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Teaching Children to Appreciate Nature on Thanksgiving
by Mark Stevens
http://www.luisasnature.com/
As Thanksgiving Day nears, the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves
begin to fall. It is again time to pass the message on to our kids about
just why we are giving thanks for so many things, including the amazing
wonders of nature.
There are many traditions and stories related to this holiday, but it is
nature that is at the heart of it all. As the ripe plums, apples, and
nuts peek down at us and pumpkin vines spread their arms, children can
witness firsthand how squirrels and bees go to work. Animals
depend on the maturing fruits and vegetables that the land brings, and
so do we! Helping children to become aware of our connection to the land
and the gratitude that it is due is the biggest step in helping ensure
that future generations treat nature with love and respect.
The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are a good time to take walks in
the countryside and to talk to our children about the nature we pass on
our paths. They can witness how our food is harvested and can feel the
connection with their own hands. Our children can pick berries and
mushrooms under our supervision and feel why we are giving thanks on
Thanksgiving Day. It is important that our kids learn at an early
age how much enrichment it is to themselves and others to be able to
give thanks at Thanksgiving and the whole year through. As we prepare
the food on this special day, let us think about where it comes from.
Say a prayer or some words of gratitude with your children to give
thanks for the creation of humans in nature and as a part of nature.
Thanksgiving: The name alone has a peaceful ring to it. For many people,
it calls to mind the meal the Pilgrims had with the Native Americans in
Plymouth, Massachusetts. Farmers and those who profit from their
successful crops likely value the good harvest most on this day because
they are still very connected to the land. It is a day on which family
and friends pack their suitcases and visit the people who are dear to
them. Thanksgiving is a day on which many people return to their nests
of origin.
Here is a list of five ways to help your children appreciate nature on
Thanksgiving:
1) Take walks with your children and talk about the sights and sounds of
nature.
2) Go out with your children to collect flowers, twigs, nuts, fruits,
vegetables, grass, and seeds.
3) Collect colorful leaves together and place them on a piece of wax
paper once they are dry. Then press them between the pages of a big
book.
4) Paint or draw with your children the things you've discovered in
nature or take pictures and form a collage.
5) Let your children cook with you and talk about the source of the food
as you cook.
As we delve into the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing,
gravy, cranberries, and corn, and top it all off with a cold, sweet
slice of pumpkin pie, let us discuss with our children why their legs
are growing and why their hair is like silk. Why was Mommy’s milk so
scrumptious? She was eating the blessed foods that nature created and
passed the nourishment on to her children by way of milk. Now the
children are eating the foods of the land directly and should know why
nature should be respected and treated with care. Let us give thanks.
Let’s make this the most natural Thanks-Giving ever!
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