Natural resources encourages children to observe closely and use all their senses.
The range of natural materials we are able to use with younger children is endless, yet we need to be careful. Sera and Julia the educators in our Sprouts Room used water and:
- a variety of leaves including simple and compound leaves, pine tree needles, leaves with stripes and patterns, leaves of different colours and shades, leaves with interesting textures and scented leaves
- shells of varying shapes, sizes, patterns, textures and colours
- bark and twigs from a variety of trees, cut sections of wood and short lengths of pine showing grain and knots
- fruits and vegetables that are interesting to look at and to handle
- pods of different sizes, shapes and colours, pods with seeds still in them and cones of different shapes and sizes