A small encounter that opens up a whole new world (Educational programs in nature)

Dear Families,

This summer, during a trip to the forest, the children made a discovery: a tiny toad was hiding under the pine needles.

That was all it took to spark their curiosity. Very quickly, the children wanted to observe it, show it to the others, and look around to see if there were any others.

This encounter was unexpected. No one had set out with the intention of looking for toads that day. So, when the children found it, questions began to arise.

Where does it live? Why is it hiding here? What does it eat? Are there others in the forest? Is it a toad or a frog?

This is often how outdoor learning begins: with something we hadn’t planned on finding at all.

In this blog post, discover:

Why the phrase “I don’t know—shall we look together?” is a parent’s best teaching tool.
How to tailor nature outings to your child’s age (0–3 years, 4–7 years, 8 years and older).
Simple ways to observe wildlife without disturbing its habitat.

Enjoy the read!

Mathieu Lambert
CPE Nature Project Coordinator and Outdoor Education Advisor, Carrefour francophone.

Take the time to look

When we go for a walk with the kids, we may tend to plan an activity or set a goal to make the outing interesting. Yet sometimes, all it takes is simply going outside and taking the time to look at our surroundings. And kids are especially good at that.

An ant crossing the path can hold them up for several minutes. A feather becomes a treasure. A footprint in the mud sparks a flurry of questions. A rustle in a tree makes them want to look for whatever is hiding in the branches. And this time, it was this little toad that captured their full attention.

As adults, we probably miss out on many of these little things. We keep moving, looking at the path ahead, and already thinking about what comes next. Children often invite us to slow down and take a closer look.

And when we start looking, we often discover much more than we were looking for.

A toad that teaches us a lot

At Carrefour Francophone, we believe it is important for children to be the primary agents of their own development and to be at the center of their learning. Children learn a great deal by experimenting, exploring, and trying to understand the world around them.

Experience has shown us that children’s skills are also linked to active experiences.

When they discover an animal such as this little toad, we’ve seen that they ask many questions. Before the age of 8—or even 12—children need support to find solutions or answers to their questions.

This in no way prevents them—when they are well-guided—from being creative, discovering new ways of thinking on their own, and exercising their intuition and imagination. Through practice, they develop increasingly sharp thinking skills and maintain a strong sense of curiosity.

As adults, we can encourage children to find solutions, foster their creativity, and support them in their discoveries, so that they can take the lead in their own development.

“I don't know. Shall we look together?”

Children have a special talent: they know how to ask THE question we don’t know how to answer.

And that is okay.

We don’t need to know the name of every plant, insect, or animal we encounter to enjoy an outing in nature with them. We can observe together. We can guide children in their inquiries by offering them food for thought and responding with more questions to support their reasoning.

What do you notice? Why do you think it is hiding here? Could we find another one?

And when a question remains unanswered, a simple “I don’t know. Shall we look for it together?” may be enough.

We can help them form hypotheses, take a photo to try to identify our discovery later, look it up in a book when we get home, or simply keep observing. Some questions will be answered; others won’t. That is also part of the exploration.

To each their own way of discovering

One of the advantages of this kind of outing is that there is really no age limit for participating.

With a toddler, you can simply point out what you see, listen to the sounds, name the animals, or watch what is moving in the grass. Even an insect can be an extraordinary discovery.

Slightly older children can explore more deeply, compare what they find, or draw their discoveries.

Older children can take photos, try to identify certain species, or choose a question to explore further once they get home.

By encouraging children to explore their environment in an age-appropriate way, we help them develop their thinking skills.

And besides, it is so interesting that even adults can enjoy taking part!

Observe while showing respect

Children often have a strong urge to touch or hold an animal when they first encounter it. We can easily understand why: getting a closer look allows us to discover details we wouldn’t otherwise notice.

Nevertheless, these encounters provide an opportunity to reinforce important lessons and raise children’s awareness: the animals we observe are in their natural habitat, so we must act with caution—and sometimes, simply observe them.

It is our role to offer children various options that respect living creatures. We can approach gently, take the time to watch how they move, take a photo or draw a picture, and then let them go on their way.

When we lift a few leaves or look under a branch, we can also put things back in place before we leave.

These small gestures allow us to continue exploring and observing without disturbing the animals we’re lucky enough to encounter.

And what about your next outing?

The next time you go out with the kids, try taking a few minutes to look around:

What is moving in the grass? What do you hear? What is hiding under the leaves? Are there any footprints on the path?

You might not come across any toads, and you might spend ten minutes watching a spider, a ladybug, or following an ant. You might even find something that no one can identify. It doesn’t matter.

The goal isn’t to find something extraordinary, but to take the time to discover what is already there. We often don’t realize just how full of treasures our environment is.

Discover a “FrancoFait” every month

FrancoFacts: Findings from research on vocabulary and language in minority contexts, presented by Chantal Mayer-Crittenden, a speech-language pathologist and professor at Laurentian University

Le Carrefour francophone souhaite offrir ses remerciements

Nos partenaires de projet : PLAYLearnThink, Collège Boréal, Centre éducatif des Premières Nations, Métis et Inuit et la Pavillon Shkode (Cœur du feu);
nos partenaires de recherche : Centre d’innovation sociale pour l’enfant et la famille et notre bailleur de fonds : Emploi et Développement social Canada.