Do you remember passionately diving into a topic that piqued your interest?
It didn’t feel like you were learning, did it?
And, if you’re a parent, you’ve probably seen kids go through this incredible phenomenon too.
Your little one becomes obsessed with a certain toy, they take it everywhere, play with it and test it in many ways.
A child becomes an expert in dinosaurs, so much so that they could win against most adults in the dinosaur quiz.
Your teenager knows every Pokemon species, their weaknesses, and their strengths and continues to learn about every new creature they capture.
When your child has found something they love to learn about, this is the perfect time to jump in and help them learn more.
That’s precisely what I did when all three of my girls became obsessed with the Disney live-action Beauty and the Beast movie. I set up an invitation to play which included a rose displayed just like it looked in the movie. I added some printables and left them to it. They were so excited, I didn’t even need to encourage them.
Of course, if you’re child isn’t interested in Beauty and the Beast but adores roses, the following invitation to play is perfect for you too.
What you’ll need:
- A freshly cut rose
- A vase or terrarium-style glass jar (I found mine at Kmart but the link I’ve added here is a good one, there are lots of different types available if you scroll down the page too)
- Rose study printables (download free below)
- Pencils
How to get started with the rose study
Check out the video to see what we did
- Print out the Rose Study printables on thick paper or glued to cardboard.
- Put the rose in a jar or terrarium without any water.
- Place the rose and printables in a location that will capture your child’s attention.
- Your child should be drawn to the spot right away. Look at the rose and talk about it together if they’re confused about how to use the printables. If they know what to do, leave them to it.
- Encourage your child to visit the rose each day and discuss and record the changes in the rose. Make sure you write down how many petals fell each day. If petals don’t fall, it’s okay to help them along a bit. Shhhhh!
The Beauty and the Beast Rose study printable is free to download.
Download the US 8.5 X 11 Inches version
If you like this activity you might like the dressing Disney Princesses Nature Style
A friend sent this to me today. It made my heart sing, though I’m an 89 year old great-grandmother, I still work with children in a junior garden club and at a non profit summer camp sponsored by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.
Our Wekiva Youth Camp is a residential camp that operates for 6 weeks every summer at a state park in Florida, with 105 campers every week. Our motto is CAMPERS TODAY — ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS TOMORROW.
Your materials are fantastic. Thank you so much for what you do for children and planet earth.
Thank you Audrey for you beautiful comment and your dedication in sharing nature with children in the junior garden club! xx