When I was a kid, we went on an annual vacation in Canada along the shore of Lake Huron. We stayed in cabins and had meals family-style with other guests who stayed in the cabins on the property. The owners were a family who had children the same ages as my brother and me. Their daughter became a long-time friend of mine and she and I would go down to the wetland area on the property hunting and catching frogs for hours at a time. It is one of many beautiful memories of nature play I grew up with!

I think my interest in nature was sparked by family travel mostly to the mountains of North Carolina. My favorite memories of outdoor play was just being free to explore my neighborhood, not really worrying about safety. Riding my bicycle all around - it truly was a carefree time. My goals are two part: as a grandparent I want to instill in my grandson a deep appreciation and love for nature. As an environmental educator I want to find more ways to engage children with nature especially those who don't get much opportunity to spend time outdoors.

I have fond memories of exploring a stream on a property my parents had purchased when I was around 10 years old. My sister and I would spend hours in and out of the water, looking under rocks and watching tiny fish. We looked for animal prints in the mud and animals homes. It was a very happy time. I am a teacher and I will be working with a kindergarten class this year. I hope to give my students opportunities to spark curiosity and stewardship. The picture was taken in Jasper National Park on the Five Lakes Trail.

Growing up on a Minnesota farm, nature was apart of everyday life.  Animals needed to be cared for and crops needed attention in gardens and fields.  We had first=hand knowledge of the life cycles of plants and animals. Mom and Dad regularly called our attention to the natural world.  I cherished my little bird guide and enjoyed referencing the birds that I had seen==different habitats for different birds.  Noticing a brown thrasher hiding in the bushes along a gravel road was a thrill. I do still feel quilt about taking a peony bud off a plant to see what a peony looked like folded in that hard ant=covered ball.  The results of that little experiment was disappointing,  Where did that noteworthy fragrance become part of that flower,,,,,,,,

Due to my father's allergies, we did not spend time camping or hiking when I was young. But I remember playing imaginative games by a stream in the woods behind our home, finding arrowheads while exploring the fields near our house, and loving the ocean and our time as a family playing in it.  As a young adult, I began hiking and mountain biking with friends, and these interests grew over time. I am a teacher, and my natural inclination to encourage curiosity led me to encourage my son's interest in birds. He has taught me so much over the years about delight in creatures.  My goal is to learn to expose my fourth grade students to the delights of birds, but also of the outdoors.

My family wasn’t interested in the outdoors it was very foreign to them. However, I was always fascinated with everything in nature, especially the birds. My paternal grandmother had a neighbor who put up multiple hummingbirds feeders, and they attracted 30+ hummingbirds. It was amazing to see all of them buzz around. My favorite memory was the neighbor, Clyde’s relationship with them. He would sit on his porch in a rocking chair and put on a red ball cap and they would flock to it. Some hummingbirds even rested on the ball cap! I am now an avian trainer and educator for birds of Prey and I look back now thinking of course I want I want close relationships with birds. 

My parents loved taking us camping.  I have so many fond memories. I can still picture my mother on her foldable chase lounge watching the local birds or trees and looking them up in her guidebook.  To this day you can ask my mother the name of any tree on the golf course where she lives and she can tell you.  I think one of my proudest moments was when we were in Arizona in a campground with what my sister and I called " Horney Toads" they were actually Horned lizards.  We got over our fear of this little lizard as they got quite used to us and we wore them on our tee shirts like a sheriff badge.

My father was a wildlife officer when I was growing up. We always had wild animals around the house while we waited for rehabilitators. Sometimes we took care of the animals ourselves. We were always doing things outdoors and nature became my safe place. Anytime I was feeling down about something, I would go outdoors. I'm the same way now. I don't know that I had a favorite moment because everyday was a new adventure. I keep my own kids busy outdoors. We have a pond in our backyard that we explore and take care of in order to make it a sustainable environment for the living organisms that reside there. We hike often and complete activities on our hikes. Just last week, I took my daughter on a hike and had her sit still with her eyes closed and listen to the sounds around her. After sitting for a couple of minutes, I had her draw what she heard. As we continued on our walk, she would tell me how she saw things in the tree bark, the rocks, and the clouds. She even wrote letters to the animals on rocks and leaves so she didn't have to waste paper. It was in that moment, I realized she had a strong connection with nature as well.

My favorite memory is climbing trees and watching birds at a bird feeder in my grandparents' backyard.   I also enjoyed exploring creeks and the woods near our home.  I don't think I was interested in identifying the plants and animals I saw at the time but now I have a good background knowledge of how things behave in nature.

I have so many good memories of growing up in nature! Here are just a few: Walking in the vegetable garden with dad after school and noticing what’s growing in the different seasons. Running through yards and climbing trees with friends on my suburban block. Helping mom teach art at a marsh. Splashing in a cold creek on a family picnic. Looking for shells in the sand on the beach and then using my grandpa’s magnifying glass and field guide to identify them.

My interest nature I am sure started before an age I can remember - the trees in my yard were my friends it seemed from the beginning, I also vividly remember sitting on my mothers lap as a 3-year-0ld watching quail in the yard. My favorite outdoor memories include riding bent over saplings like they were horses, building rafts from waterlogged logs, long walks through the vacant fields. I have the opportunity to run an outdoor classroom this year - which I have some experience in already. Always looking to improve.

Crecí en la Ciudad de México, pero las excursiones que organizaba mi papá al bosque o a la playa despertaron mi fascinación por la naturaleza. Podía pasar horas atrapando mariposas y catarinas. Disfutaba mucho estar en el jardín de mi abuelita y hacer pefumes con las flores.  En la escuela me encantaban las clases de ciencias naturales y en la secundaria la materia de biología. A los 17 años mi Papá me regaló un curso de buceo y fue cuando decidí que quería ser bióloga marina. Vivir en La Paz Baja California Sur fue un sueño para mi. Tuvé la oportunidad de salir a observar aves con el equipo de ornitología de la universidad y esa fue la primera vez que me detuvé a observar las aves y desde entonces lo sigo haciendo. Ahora soy mamá de dos niños con los que pasó muchas horas a la semana en la naturaleza, mi objetivo es que aprendan a observar, que desarrollen su curiosidad y que sin importar que carrera escojan siempre cuiden de la naturaleza. I grew up in Mexico City, however the day trips that my dad organized to the nearby forest and our regular beach vacations awakened my fascination for nature. I could spend many hours catching butterflies and ladybugs. I enjoyed very much my grandmother's garden and doing flower perfumes with my sister. In Elementary School my favorite subject was natural sciences, and in Middle School Biology. When I was 17 years old my Dad gave me as a present a Scuba diving class, on my first open water dive I decided I wanted to be a marine biologist. Living next to the ocean in La Paz Baja California Sur was a dream come true. During college I had the opportunity to do some field work with the ornithology team, that was the first time I observed and identify birds, something I keep doing. Nowadays I am the mom of two boys (9 and 5 years old) and I try to spend  many of our time together in nature. My goal is that them develop their curiosity and learn how to observe and appreciate nature, and in the future they keep enjoying being outdoors and take care of nature.

I loved overnight camping, the smell of the woods, collecting firewood, hiking, just being outdoors.  That has stayed with me all my life.  My mother was a birder which at first I found boring but have since learned to enjoy identifying bird sounds and sometimes the birds I see. favorite memories:  building doll houses in trees in our back yard, racing  periwinkle and hermit crabs at the beach, fishing with my great uncle, exploring caves on family vacations. I have two grandchildren who are now the perfect ages for doing things with me outdoors ( in short periods eg on weekends , after day camp).hoping to engage them in ways that build memories together.

I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. Being outdoors was really important to my parents. I remember going backpacking as a family and settling in to our tent for the night surrounding by total quiet except for the sounds of nature. I remember our excitement at the moose who would come into our yard to try to eat from our garden. I have a vivid memory of climbing a tree and discovering an abandoned bird's nest at the very top. In my surprise, I almost let go of the tree! It was like finding a hidden treasure that nobody else knew about.

I grew up on a farm in Southeastern Idaho. Some of my happiest childhood memories involve fishing moss out of a nearby stream or hiking through a field of sagebrush to an old pioneer cabin where I discovered some blue (robin's?) eggs in a bird nest. We could see the Tetons in the distance and often walked down to the Snake River. We would often throw breadcrumbs into the water to see the rainbow trout jump. The winters were very cold and snowy but the summers were quite lovely. On Sundays we would drive up to Yellowstone Park to see Old Faithful go off or visit Mesa Falls. One time a buffalo wandered into our front yard! My father loved fishing and driving around the farm to survey the crops (mostly potatoes). My mother liked to work in her flower garden. However, I don't remember either of them engaging with me much around the outdoors. My brothers were put to work early on the farm and I would help with the fall harvest but much of my time was spent indoors helping care for my eight younger siblings. I wish I'd paid more attention to my surroundings when I was younger. I've taken a much greater interest in both the landscape and the birds as an adult.

I lived in the lake District in the Uk. We had a resident Robin that visited every day and would follow us around the garden as we tilled the soil and planted new flowers and vegetables. There was also a family of Pheasants that lived in the garden and I can remember seeing the nest for the first time filled with beautiful eggs.   I want to help children connect with nature so that they start to understand how everything is connected and interdependent.

I lived close enough to walk to beaches (Long Island Sound), had unimproved lots to play in,  and grandparents to visit in rural upstate NY. Didn't realize how lucky I was to have these outdoor playgrounds every single day, but knew i wanted to be outside all the time, in it, as did most kids I knew.  I am sure this gave me a real comfort level for being out in nature - from water to high weeds, getting dirty,  seasonal berry picking and lots of bugs! And a respect for the awesome power of water and wind.

When I was a child in England, I remember making mud pies and digging in the garden.  I remember climbing the back wall and then climbing trees.  With the neighborhood kids we would go on adventures.  We learned how to use a doc leaf to calm down the itch of stinging nettles.  I remember being afraid of the swans at a nearby park.  They wanted to eat our sandwiches when we had picnics.  I remember walks with my dad through meadows with cows and sheep.  I remember walking though the moors and feeling the wind.  We would go for miles.  Since COVID, I have gone outside to a nearby nature preserve almost every day.  The joy of watching and listening to Canada geese fly right over you makes my heart glad.  I firmly believe in the healing power of nature.  There is a joy that comes from making sense of the discoveries that you find.  I started watching birds and animals.  My life has definetly changed for the better.  I want to share these treasured times with my students.

My memories from childhoood that involve nature are from both an exploration perspective and an athletic perspective.  Physical education has little to no joy once school began.  Other students were mean and inpatient, whereas, prior to school experiences and continuing through that time in the home environment was my brother's teaching of various sport.  Exploring nature, was also a home environment experience.  We spent time in parks and in our backyard getting familiar with local wildlife. From the physical education perspective, my dad taught me to ride my bicycle, which was the beginning of a lifelong environmentally friendly way of getting out and about.  We also played badminton, tennis, baseball and football.  My older brother taught me the skills needed to be able to have fun at these sports with him and other.  The learning process was a time of bonding for my brother and I, which was very valuable. From feeding squirrels, to rescuing and identifying birds and insects the outdoor environment was a field of dreams to my child brain. I loved animals since I was a child and journeys to the beach, woodlands and in the inner city provided experiences with nature that created within me a strong connection and responsibility for nature, whether it be plants or animals. My goals for spending time outdoors is to foster that same sense of stewardship in the students that I teach.  I have endeavored to do this with my own children as well, and I remember a snow day that found myself and my children out in the forest, silent under it's blanket of snow where we had two distinct woodpecker appear (a pileated woodpecker and a red sapsucker).  Smiles of secret wonder were shared by all, and this gift invaluable to this next generation, who will be the keepers of our planet. I feel that if you know it, understanding it and develop positive feeling in and around it...well, you'll protect it.  That is what my goal is.

When I was younger, our parents would take us to the creek with our cousins and we would play for hours. I still have photographs of it and can remember those moments exactly! In our neighborhood, we would play outside from morning until night. We had a cornfield behind our house, where we would walk for hours. We built forts outside in the neighborhood from natural materials and played capture the flag with just ourselves and hand-made flags. Now that I am 41, I crossed an item off of my bucket list. We drove to the Everglades last summer. It was one of the coolest experiences I have had. Driving down the road and seeing nature and alligators, exploring their habitat, and riding on a boat where they live. I will be crossing another item off of my bucket list in a few weeks - we will be visiting the Grand Canyon. I can't wait! I take my children outdoors as much as possible. They enjoy it so much, and I am having fun re-living the memories I had as a child.

As a young girl, I often had breakfast with my favorite aunt. She would identify different birds (sparrows, wrens, blue jays, robins, cardinals, etc.) and she had a book of birds that she'd refer to. I love that she shared her interest with me and gave me such attention.

1. I remember my brothers and I would feed blue jays before we went to school in Utica, NY. This helped me a great deal because I didn't really have friends at school but I had my special bird friends.   2. Playing in the park and swinging on swings!   3. I have already done this with children in a Summer Program. The children walked outside and discovered plants and had to draw the plants and research them and talk about them.

My favorite memories of outdoor play are the many hockey games, neighborhood spanning water gun fights, and bike rides. My goals for spending more time outdoors with my children is to foster a lifetime interest in nature and reduce screen time.

I grew up in urban India (city of Mumbai) and in a culture where the rat-race had to be won every waking moment. I remember feeling something magic whenever I found a picture of a bird or animal in the newspaper - that was my access to nature - and I'd painstakingly cut it out and file it, mull over it, draw from it and wonder what it was like to be in their world. Fast forward 30+ years, and I now volunteer in avian rescue/rehab (raptors), I have a Naturalist certification, and I am working towards writing and illustrating for children - to share, early in their lives, the vast wonder that is Nature.

I grew up in the city of Chicago.  Our home had a small backyard.  A large apartment building was next door.  It was largely a neighborhood of concrete, bricks and tiny green yards.  At the end of the sidewalk that led to our separate garage and the alley, was a flower bed of bright pink flocks.  The flowers are one of my earliest memories; I was amazed that something could be so beautiful.  My grandparents owned a small summer cottage in Wisconsin.  When we visited them, I was always amazed by the "dinner-plate-sized" dahlias that my grandmother grew and the cucumbers in mason jars that my grandfather grew.  These were my earliest encounters with nature.  Living in Alaska now, my goal is to enjoy and share our amazing natural environment with my grandchildren (and help them take an occasional break from their electronics ;-).