Nature Table Montessori style

In this work I use a Cotton  Candy container (be resourceful!) as a place to hold her found nature items, we pick up during the week. This set includes a bug magnifying set and tweezers. A felt mat to roll out,  and items such as acorns, twigs, leaves and other goodies from our walks, all compacted into a handy dandy recycled container. The child can take out the mat unroll it , place each item down and examine them one by one, stay close by and see what other conversations ensue! Mine is a curious little one , she loves nature. You could extend this activity with leaf rubbing, leaf tracing or leaf pressing  between two pieces of wax paper.

As soon as she's a little older  to extend a lesson of this sort, we will be reading this book:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1041101.Miss_Hickory