Boat Life
There's more life on the water, you just need to know how to find it. Boating holiday company, Le Boat show us how.
Looking to help your little one appreciate the natural world? In this article Cheryl Brown, Managing Director of Le Boat explains how a trip on the water can be great for teaching children all about the joys of nature. It can all come to life as you drift along the cool quiet waters. So what is hidden within the reeds and waterbeds?
We would urge all families to consider a boating holiday, if you’re looking to teach your child about nature - plus have a fun time doing it too. Not only can boating holidays allow you to move your base and moor up at a new destination every day, but you’ll see nature from a different perspective too. We don’t often get to be so close to the water while exploring on holiday, so a boating trip is the perfect opportunity to teach the kids more about it. Use the following tips to expand their mind and teach them to respect the natural world.
Make learning fun
Your kids will have already learnt about parts of the natural world at school. But being directly on the water and getting closer to nature gives you an opportunity to make your lesson even more fun. You can do this by enjoying a spot of bird watching. Make a bird watching sheet with the names and pictures of the birds you may find by the river, such as herons, coots, and kingfishers, for your children to cross off when they see them. You can broaden the list by including other animals you may come across, like otters, deer, species of fish, and insects, such as dragonflies. To make it even more fun, the kids can sketch pictures of the animals they see and take notes on them too. There are some boating destinations with truly special animals to spot, such as the Camargue with the iconic pink flamingos and stunning horses.
Teach them to admire wildlife from a distance
Your family will get to see lots of animals on your boating trip, making it a great holiday for curious kids. But make sure to explain to your children that they shouldn’t touch the wildlife and avoid getting close to it. Help them understand that this is for both their safety and the wellbeing of the animal. To help them become more immersed in the experience without getting too close, bring a pair of binoculars to give them a better view. And encourage them to respect other parts of nature too by not picking flowers and never littering.
Let them play and explore
A great way to help your kids learn to love and respect nature is to allow them to explore it in their own way, but of course still with adult supervision. One of the best ways to learn more about something is to get immersed in it and this is the same for nature. So, encourage them to splash around in the river when safe to do so, climb trees, and have fun. Kids are naturally inquisitive so they may have a lot of questions for you, such as why the water in the river is different to the sea. As well as giving them their answer, feed their curiosity more by asking them questions too, like which animals do they think live in the water.
Lead by example
Parents know just how much of their kids’ behaviour can be picked up by observing other people. So give your children the best example possible by following the advice you set them. Get involved in looking out for wildlife, such as by getting up early with them to spot the dawn birds, and learn to identify different trees and plants so you can tell your children more about them. When driving the boat, drive slowly to avoid disrupting the river banks and the animals living in them. And don’t just leave the natural world as you found it, but improve it too by taking the little ones litter picking. As well as teaching them to have respect for nature, you may even find yourself appreciating the natural world more too.
A family boating holiday is the perfect opportunity to help your children learn more about the world around them. Use the tips above to encourage them to treat nature with respect and admiration.
For more details on boating holidays and whats involved head to: www.leboat.co.uk