Wild Child: Friends help us try new things, Part 2

Every child who comes to a Wild Child Outdoor Playgroup is a little different. Some love to watch the ripples on a puddle, others just want to splash. Some look carefully at each plant and rock, others run across the field. If you have a observant child, the outside natural space is as much a place for them to shine as for the child who jumps in with both feet without hesitation.

Often we forget that outside play is as much about slowing down, noticing, and learning from nature as it is about climbing, building, and getting messy. This is where children who look first, and do second really bring their magic. These are the children who notice the first leaf to change on the trees, who spot the snail hiding under a leaf, and who create the imaginative play that can grow and change over several weeks and months.

A child holds a green oval milkweed leaf with two tiny snails they spotted.

Two children sit at the edge of a pond. One child shows the other how rocks make imprints in the mud.

Two children crouch near a pond. One child points out how the water ripples when the frogs move.

These budding scientists take their time and notice everything around them, and model focusing and slowing down for the children who may otherwise miss tiny creatures or muddy deer footprints. When another child tells stories or shares their pretend games, it can capture the attention of child halfway up the tree and invite them into the rich world of imaginative play. It is amazing to watch as two and three year old sit and share their observations, talking about their worlds and perspectives together.

Friend’s help us to slow down and try new things we might normally miss.

So whether you have a quiet observer or an all-in-explorer join us every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning year round.