Exploring Nature With Preschoolers

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."

~Lao Tzu

Kids love the outdoors. But even the great outdoors can get boring if we don't plan ahead with our little ones. I remember my mother telling me to go outside and play but what did that truly mean? Sometimes providing a bit of guidance will get our preschoolers on the right track and stay out of trouble. Some things my parents encouraged me to do outside really sparked my interest in nature.
The nice thing about nature is that it has a way of slowing us down. I have yet to see anyone smell a flower or observe a butterfly in a hurry....

Exploring Nature With Preschoolers
(Here's what kids can do):
*Learn the names of their favorite plants and animals.

*Learn about environmental diversity.
*Understand what ecosystems are.
*Grasp the elements of a habitat.
*Understand changes in the environment.
*Learn mapping techniques.
*Name different sources of energy and energy transformation.
*Identify basic survival needs.
*Learn how the human community is dependent on the natural environment.
*Identify environmental changes that occur over a period of time.

Once I am familiar with what preschoolers can do with nature it is fairly easy to plan preschool curriculum around it!
What are some great activities you do with nature?