Here's how to Explore Nature in The Woodlands with Your Child

The outdoors are open and beckoning for you to visit! You and your child can enjoy the beauty and wonders of nature by exploring just outside your front door. All you need is some observation skills (tips below), and you can add in a notebook and field journal if you’d like!

Even if your child is an infant confined to a stroller or baby carrier, he/she can still benefit from nature – there’s a lot to see and hear, and plenty of fresh air to breathe!

Use your senses to observe the world around you. Lizards and June bugs are really showing out this season, but what else can you see that isn’t immediately noticeable? What can you hear? Stand still, wait, and watch.

Whether in your own flower bed or rustling through the leaves at one of our local parks (there are 100+ parks in The Woodlands, so take your pick!) a world of wonderful things is bound to unfold before your very eyes. Butterflies, ants, earthworms, birds, frogs, dragonflies, and more are just waiting to be adored by you and your child! Learn about the sun and the shadows you can make. Have a nature scavenger hunt (look for various types of bugs, pine cones, certain types of trees…). Listen to bird calls. Smell the flowers. Play I-Spy. Gather interesting leaves that have fallen.

Encourage your child to draw a picture of what he sees when out exploring nature. Younger children can use crayons and oil pastel sticks, while older children might enjoy watercolor or snapping photos. Use labels and dates to journal the time and location of each masterpiece. Other art project ideas are pressing flowers, using berry juice as paint, and decorating a mini garden with pine cones and rocks.

Let your child get dirty. He might want to dig or splash, or even catch a cricket, and that’s fine! The outdoors is a place where he should have fun and enjoy being a kid and connecting to nature. Consider gifting him a bug box, a magnifying glass, and a hand shovel to elevate his level of observation.

BEYOND THE BACKYARD - Here are some places beyond your own domain that you can observe nature:

The Woodlands Parks - The Woodlands Township boasts over 100 parks. Take your pick! Here's a map of them all.
Hike and bike pathways - With over 220 miles of trails here, taking the scenic route is easy! Don't forget about the George Mitchell Nature Preserve!
Explore the water - You'll find over 60 lakes and ponds in The Woodlands! Don't forget you can explore by kayak or swan boat too! Check out our two boat houses.
Botanic Gardens - Drive to spring for a treat you won't forget! The Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is free and beautiful!
Huntsville State Park - If you're up for some real backpacking and possible alligator sightings, take the drive north to Huntsville. You can rent a canoe, hike, fish, swim, and ride bikes.

Wear closed-toed shoes and long pants when you’re nature exploring, especially if you venture beyond your own yard. Take a water bottle! Have fun!