“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.” - William Blake
Isn't it sad that children today often have the majority of their interactions with nature through a tablet, phone or TV? This is a feeble replacement for the real experiences our children deserve: feeling the softness of a petal in the fingers, listening to the songs of the birds in the forest, smelling the earth after the first rain.
It is critically important to maintain the link between child and nature. A direct relationship with nature is fundamental to the sensorial development of the young child. Further, as the child grows, it allows her to experience the wonder of belonging in this beautiful world of ours. On some occasions, nature can be brought into the prepared Montessori environment; on others, as in the case pictured, the children go out to see and experience the world as it is.