Today is Earth Day, a day for us to focus on the environment and caring for our planet.  Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 making this the 50th Earth Day.  It is celebrated in over 193 countries around the world.  In keeping things simple and meaningful for the children I think today is the perfect day to talk about exploring, discovering and appreciating our natural world.  Currently daily life is different for many of us including myself.  A lot of us right now have more free time and this gift of free time has given me the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the outdoors.  If we want our children to fight for the environment they must first gain an understanding and appreciation for it.  I encourage all of you to go outside and explore.  The best tip I can give you is to allow lots of time for exploration and discovery, and get down and look closely.  So many things are there for us to discover if we just take the time to look.

Below are some of the beautiful images that me and my family found while walking in our neighbourhood.   What can you find on your nature walk?  I encourage you to model using your five senses…. “Wow I can see the beautiful cherry blossoms”  “The bark of this tree feels hard and rough” “I can smell the scent of the fallen pine needles” “I can hear the sounds of a bird” “It isn’t safe to taste many things outside but I can taste the fresh air”  Notice shapes, colours, patterns, and let your child be the guide.  I hope  you have as much fun as we do.  This have become a nightly routine in our family – where each night we go on an adventure to see what beautiful things we can see.