our nature tray.

A nature table plays an important role in a Waldorf education....a place to gather seasonal objects and allow children to connect with nature by bringing it to eye and hand level.

I've been itching to get a nature table set up for Henry for quite a while but was stumped by the "table" concept.  

So I did what I do best; I improvised.  This ratty rattan tray was found in the trash across the street during one of our "college students throw away the best stuff" sessions of garbage grazing.  Ratty but perfect!  The tray makes it mobile which is a good thing because a three-year-old needs lots of options.  And few things make me happier than repurposing and reusing something that otherwise would have gone straight to the local landfill.

For a while, the nature tray only consisted of dead bugs.  Very nice dead bugs but Henry needed a little help understanding we could branch out of the dead bug business after he cried about needing a smushed dead roach for his nature tray.....



Today's nature tray consists of:  a small cicada, a large cicada, a bumblee, an iridescent beetle, a piece of coral, a shell, 2 rocks and a sand dollar.  Every item was lovingly added by Henry and constantly but tenderly rearranged by his sweet little hands.

Since the advent of our nature tray, Henry is definitely more in tune with "nature" and always on the lookout for new objects for his tray.

And, seriously, nothing is better than him yelling "Stop!" in the middle of book so he can run and bring me an object off his nature tray to show me how a picture in his book matches something on his nature tray.

Good things are at work in his little brain!!!