Preschoolers are very aware of their bodies and eager to use them. That is why it can be hard to keep them from getting dirty all day. They need to feel things to really understand them. On an exploration walk you can use this to your advantage to share some of the wonderful things in nature. Just going out on a walk can be overwhelming. It is difficult for a preschooler to sort out all the sights, sounds, and smells going on at once.

Choose a quiet place that you can take your preschooler. A park, open meadow, or even just your own back yard will do. Let them know that you are going to share with them some of the secret parts of nature and that they have to close their eyes. It can be helpful to insist on quiet during this time also, but some preschoolers are not yet beyondseparation anxiety and having their eyes closed while you remain silent can be frightening. Go with what works best for your child.

Choose a few random things from around you to introduce one by one. Tell your preschooler to keep his eyes closed and to breath in deeply as you hold a flower under his nose. Or ask your child to stick out her hand then brush across it with a feather. See what you can find all around you that you can share. Smooth pebbles, hard sticks, wild strawberries, or crunchy leaves are all examples of things you can let your preschooler explore with his eyes shut.

When you take away sight the other senses will enhance, allowing your child to really feel, smell, and taste things that she might not have noticed before. Just be sure to allow your child time to also inspect what each item was with their eyes open. Make this a weekly adventure with your preschooler and watch as the world unfolds before their eyes.

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