This month, our toddlers have been exploring and discovering the beauty of spring through hands-on outdoor experiences, and learning through nature. As the seasons began to change, the children showed great excitement and curiosity about the world around them. Through outdoor exploration, they used all their senses to notice, investigate, and connect their learning with nature through meaningful ways.
During our outdoor time, the toddlers observed signs of springs all around us. The children noticed our serviceberry tree beginning to bloom and were immediately intrigued by the small flowers appearing on the branches. During outdoor play and walks through the yard, many of the children eagerly reached up toward the blossoms, wanting to touch and closely explore them. When rainy days are upon us, puddles become an open invitation for play and exploration. The children eagerly gather soup ladles, pots, and other materials from the sand area to scoop, pour, and mix muddy water together. Through this hands-on sensory experience, the children explore the texture, temperature, and movement of the mud and water using their hands and tools. We have also noticed more birds, and geese flying around the sky, which instantly captures their attention "quack, quack!", "biiirb flying!" shared by one of our toddlers. Rocks and dandelions around our playground are also sought out by our toddlers, collecting them, sorting, counting, and feeling the rough textures of them. The bright yellow dandelions have also been used for our own learning, we added them to our play dough experience, and learned that when dandelions are pressed or crushed-- they have a bright yellow pigment that emits from them, which slightly stained our playdough yellow.
Our outdoor environment has become a space for movement, exploration, and wonder. The toddlers have been practicing balancing on wooden stumps, running freely through open spaces, climbing, exploring different textures around the playground, and engaging in imaginative play inspired by nature.
These experiences support gross motor development, coordination, balance, and sensory exploration while encouraging curiosity, confidence, and joyful engagement with the natural environment.
The changes of spring around us, also allow us to extend their learning in our indoor environment, offering a variety of play that supports their ongoing curiosity from their outdoor environment. As we continue exploring the wonders of spring together, the children are developing a deeper connection to the world around them through curiosity, play, and shared experiences. Each outdoor adventure offers opportunities for discovery, learning, and joyful moments that nurture their confidence, creativity, and sense of belonging. By slowing down and noticing the small changes in nature, our toddlers are building meaningful relationships with their environment, their peers, and the learning experiences around them. As co-learners with our toddlers, we look forward to continuing this journey of exploration as the seasons grow and change alongside us.
