Connecting with Nature Inside

Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jan 7
4 min read

Winter weather is in full swing, and we are doing our best to embrace it! If your family hasn't been spending as much time outside as you'd like to during this season, you're not alone.

It's easy to compare our days to those who we see on social media. I follow a lot of outdoor educators and nature-immersive minded families and programs, and I'll be the first to admit I catch myself comparing...a lot.

I stand by going outside for 20 minutes a day - even if it's a short walk around the block but, sometimes you just have to hibernate! Being outside isn't only about connecting with nature, it's about nurturing creativity, wonder, and other key skills kids need to thrive. Wellness is another skill we can foster during nature play but we also need to take into account that wellness sometimes means staying in when we simply don't feel called to be out.

Today we're sharing a few of our favorite ways we can continue to connect with nature and nurture these skills without being physically outside!

Bring nature inside

This isn't possible for every family, we have to limit the kinds of nature treasures we bring inside because, well, our dogs eat them.... However, we love setting up space in our woodshop downstairs where the kids can get messy and bring in nature treasures to create with. We have a variety of mediums and art supplies and oftentimes it's a free the glue/paint experience. It's total chaos but the mess stays there!

Nature Centered Book Nook

We commit to prioritizing seasonally relevant nature-centered stories as much as possible! Sometimes we connect it to a guided activity but most of the time, stories become inspiration for child-led play and creativity in our house. We have a growing list of nature-centered reads on our Book Nook Blog Post - check back often! I've shared it several times already but our favorite read right now is Bear's Winter Party written by Deborah Hodge and illusrated by Lisa CInar

Media Consumption

Hear me out, I'm not saying to pop your kids in front of a screen all day or replacing nature connection with stories on tv. I think most of us reading this would agree that's not how we roll at Willowdale. However, there's a lot to be said for choosing consumption media (I don't even know if this is the correct term to be honest) that kids can learn facts from. I cannot tell you how many times my kids have told me some random fact about a creature, and they say they learned it from Wild Kratts. I promise there is no nature police or screen time police that will come after you if your kids watch a show or movie where they learn fun facts about nature and its creatures instead of braving the elements this winter.

Some of our favorites for a snowy day (preferably after we've been outside, but I'd be lying if I said we haven't had several movie marathons recently):

The Snowy Day (Prime Video...I think!) - Connect to the book! Read it before or after watching the short film; compare similarities and differences between the two. You could even connect this to a winter animal tracking activity!

Wild Kratts (PBS Kids App) - There are plenty of episodes centered around animals that live in winter. If you have a chance to plan ahead, research the episode you'd like to watch and grab some books from the library about the creatures! "Exploring the American Wildlife in Winter" is an episode that comes to mind and several holiday ones that may still be relevant (considering my kids are listening to their Grinch Tonie as I write this, your kids will likely be unbothered that the holidays are over.)

Weather Hunters (PBS Kids App) - I'm sorry but who doesn't love Al Roker?! The episode "Through Rain, Sun, Snow or Hail" features a story about a mail carrier and how they deliver in all types of weather. There are so many ways we can connect this one with giving back to community, persevering through challenges and problem solving. One idea that comes to mind, that I've shared many times before, centers around creating kindness notes for neighbors. A challenge could be delivering them on foot through the snow or on a chilly day!

Molly of Denali (PBS Kids App) - This is a must watch; this show centers Indigenous characters and stories and being in Alaska there are many that celebrate connecting with nature in winter! We love the Truth, Trust and Harvest/Thanks-For-Giving episode and Winter Champions sharing stories of gratitude, problem solving and team-work.