N A T U R E P L A Y
  • Home
  • About Play
    • Child-led Play
    • Identifying Play
    • Experts Say
  • Articles/Blog
  • Resources
  • About

There's No Such Thing as Miserable Rain

8/1/2015

 
Picture
Written by Clare Caro

If I started talking about something as being miserable, horrid, ghastly or awful - what sort of picture am I painting about this 'something'?  Many of us unconsciously talk about nature in this negative way.  More specifically, many of us talk about the weather and what its like to be out in it in this way. 

While we are saying to our children, "It's a miserable day out there", what sort of information are they getting from us about nature when it rains, when it is cold, windy or overcast?  What do they make of us when we follow it up with, "Lets get outside then"... outside into that which we have just described with unpleasant words and a frown?  No wonder some of our children don't want to get out in all weathers. They are hearing 'crossed wires'.

We are our children's models.  The language we use with them and around them has an impact on them.  When we start to notice how we have been talking about outside experiences, its easy to see how the above emotive words might not be helpful in fostering a love of nature in all weathers. How can the rain be miserable and the cold be horrid?  The truth is, it can't.  We can replace these emotive words with descriptive words: It is drizzling, wet, brisk, cold, blusterous or windy.  It doesn't matter whether your child experiences the day outside as exciting or miserable, but it matters that we allow them to feel how a day in the rain was for them.  And watch your vocabulary as you talk about it with them.

When we progress past the 'miserable, ghastly, horrible, awful' words we have been using, we too can start to see and talk about the magic of the seasons. We can note the differences between spring and autumn, and we can discuss how we will dress to keep warm when it is blusterous and tipping down. That way we start to pass on information that is useful to young nature lovers.


...take me back to the A R T I C L E S menu.


Comments are closed.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2019
    December 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    October 2013
    May 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2025 Nature Play
CONTACT

  • Home
  • About Play
    • Child-led Play
    • Identifying Play
    • Experts Say
  • Articles/Blog
  • Resources
  • About