Youth Nature Days educating children about the outdoors
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A new endeavour called Youth Nature Days is teaching children how to safely interact with the natural environment.
Spearheaded by Air Ronge resident Larissa Muirhead, the three-week project is designed to empower kids between the ages of three and nine to build a lasting connection with the land. The sessions involve guided nature walks to identify various plants, she said, as well as teachings about respecting the forest. Muirhead took a group of children and their parents on a nature walk Monday and noted kids tend to be very interested in their surroundings.
“Being outside is still really magical for them,” she said. “They get to go out there, explore and see different colours. It’s about getting them curious, outside and interacting with nature so they can build that relationship.”
Some of the advice Muirhead shares during the sessions includes the benefits of certain plants and how they can be used. She said Labrador tea leaves are commonly used to make hot beverages and plantain can be rubbed on a bug bite to make the itching go away. Muirhead said it’s good for parents to have at least a basic understanding of plants so when kids ask about them there’s an educational approach.
