Caring for Nature 

Together with your child, watch this video in which Elmo, Abby, and Abby’s mommy notice a beetle on Abby’s backpack, and Abby asks if they can keep it as a pet. Maggie explains that beetles live outdoors and have an important job in nature, spreading pollen… then the flowers are food for the beetle. Nature is all connected, and we have an important job to do in nature, too — caring for the beetle and flowers.  

Something as simple as noticing and then observing an insect outdoors can be a learning-rich experience in many ways — children are building their nature knowledge, expanding their understanding of natural phenomena, understanding the perspective of other living things, and learning how to stay safe and be respectful within the natural world. 

Children begin life by bonding with their family, then as their worlds expand, they explore the natural world and discover the creatures that live in it. Their innate curiosity can be an opportunity to foster a social-emotional connection to nature, just as Abby and Elmo did with the beetle!