Infants and Toddlers at Nature Play

All children benefit greatly from taking reasonable risks, feeling free to play, and moving away from you to explore.

Sensory – helps with speech, eye movement tracking and connection with the world.
Social and Emotional – including resilience, regulation, self-esteem, cooperation, teamwork, kindness and trust.
Cognitive – including problem solving, creative thinking, focus and concentration.
Motor Skills – such as balance, climbing, lifting, swinging, holding, grasping, pushing and pulling and skills that support writing.
Being outside calms the nervous system and improves health and immunity.
Provides a variety of sensory inputs e.g. different weather, rough and smooth bark, grass and rocky areas.
Engage with different natural places, e.g. bush, beach, backyard.

Watch your child. Follow their eyes, hands and body direction to see what they want to explore next?
Carry your infant directly, not in a pram.
Vary the position you walk with your infant or toddler, switch from one side to the other, high and low.
Let them walk, balance, crawl independently from you.
Let go of their hand for balance on uneven ground or slopes.
Be nearby if they need you, let them come to you.
Ask questions to point out your concerns nearby e.g. can you see that rock?

Make shelters and cubbies.
Mix colours and nature potions.
Balance on logs, trees or branches.
Play with water and mud using bowls, buckets and measuring jugs.
Sing songs and tell stories.
Learn about Aboriginal culture through stories.
Do tummy time under the trees.
Lie down at the base of a tree or in long grass and look up at the tree and clouds.
Make marks with charcoal, rocks, dirt and leaves on paper and bark.
Dig with a stick.
Smell the leaves, dirt, bark and flowers.