Nurturing the Spirit
/In her book Nurturing the Spirit, renowned Montessorian and author Aline D. Wolf writes:
How precious is the gift of wonder! In a child it is like a delicate seedling that one hopes will never be trampled on and never allowed to dry up. With careful nourishment childhood wonder will flower into a deep reverence for nature that can keep one’s spirit alive into a vital old age. People with an active sense of wonder are rarely bored, no matter how young or old they are.
Wolf goes on to make connections about how important it is for children to spend time in nature. She explains how our children are being deprived of time to connect with the natural world, how pollution has damaged our waterways, how light from cities has obstructed our view of the stars, and how the construction of buildings and laying of pavement has taken over natural spaces.
She continues:
One can walk the streets on weekend afternoons or early summer evenings and never hear the joyous shouts of youngsters playing freely in the outdoors. Instead one finds the children at organized sports, indoor skating, ballet classes, etc.
Contact with nature is further hindered because some youngsters are over-stimulated with too many toys, too many scheduled activities and too many high-tech products. Interest in nature pales for the child who has her own phone, TV, stereo and /or computer in her bedroom. Where are the quiet moments just to look out the window, to be awed by a hummingbird, to imagine, to question and to dream?
We agree with Aline Wolf. At RiverRun Montessori, we value our time outside. We want children to wonder, connect and love nature! It is with this goal in mind that we regularly visit the outdoors, both in playtime and with purpose.
