Nature Can Be a Great Place To Discover in So Many Ways

We went to the park yesterday. As Stinky gets older and more mobile she is beginning to really enjoy exploring the outside. She is constantly intrigued by the way that things feel on her hands. At this park she felt the tan bark and the sand. She was very interested in how the sand stuck to her hands after she crawled through a small pile. She would look at her hand, crawl a few more feet, stop and look again. At one point she attempted to get the sand off her hands by picking it off. When picking the sand off didn't work she began brushing it off. She loves the swings. I am not sure if she loves the motion or the wind on her face more. She also had a great time climbing up the stairs on the play structure. At first she wasn't so sure about moving from platform to platform. Every time she went up one stair I moved up and with reassurance she continued to climb. Once she had completed the whole structure she was very proud of herself. Taking this opprotunity to build self-esteem, I acknowledged her hard work. She smiled and wanted to do it all over again. There is so much to discover when a child goes outside.