Summer is Great for Creating Childhood Memories and Shaping Identity

One of my strongest childhood memories in summer is of the grass getting so scorched that the sharp brown blades poked into my feet as I would run through the yard. I would play in the yard and woods till I was nothing but freckles by the time school rolled around in August.

My daughter is growing up in a more urban environment than I did, so I can’t let her run through the woods the way I did.

But, I can take her strawberry picking, on walks around the neighborhood, and to the parks where she can dig in the dirt with her friends when she’s tired of the playground equipment itself.

I can teach my daughter to plant seeds, water them, and watch seedlings sprout. She’s gained an active interest in growing and nurturing things as a result.

I can help her appreciate watching the wind blow through the trees and rain clouds rolling in. I can smile when rain hits my face, show her that it’s pleasant rather than bad to be stuck in the rain, and linger with her in the grocery store parking lot to savor the summer storm that will likely be gone by the time we leave with our groceries in hand.

Studies find that experiencing nature can reduce stress and encourage an appreciation and understanding of nature, so the time and effort are worth it, especially if the future of our environmental policies are something that you care about and would like your children to be concerned about as well.

Recommended Books

Beyond our own interactions with the natural world around us, we can further explore the environment through books and live through characters we encounter. I can’t hike a mountain right now with my daughter, but we can read about doing that. We can put ourselves in the shoes of characters gathering herbs in the forest and riding ocean waves on the other side of the world.

Gus Explores His World by Olivier Dunrea

A little gosling explores a barnyard and finds some eggs. This book is great for talking with little ones about their world, the outdoors, and childish games and curiosity. The rest of the Dunrea books are similarly recommended — simple, sweet plots that explore the goslings’ world and nature.

In the Garden: Who’s Been Here? by Lindsay Barrett George

Recommended ages: 1–7

The images are more complex than a newborn may want, but beyond that, this book can be read to a wide range of ages and them pick up something. Two children wander through the garden, noticing that they aren’t the only ones out that day. This makes a nice conversation starter about what children see in their own worlds on a walk or just going into a yard for a bit.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

Recommended ages ~3–9

This may be a good choice for those in cities. The girl in this book goes to live in the city with her uncle but takes a bit of her more rural life with her, growing flowers that brighten the lives of those around her. No matter how urban your home, nature is around us, and we can connect with it in positive ways.

Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver

Recommended ages ~9–12

I read this book growing up and have a soft spot for it. A poor girl tries to keep her siblings together after their parents are no longer around to help. They struggle but use the woods and the land to scrape by.

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

Recommended ages: ~3–9

This may seem like an odd choice, but 1) it’s an amazing book, and 2) if you get to the end of the book and still don’t want to go sit on a beach to watch the sunrise, I don’t know what book will make you want to do that. Seize life’s little moments and enjoy the small things, in nature and with friends. Why be a cranky monster when you can be happy?

Sources and Further Reading

Collado, Silvia, et al. “Experiencing nature in children’s summer camps: Affective, cognitive, and behavioural consequences.” Journal of Environmental Psychology. Vol 33. Mar 2013. Pages 37–44.

Corraliza, Jose A. et al. “Nature as a Moderator of Stress in urban Children.” Procedia — Social and Behavioral Sciences. Vol 38. 2012. Pages 253–263.

Duerden, Matt D. and Peter A. Witt. “The Impact of Direct and Indirect Experiences on the Development of Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior.” Journal of Environmental Psychology. Vol. 30. Issue 4. Dec 2010. Pages 379–392.

Note: Sunscreen is great. Please use it. Certain generations were not so great about it. I will be forever freckled as a result of too little sunscreen as a kid.