A Caregiver's Guide to Nature

From physical wellness to mental health and beyond, connecting children with nature can have a multitude of benefits that play an important role in their development. Nature helps children learn about the world around them. Yet, exploring nature with young ones can also be a little intimidating, especially for adults who are new to nature themselves! Through this Parent and Caregiver’s Guide to Nature, we hope to instill confidence in your abilities to explore nature with the children in your care and discover local spaces to test out your new knowledge.*

*This guide was put together with the help of the public! Advice and suggestions were compiled from a survey distributed during September and October 2024.

What to look for in a park or natural space

If you want to explore nature with young children, you’ll first want to find a good spot to do so! Here some important things that parents and caregivers should look for in a natural space:

• Easy to get to and access: No one wants to be in the car for over 30 minutes to access nature, especially kids! Try to find a spot near your house that doesn’t require a ton of driving, especially down steep and windy roads. Many neighborhoods also have small green spaces including pocket parks that connect residents in urban settings to nature.
   
• Lots of trail options: Pick a spot that has a variety of trail options, especially multiple short and flat trails, so you can choose an easy trail with your little ones (if needed) and there’s room to add on mileage if they feel up for it.
   
• Restrooms: You never know when nature will call, so it can be helpful to choose a trail with a restroom at the trailhead. It's never a bad idea to carry toilet paper and a Ziploc bag with you in case there’s an emergency on the trail. Please remember to always carry out what you carry in, even in this situation!
   
• Ways for kids to interact with nature: Select a natural space that can engage the senses, with different sights, smells and sounds. Stop to check out the interpretive signage along the trail, and or check online for family-friendly education events and programming options. The more that children feel that they can explore the space around them, the more interested they’ll be and the more fun you’ll all have together.
   
• Shade: Be mindful of the spaces you select and how much shade there will be on the trail throughout your adventure. If it’s a hot day, consider a less rigorous hike that provides plenty of shade and bring plenty of water.
   
• Rest and Snack Spots: Find a park or open space that provides benches or picnic tables along the trail. There’s almost a 100% chance the kids you’re with will want to have a snack or meal at some point while out on the trail, so having a designated rest stop to refuel is essential to everyone’s happiness!

General Tips for Exploring Nature with Kids:

• Learn about the park or open space ahead of time by going online and visiting their website so you can know what to expect regarding amenities and the terrain.
   
• Before getting to the park, have an honest conversation with kids about the visit and address any concerns or fears.
   
• Keep your kids close, but also allow them to explore when it's appropriate – just make sure to follow the rules of posted signage in each park or preserve. Check out places like Shoup Park in Los Altos which provides access to the Adobe Creek or the Sanborn Creek Trail in Saratoga which is a short 1.5 mile loop that will have you and little ones crossing very minor streams. Some parks also have nature-themed playgrounds which can be a great family-friendly introduction to nature before visiting more rural places. 
   
• Embrace the slower pace and take breaks – it’s not about finishing a trail but spending quality time together outside.
   
• Give lots of encouragement and ask open ended questions about what they observe and how they feel.   
   
• Explore with other adults who are also caring for children and model behavior and responsible recreation like not littering and staying on designated paths. 
   
• Come up with fun games to keep children engaged or ask them about their surroundings while sharing fun facts about nature. This can be as simple as taking a moment to close your eyes, take a deep breath and listen to the sounds around you.
   
• Share how nature makes you feel and what makes it special for you.
   
• Bring a fully charged phone and enable location services. Also, leave a note in your car that mentions what trail you plan to explore.

What Kids Love about Nature

• Looking at bugs, insects and other critters. 
• Exploring with their hands, especially in creeks, sand areas, dirt and gravel, jumping in puddles and climbing rocks when it’s safe to do so. 
• Spotting wildlife.
• Asking questions about their surroundings and learning new things.
• Spending time with family and friends and having their undivided attention.
• Collecting leaves, acorns, feathers and other items found on the ground that will not disturb an ecosystem if touched or moved.
• A sense of freedom.
• Being around plants and dirt.

Your funny “Kids in Nature” stories:

• “Let the kids choose the trail. They choose it because they like the name, and it ends up being the steepest one in the park. I once had a kid throw up because of over exertion. Then 10 minutes later I found her eating a can of Chef Boyardee.” – Teri R.
   
• “We were hiking at Sequoia Kings Canyon and passed a trail sign that said ‘Bear Hill’ which I read with my 4-year-old. He says, 'Let's go see some bears!' and I tell him that's just the name of the trail and we probably won't see one. Shortly after, he says, 'A bear!' and I start saying, 'Oh, that's just what they call the trail...' and lo and behold, there's a small black bear standing about 50 ft from us! Lesson learned - listen to your kid!” – Linda K.
   
• “The first time we appreciated how much innate love for nature our son had was at age 5, when he ran into the backyard in pouring rain to save earthworms from drowning.” – Marc L.
   
• “My kids were slightly ahead of us on a trail (maybe 10 ft) and my son yells 'Mommy, look a doggy,' and it was a coyote!” – Kristina B.
   
• "'Tia what's this???' Insert child holding a snake, spider, frog, bug two inches from my face.” – Tia T.
   
• “During winter, my kid once picked up a stick and played with it as a wand. Turns out the 'stick' was poison oak. After a rash and ointment, we learned a lesson. All future sticks have been inspected since.” – Anonymous
   
• “We went to Yosemite a few years ago and had car issues and needed to get towed out of the Valley. It was night, and winter, so we had to stay in the car while waiting for a tow. Luckily there was a deck of playing cards that kept us all busy until the tow truck arrived and turned a boring situation into some quality family time - so the lesson is always keep a spare deck of cards handy!! We also saw a coyote, deer, and rabbit from the car, so it wasn't all bad.” – Bella K.