Gardening with Kids: Teaching Observation Skills

There are several items that my youngest goes to almost every time we
are in the garden. I’m thinking about  now setting up a crate for his
special objects. This morning I want to show you one of his current
favorites and share a game my older son really enjoyed.

This
magnifying glass has been great fun for Wookie. He goes from plant to
plant looking at the different flowers, which gives me a chance to toss
in a lesson in colors and size. He also loves observing insects, and for
a kid who doesn’t say much yet, he has mastered the word “bee”.

My
four-year-old Scooby and I recently played a game of leaf
identification. One of us would close our eyes while the other would go
pick a leaf from a tree and bring it back for the other to then try and
match to the correct tree. We were able to talk about the shape, color,
texture, and shine of the leaves. If we moved the game to the garden, we
could also throw in scent by picking different herbs and even tomato
leaves. I doubt I could get him to taste them too, but it might be worth
a shot! One idea to stretch observation and assessment further is to
ask what are three things that are similar and three things that are
different.

Do you have any fun observation activities that the kids love?