What's that Sound? Nature Walk

Earlier in the week we started talking about using our sense of hearing while we explored our Sound Garden.  Later, we took our ears on a nature walk to discover what makes sound outside!

The rules were simple:

1. Walk....walk...walk
2. STOP!
3. Listen....what do you hear?
4. Try to look to see what is making the noise.
5. Draw a picture of what you heard.
6. Start all over again!

 

It was really neat to see my 3 year old actually pay attention to the sounds around him.  I thought for sure he would forget what we were doing and just run and play, but he would really walk a little bit, stop, and say LISTEN!  He was super excited to record what he heard by drawing it on the paper I brought along.  After he drew his picture (not his best talent =) I had him try to write the word for what he drew.  It was really a great multi-subject activity!

 

Here is a picture of the paper he drew his observations on...

 

I'm not sure what the first box was.  The second box was a bird.  The two lines coming out from it was it tweeting (I thought that was creative of him to think of).  The middle left box was a jeep (there were lots of cars driving by since we started our walk from our front door =).  The middle right box was...a box.  I don't know, some humming thing that's next to our condo.  It was definitely making noise, even thought it's not very 'natural.'  The bottom left box was a tree.  He said that he heard the wind blowing through it...creative again!  Then lastly, we heard a woodpecker even though we couldn't see it.

So if the weather is starting to be nicer in your area like it is in mine, grab a sketchbook and head outside with your kids.  Have them close their eyes and take in nature with their ears!

To find more fun nature/science ideas to do with your kids (including more on the senses!) check out my new page Science Activities for Every Season.

Happy Listening!