3. Don't be discouraged if you live in a town. You are still likely to find feathers and leaves in your neighborhood. Get creative by adding dried squash or herbs, photographs of items you can't find and models of animals.
4. A few good nature books will stand you in good stead. If you can store them near to your nature collection it will encourage the children to pour over them.
5. Regularly prune your collection. Items will get dusty and broken - to keep the display nice you will need to change things around.
6. Double sided sticky-tape inside a small box makes a good place to put dead flies and spiders. (Yes - I know this is gross!! But children love it!).
7. If you have young children who are liable to put things into their mouths - then please vet items that may be poisonous or cause a choking hazard.
2. Different seasons will bring different treasures. Watch out for empty birds egg shells in the spring, and nests blown from the trees on blustery fall days. In the winter remember to take photographs of footprints in the snow. And summer days at the beach will easily add to your collection.
3. Don't be discouraged if you live in a town. You are still likely to find feathers and leaves in your neighborhood. Get creative by adding dried squash or herbs, photographs of items you can't find and models of animals.
4. A few good nature books will stand you in good stead. If you can store them near to your nature collection it will encourage the children to pour over them.
5. Regularly prune your collection. Items will get dusty and broken - to keep the display nice you will need to change things around.
6. Double sided sticky-tape inside a small box makes a good place to put dead flies and spiders. (Yes - I know this is gross!! But children love it!).
7. If you have young children who are liable to put things into their mouths - then please vet items that may be poisonous or cause a choking hazard.
Things that might be of interest: shells, rocks, bark, seed pods, seeds, flowers, shells, nests, pine cones, ect, ect.
3 comments:
That's awesome! Do you already have specimens in hand for your nature table? Are you setting it up according to groups (i.e. ocean finds, woodsy things, back yard stuff, etc.)?
We have only a few things now, but I can see it will only grow. I might have to get a larger shelf to display it all on. we have a couple of feathers, different shells, and a rock. we havent been out in the neighborhood yet, so it will grow quick i bet.
We have a nature table...I've seen some that are very put together....ours is more of a pile of stuff they have collected- bugs in jars, birds nest, lots of shells and rocks. Plus the binoculars, magnifiers,etc..... They love collecting it!
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