Teaching tool: The Nature Box

Our nature box.

I have vivid memories of nature walks with my Mom.

As I grew into adulthood my passion for the outdoors and nature, down to the tiniest plant and insect, has grown and grown.

And now I want to pass it on to Brady. There are days we practically live outside despite the temperature. We hike the creek beds, we observe animals and bugs and spiders, we talk about trees and soil and crops.

And one of the best ways to take this love and lesson home is to keep a "nature box," something with mementos of our discoveries and discussions.

Cicada killer, ACK!

Ours has turtle eggs, old defunct wasp nests, mud dauber nests, pieces of turtle shell, cicada shells, bird eggs, feathers, a cicada killer body, jaws with teeth in, snake skin, seed pods, a gourd. We get these things out, touch them and talk about them and remember when we found them.