My daughter had a perfectly fine birthday party for my grandson when he was five. His sister was two. His cousin was seven. It was in the park. They had cake and games and party treats and the kids had a fine time.

But what happened after the party when all the guests had left is what I truly noticed. My three grandchildren sat down in the grass and dangled their feet into a dirt ditch. They did not talk. They each had a stick that they had chosen from all the sticks they had discovered.  They drew independently in the dirt, turned, and laid on their bellies to watch the ants that they discovered as they stirred the dirt. They continued in this activity for a very long time. We drank our coffee and discussed how successful the party was, and they continued silently. They did not need us, and I believe we would have been intruding on their reverie if we called to them.

It was then that I saw exactly how important being in nature is for children. I kept that vision in mind as we designed the playground for the child development center at the college where I was teaching.

When did you discover or perhaps remember the importance of nature in the lives of children?