An activity we frequently do on our nature walks and family hikes is practicing identifying plants we come across. Sometimes we purposefully set out to forage for a favorite snack or medical herb, and sometimes we just practice identifying random plants and trees, either way it's always a fun way to learn about the natural world around us.
Why You Should Teach Your Kids To ID Plants:
One of the reasons I teach my kids how to identify local plant life is so that they know what plants are edible, which have medicinal properties, and which plants to stay away from. My kids love foraging for blackberries, grapes, and other wild growing fruit. We also regularly forage for wild herbs like plantain, dandelion, yarrow, and elderberries to use in medicinal salves and tinctures. It's important for them to know that they are picking the right plants and not something harmful or poisonous.
Plant identification is also a great way for kids to connect with nature and learn about plant life in general. Identifying plants requires close observation, and encourages kids to get up close and really take notice of tiny details like leaf shape, plant structure, and types of flowers.
In an era when kids are spending an ever increasing amount of time inside and being sedentary, it's important to encourage kids to get outside and move. Plant identification or foraging for a favorite wild growing snack or herb can be a great way to motivate your kids to go out, burn some energy, and interact with nature.
Resources:
There are a lot of great resources out there for learning about plants and how to identify them. Your public library likely has many plant identification guides to check out and there are also many online resources. Here are a few of my favorites:
Plant guide books
-The Eye Witness Visual Dictionary of Plants
-Foraging With Kids by Adele Nozedar
-Medicinal Plants of North America
-Trees, Leaves, and Bark by Diane Burns
-Berries, Nuts, and Seeds by Diane Burns
Online plant guides
-Plant Files from Dave's Garden is by far my favorite online plant guide. It's easy to use and has great pictures.
-Online Plant Guide
-Plants Database from gardens.org
Plant ID apps
-iNaturalist: I LOVE this app! You can photograph any plant or animal you come across and upload it to their database for identification.
Where to start?
You can get started by just learning to identify the different types of trees and wild growing plants in your yard or neighborhood. Then look for the same types of plants and trees when your out on walks or playing at the park. You'll be surprised how fast you and your kids will start recognizing them!
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
-Plant Science: Activities and Resources
-40 Nature Study Ideas
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One of the reasons I teach my kids how to identify local plant life is so that they know what plants are edible, which have medicinal properties, and which plants to stay away from. My kids love foraging for blackberries, grapes, and other wild growing fruit. We also regularly forage for wild herbs like plantain, dandelion, yarrow, and elderberries to use in medicinal salves and tinctures. It's important for them to know that they are picking the right plants and not something harmful or poisonous.
Plant identification is also a great way for kids to connect with nature and learn about plant life in general. Identifying plants requires close observation, and encourages kids to get up close and really take notice of tiny details like leaf shape, plant structure, and types of flowers.
In an era when kids are spending an ever increasing amount of time inside and being sedentary, it's important to encourage kids to get outside and move. Plant identification or foraging for a favorite wild growing snack or herb can be a great way to motivate your kids to go out, burn some energy, and interact with nature.
Resources:
There are a lot of great resources out there for learning about plants and how to identify them. Your public library likely has many plant identification guides to check out and there are also many online resources. Here are a few of my favorites:
Plant guide books
-The Eye Witness Visual Dictionary of Plants
-Foraging With Kids by Adele Nozedar
-Medicinal Plants of North America
-Trees, Leaves, and Bark by Diane Burns
-Berries, Nuts, and Seeds by Diane Burns
Online plant guides
-Plant Files from Dave's Garden is by far my favorite online plant guide. It's easy to use and has great pictures.
-Online Plant Guide
-Plants Database from gardens.org
Plant ID apps
-iNaturalist: I LOVE this app! You can photograph any plant or animal you come across and upload it to their database for identification.
Where to start?
You can get started by just learning to identify the different types of trees and wild growing plants in your yard or neighborhood. Then look for the same types of plants and trees when your out on walks or playing at the park. You'll be surprised how fast you and your kids will start recognizing them!
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
-Plant Science: Activities and Resources
-40 Nature Study Ideas
Follow me on:
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