Nature teaches us lessons we cannot find in books. Being in the company of nature helps put our senses in a rhythm and gives us an opportunity to discover ourselves. Whether it is taking a stroll in the greens, playing around trees, or fiddling with fallen leaves, nature gives immense pleasure and brings positivity. Studies have shown that spending some time with nature everyday releases happy hormones and helps the mind to be in sync with the body. Besides, the best moments and memories are created to cherish for life is the time spent in activities like outdoor sport, cycling, collecting flowers, observing butterflies and insects, etc.

Thus, to bring the pre-primary students(Global Indian International School Ahmedabad) closer to nature and be sensitive towards it, the theme for the month was ‘Plant life and flowers’. Justifying the theme and being one with nature, the pre-primary teachers planned age-appropriate month-long activity calendar. The students were taken on nature walks around the school campus where they observed trees, plants, insects, birds, squirrels, and collected leaves to make ‘torans’ (decorative Indian hangings made from leaves). This activity was integrated with after numbers, colours, and alphabets. In another activity the kindergarteners did real flower and leaves dabbing with water colours and observed leaves through magnifying glass. While the students were also exposed to the process of germination through the story of ‘Germination of a Seed’ and the Nursery students made nature crowns with flowers and leaves and wore them back home!

Other activities included visually creative storytelling, making pattern with pulses, colouring activity, watering plants and studying soil.