Getting to Know: Nature Circles

Some days it feels like getting in touch with nature is tougher than others. I chalk this up to the fact that my family lives in the urban mecca that is Los Angeles. Our backyard is hardly wild, comprised of concrete and grass; the nearest park isn’t within walking distance. Woods, boulders, creeks and nature trails all entail a special outing.

So finding a way to get my kids connected to nature on a daily basis can be challenging. I’m always looking for new ideas and am eager to pass them along to you when I find something that works.

Enter Nature Circles. Each set includes 30 cards held together by a mini carabiner. Half of the cards pose questions about nature, the other half encourage readers to share certain nature-related experiences with each other.

The idea: Nature Circle cards are a project of Hooked on Nature, a non-profit organization dedicated to reconnecting people with nature.

You can use the cards anywhere you go, whether it’s in your backyard, out on the hiking trail or with a group of friends on a play date at the park. The goal is to let your imagination be your guide.

First impressions: The cards are the perfect size for little hands at 3 inches in diameter. And they’re tough enough to withstand the bending and tugging that comes from young adventurers.

Before we even headed outdoors, my 5 year old wanted to read each and every card. I wish I’d taken him to a quiet spot outside to do so, because he sat enthralled for about 30 minutes.

The “Question” Cards: The cards with blue around the top edge are the thoughtful ones. Each asks a question and includes a photograph (which my son loved).

He couldn’t help but to answer some of the questions out loud, like “If you were an ant and saw an apple, what would you do?”

“Take it to the queen,” he said. Hmm.

Or “If you were an animal, where would you build your home?”

“In the ocean, where it’s comfortable,” he said. Interesting.

The “Activities” Cards: Flip the cards over and each has green on the top edge of the circle. These 15 cards offer activities to try out in the natural world. Many of these are things we’ve done before, with ideas like:

• Lie quietly under a tree and look up through the branches.
• Go for a treasure hunt in your neighborhood
• Look up at the clouds with a friend.
• Go moonbathing!

Each activity includes some questions to ask either during or after the experience.

My vote? Nature Circles cost $5 and offer hours of discovery for you and your family. They’re a simple, quick way to get you talking about, and exploring, nature.

The best part is that the answers to the questions and the adventures you take will change over time. To me, that’s money well spent. (At this time of year, I also think they’d make a great gift!)

I encourage you to use the cards as a starting point, but remember to let your kids’ imaginations go wild.

In case you’re wondering, I was not paid to write this review and didn’t receive any free goodies for doing so. That’s not why I’m here.