Fall is always a beautiful time of year! With colorful leaves and chilly days, autumn brings feelings of change and connection to nature. Mosaic Preschool has been out enjoying our lovely fall weather, taking in warm sunshine and brisk winds on our nature walks. These walks are an excellent way to stimulate a child’s appreciation for the natural world. Ask the children what they see, hear, smell, or feel… the answers always provide a new perspective. With the wind rustling the trees, the leaves gently falling to the ground, birds making preparations to fly south for the winter… even in the heart of the city, we felt surrounded by the beauty of nature.
The children heading off on their nature walk
Riley Park was our first stop where we discovered a rock garden! Exploring rocks of all different sizes, shapes, and colors provided great inspiration for starting our own rock collection. This park was a great place where kids can jump, hop, skip rope, climb, run, roll, and make noise in a natural environment. We encouraged families to feel the texture of rocks, the bark on trees, and dried up leaves. It was an interesting science experience for parents and children alike.
We also visited Prince’s Island Park, where we got to explore some of Calgary’s constructed wetlands, complete with native wildlife and plants. Our preschoolers and parents were able to immerse themselves in Calgary’s natural environment, while learning about the importance of protecting and caring for these spaces. Our kiddos enjoyed crunching through piles of leaves with their parents and keeping their eyes peeled for some wildlife, like Canada geese, mallard ducks, and jackrabbits. We weren’t lucky enough to spot a beaver, but fingers crossed for next time!
Autumn never lasts very long in Calgary, but we are making the most of our limited time. In the coming weeks, we will be visiting the zoo to see how the animals are preparing for winter. We will also be checking out The Brainasiumat TELUS Spark Science Centre, where it’s all about learning by doing, climbing, teetering, jumping and sliding all in the great outdoors!
