We Are All Connected – Nous sommes tous connectés

Richard Louv will be visiting the Okanagan this Saturday to promote education and awareness around the importance of the connection between children and the natural environment. Our goal is to bring the groups who are focused on the natural environment, those who work in the early childhood development field and other sectors of the community together. CATCH (Community Action Toward Children’s Health) is offering to provide start up support as they work together past the event to bring Richard’s message to life here in the Central Okanagan.

We have organized a nature art show as part of the Richard Louv event. I felt a “Nature Art Show” would be a great way to involve the whole community and help connect children with nature with a focus on developing a deeper understanding of how we are all interconnected.

We Are All Connected – Nous sommes tous connectés

A collage created by children from my local French-Immersion Elementary school… Ecole l’anse au sable

We made fish, birds and happy smiling leaf flowers. The 5 and 6yr old little hands morphed into leaves for our giant tree and we added a few bugs and insects too. We discussed what birds visited our backyards and we thanked the trees for all the wonderful gifts they share with us.

During my visit to the local Montessori Preschool we created nature bugs, mice and turtles using Walnut shells.

The Clay and Walnut Turtles were by far the most popular with all the children…

CLAY is one of my favourite mediums to work with children. Clay stimulates the child’s curiosity.

Intelligence, imagination, and creativity are engaged and fostered.

For the 3yr olds, this activity captivated their attention and interest far longer than the painting. Their little hands were able to manipulate the clay well.  Managing to roll the clay into sausages to create little turtle legs.

We discussed where turtles live and how fortunate we are to have Painted Turtles here in the Okanagan.

Falling In Love With Nature

By actively engaging children with nature through art we help the children to understand a little more about their environment and how they are connected to the birds and the trees, the turtles and the bugs.

More wonderful nature creations from our local Girl Guides: Nature Fairies

How adorable, thanks to Guide leaders: Robyn Clark Muccillo, Claire Tencarre Sokoloski and wonderful artist, Sarah Parsons….

These wonderful nature art creations can be viewed at the Ricahrd Louv event held at the Rotary Arts Centre on Saturday 17th November. 12noon-3pm

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the children, teachers and parents who have participated in creating the most wonderful nature art for this event, thank you! A special thanks to Carole Harrison for all her help.

And big love hugs to Aaron Metz at our local art store OPUS for donating mounting boards and paper.

To find out more about the great work CATCH do : Community Action Toward Children’s Heath

More creative ideas for you Walnut Shells in my new book: “Actively Engaging Children In Nature”

Wishing you all a creative and enchanting week in nature, love and peace Marghanita xx

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