{"id":802,"date":"2026-02-16T09:28:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T17:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/?p=802"},"modified":"2026-02-23T15:16:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:16:04","slug":"instilling-a-love-of-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"Instilling a Love of Nature\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-beaver-orange-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/inculcando-el-amor-por-la-naturaleza\/\">Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know our children will inherit environmental challenges, but raising them with cynicism and a dark mindset will not help them (or us) work toward meaningful solutions. For them to understand the urgency and the <em>purpose<\/em> behind the work, they must have a deep love and connection to nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are not separate from nature &#8211; we are a part of it. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LSYQh-BCJCs\">Robin Wall Kimmerer says<\/a>, &#8220;You can&#8217;t have healthy human communities without having healthy land \u2026and the land needs people to love it.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create a Routine&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Try to get outside together to play and explore three to four times per week. The more you do it, the easier it will be, and the more normal it will be to you and the kids,&#8221; suggests <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.org\/content\/dam\/tnc\/nature\/en\/documents\/Getting-Kids-in-Nature-April2021.pdf\">The Nature Conservancy&#8217;s <\/a>caregiver&#8217;s guide to getting kids in nature, and nature into the hearts of kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our calendars fill up fast, so take the decision-making (and arguing) out of it! If everyone knows that we play in the backyard after school or explore the woods on Saturday mornings, it becomes easier for everyone to expect it, and there is less chance of deciding not to go out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The National Wildlife Federation has created a <a href=\"https:\/\/thegreenhour.org\/\">Green Hour<\/a>\u2014a time to spend outdoors consistently. They suggest activities to keep interest piqued, such as a fall bird bingo.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bundle Up&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As I hiked through a blustery, rainy morning, I wondered why I wasn&#8217;t miserable. Of course, the woods were beautiful, and the conversation with a friend was lovely, but it was in the high 40s and raining! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I started my hike with rain gear on, but between showers, I shed it all. I hiked in my waterproof boots, wool socks, and pants, a fleece zip-up, and a warm hat. When it began raining again, I didn&#8217;t feel the need to dig out my raincoat. I was warm! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensuring that you and your children have gear that will keep them warm and cozy, or cool and shady, is essential to our comfort and enjoyment. Not only that, but being comfortable makes it easier to go outside. It helps our mindset that the activity will be enjoyable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kari Leibowitz studied the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/a-small-norwegian-city-might-hold-the-answer-to-beating-the-winter-blues-51852\">winter mindset in Norway<\/a> and discovered that &#8220;having a positive wintertime mindset was associated with greater life satisfaction, willingness to pursue the challenges that lead to personal growth, and positive emotions.&#8221; That alone motivates me to head outside and to take the time to bundle up my kids to explore the outdoors.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take an Awe Outing&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cultivating a sense of wonder can help us become happier and<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fpspi0000018\"> kinder<\/a>. Often, our children become awestruck out in nature, which can remind us to slow down and notice what they are experiencing. Sharing a moment can enhance the effects of beauty as well as connection with the people around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking an <a href=\"https:\/\/ggia.berkeley.edu\/practice\/awe_walk\">&#8216;awe walk<\/a>&#8216; to intentionally notice what is around you is a simple idea that taps into our children&#8217;s natural curiosity. PBS Kids also suggests a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/parents\/five-senses?scrlybrkr=52f68b10\"> five-senses walk<\/a> that includes different tips and conversation prompts for various age groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While exploring close-to-home or new places, take time to learn the Indigenous names. Sites such as <a href=\"https:\/\/native-land.ca\/\">Native Land<\/a> can help your education.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Garden&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a bit of outdoor space, your children might enjoy gardening! You can also cultivate houseplants if outdoor space is unavailable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My kids loved caring for their own houseplants. Growing some of your own food or flowers can be a magical experience. Kids learn essential life skills, such as patience, navigating unexpected outcomes (like pests eating plants), failure (sometimes we do everything right, but things don&#8217;t grow), and working consistently to achieve growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.almanac.com\/gardening-kids-what-plant-and-fun-activities\">The Farmer&#8217;s Almanac<\/a> offers suggestions to keep kids engaged outdoors, such as building a bat house. Some kids find it fun to grow a themed garden, such as a salsa garden or a pizza garden.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>If children are given the opportunity to experience nature, even in simple ways, interaction and engagement follow quite naturally.<\/em> &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/richardlouv.com\/\"> Richard Louv<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resources&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/awe-the-new-science-of-everyday-wonder-and-how-it-can-transform-your-life-dacher-keltner\/92627722b0d00a9e?ean=9781984879707&amp;next=t\"><em>Awe<\/em><\/a> by Dachner Kelter\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/braiding-sweetgrass-indigenous-wisdom-scientific-knowledge-and-the-teachings-of-plants-robin-wall-kimmerer\/6fa4d296293d20e8?ean=9781571313560&amp;next=t\">Braiding Sweet<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/braiding-sweetgrass-indigenous-wisdom-scientific-knowledge-and-the-teachings-of-plants-robin-wall-kimmerer\/6fa4d296293d20e8?ean=9781571313560&amp;next=t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>grass<\/em><\/a> by Robin Wall Kimmerer (<a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/braiding-sweetgrass-for-young-adults-indigenous-wisdom-scientific-knowledge-and-the-teachings-of-plants-monique-gray-smith\/e2ca9f5a9a67c180?ean=9781728458991&amp;next=t\">YA version<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/braiding-sweetgrass-indigenous-wisdom-scientific-knowledge-and-the-teachings-of-plants-robin-wall-kimmerer\/6fa4d296293d20e8?ean=9781571313560&amp;next=t\">adult<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/bud-finds-her-gift-robin-wall-kimmerer\/615a02894e9290a1?ean=9780063324428&amp;next=t\"><em>Bud Finds Her Gift<\/em> <\/a>by Robin Wall Kimmerer (picture book)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/how-to-winter-harness-your-mindset-to-thrive-on-cold-dark-or-difficult-days-kari-leibowitz-phd\/13ca087bbc6e9028?ean=9780593653753&amp;next=t\"><em>How to Winter <\/em><\/a>by Kari Leibowitz\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/wanderlust-a-history-of-walking-rebecca-solnit\/636d333fe972fd15?ean=9780140286014&amp;next=t\"><em>Wanderlust<\/em><\/a> by Rebecca Solnit\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>By Megan McQueen. <br>Spanish translation by &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrjseniorconsulting.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clinse.sullivan%40oregonstate.edu%7C66105058c18e4ecbed4508ddd475795a%7Cce6d05e13c5e4d6287a84c4a2713c113%7C0%7C0%7C638900323334534268%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=vyIAxrZ2gdl%2B97gSrRitpuVioDpOECv4qYx%2FsHZ6aAw%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Dr. J Senior Consulting, LLC<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Megan McQueen is a warmhearted teacher, coach, consultant, and writer. She grounds her work in empathetic education, imparting a strong sense of community and social skills to those with which she works. Megan prioritizes emotional learning and problem solving skills. When not at work, she is most likely playing with her husband, two children, and pup.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Learn more about the\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/health.oregonstate.edu\/opec\"><em>Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0and read\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/\"><em>our blog<\/em><\/a><em>!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Read All Posts in English<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We know our children will inherit environmental challenges, but raising them with cynicism and a dark mindset will not help them (or us) work toward meaningful solutions. For them to understand the urgency and the purpose behind the work, they must have a deep love and connection to nature. We are not separate from nature [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14663,"featured_media":804,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/template-full-width.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[23,16,22],"class_list":["post-802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","tag-adolescents","tag-early-childhood","tag-teens"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Instilling a Love of Nature\u00a0 - Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We are not separate from nature - we are a part of it. As Robin Wall Kimmerer says, &quot;You can&#039;t have healthy human communities without having healthy land \u2026and the land needs people to love it.&quot;\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Instilling a Love of Nature\u00a0 - Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We are not separate from nature - we are a part of it. As Robin Wall Kimmerer says, &quot;You can&#039;t have healthy human communities without having healthy land \u2026and the land needs people to love it.&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-16T17:28:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-23T23:16:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/5315\/files\/2026\/02\/Instilling-Nature.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Haley Bosse\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Haley Bosse\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Haley Bosse\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/#\/schema\/person\/b1f216897dbb21b0da664cecaffd5e65\"},\"headline\":\"Instilling a Love of Nature\u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-16T17:28:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-23T23:16:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\"},\"wordCount\":725,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/5315\/files\/2026\/02\/Instilling-Nature.jpg?fit=1200%2C920&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"adolescents\",\"early childhood\",\"teens\"],\"articleSection\":[\"English\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/\",\"name\":\"Instilling a Love of Nature\u00a0 - Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/opec\/instilling-a-love-of-nature\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/5315\/files\/2026\/02\/Instilling-Nature.jpg?fit=1200%2C920&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-16T17:28:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-23T23:16:04+00:00\",\"description\":\"We are not separate from nature - we are a part of it. 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