Children love to learn, especially if it is through doing. Science is a very important aspect of our life so teaching children science is important.
photo credit: mrkathika

Taking a walk with your child is a very good way to teach them about science and nature. Stop and look at the animals building their homes or the frogs changing from tadpoles to frogs.

Children love to learn and the more interesting you make it the more they will soak up. Nature as a wonderful way to teach your child about science and the live butterfly garden will do just that.

Children are attracted to the live butterfly garden because they get to experience nature first hand. With it they are able to see the life of a caterpillar and more importantly let the butterfly go after a few days.

One of my friends buys her nieces a live butterfly garden every year. The girls love to watch them change from caterpillars to butterflies and then about three days after the butterflies emerge from their cocoon they all get together and make a big production about setting them free.

Her niece’s are not only learning about the nature of butterflies but they are learning a wonderful lesson about letting go of the things they love. Plus they will have the happy memories for a lifetime.
photo credit: scyllarides

They have live butterfly gardens at my son’s preschool and every day that was the first thing he would show me. He talked about it for weeks.

So what does a live butterfly garden entail?

A live butterfly garden is a kit you can buy that includes five to six caterpillar larvae surrounded by the food that they will need to grow and it comes with a mesh net.

Then what?

The larvae turn into Caterpillars and the children can watch as they build their cocoon and emerge into butterflies. The whole process takes two to three weeks so make sure you don’t buy it in the winter because after about three days you’ll need to set the butterflies free so that they can get food.

The butterfly garden offers children a close up of the entire process but it is not the only way to teach your child. Teaching your child about nature should be fun and exciting but it does not have to cost a thing.

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© ChristinePinkston for The Gardener's Rake, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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