Your Child Will Learn
How to observe different characteristics of living things in nature
Here’s What to Do
- Head outside to a park, backyard, or other green space.
- Ask your child to look for living things (like: plants, trees, grass, animals, birds, bugs, etc.).
- When they find something they’re interested in, ask them to use their senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) to learn more about it.
- Help your child describe different characteristics of the plant or animal.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Get down at your child’s level and look/hear/smell/touch along with them.
ENGAGE
- “We’re searching for something that’s alive. Do you see anything alive like a plant or an animal?”
- “Let’s notice as much as we can about this pine cone. Is it smooth or bumpy when you touch it?Does it make any sounds? What color is it? Does it have a smell?”
ENCOURAGE
- If your child is still building their vocabulary, you can give them a choice of descriptive words like: “Is that bird big or little? Is it noisy or quiet?”
- “Great observation, scientist! That tree is super duper tall. And it does have green leaves.”
REFLECT
- What plants or animals is your child most interested in?
Not Quite Ready
Describe plants and animals for your child as you see them.
Ready for More
Prompt your child to observe more details about plants and animals, like the legs on an ant or the petals on a flower.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will be able to describe the size, shape, color, and features of things in nature.
Time to Complete
15 minutes
Materials Needed
None