Raising A Quiet Wild Child: How to Explore Nature with Introverted Kids

How to Explore Nature with Introverted or Quiet Kids. Do you want to spend a lot of time outside with your kid but they aren't the adventurous or "wild" type? Here's how to make the most of it for both of you! (Photo: Child in red jacket walking in a forest)

“Look, there’s a rabbit!” I exclaim to my four-year-old son, trying to keep my voice down.

“Where?” he asks, as I point to the animal.

“Do you see it? Let’s be quiet so we don’t scare it away.”

“Yeah,” he replies, as he watches the bunny twitch its tail. It looks at us, then goes back to munching on the clover. It doesn’t think we’re a threat.

While the rabbits in our neighborhood do tend to be bold, my son’s calm demeanor definitely allowed us to watch it longer than if he had a louder reaction.

While we may think of a “wild child” as boisterous, exploring nature isn’t limited to adventurous extroverts. In fact, more quiet or introverted children can get just as much, if not more, out of being outside. While he sprints and yell-sings inside, my son is naturally a bit cautious and calm outside.

Here’s what I’ve learned from exploring with him:

Find quiet moments to explore nature together

Some of my favorite family moments have been in near silence, observing nature. On summer evenings when we’ve stayed up past bedtime to watch the fireflies flickering in our neighbor’s tree. Around the campfire, where we stare deep into the flames between s’more making. Walking along a trail and gazing at the trees behind our local nature center. In these times, we’re just simply with each other. We talk, but each word has weight behind it. We truly listen. There are no distractions or obligations. For quiet kids and parents, it’s “together time” of the best sort.

Emphasize times when being quiet is useful

Being relatively quiet is essential for certain activities like wildlife watching and fishing. Too much noise or fast, jerky movements are likely to scare away birds, rabbits, deer, and fish. In addition, the “advanced” versions of these activities require being still for long periods of time. While trying to force an active kid to do these activities will breed frustration, they’re perfect for kids with more laid-back temperaments. My son went fishing with my dad – who is the most chill person I’ve ever met – last week and loved it. For kids who may be may be nervous about more physical activities like hiking or rock-climbing, these activities also can be a big confidence booster.

Show appreciation for beauty

Every time my son says, “Isn’t that (fill in blank here) beautiful?” I smile. We frequently point out beautiful flowers, sunsets and viewpoints, but you don’t always know if your kids are hearing your words. When it comes to appreciating nature, they totally are. Quieter kids are more likely to get into the aesthetic side of the outdoors and appreciate what it has to show them. You can even do some art outdoors!

Spark and support children’s imagination

The great outdoors has endless opportunities for pretend play. From fairy gardens to talking animals, stories abound that are set in nature. Kids who are quieter are likely to engage in and enjoy this type of play more, especially if they like reading or telling stories inside. Encourage this creativity by asking questions like “Where do you think a fairy might live?” or “What do you think it would be like to be a frog?” You can also provide outdoor toys that tap into their imagination, like natural building materials or crafts.

Or just play along with them! One of my son’s favorite games while we’re at a nearby park is “coffee shop.” For whatever reason, he’s decided that particular spot on the trail to the playground is a coffee shop and he’s a barista. Whatever, my dear. I’ll roll with it.

Always investigate why

My son’s favorite word in all the world is “why?” He occasionally says it to be annoying, but most of the time, it’s genuine. For kids like him who are more analytical or science-minded, nature holds a huge variety of things to ask why about. From ecology to astronomy, science is everywhere! Sincerely investigating the answers to science questions can help get a more bookish kid excited about nature who might not have a natural enthusiasm for it.

Give them space with supervision

I always thought I was an extrovert until I realized how much I like being by myself. Introverts need their space and alone time; nature is the perfect place to have it. When we went camping, my son loved tracing “hiking trails” in the wooded area beside our campsite. We keep a close eye on him now, but as he gets older, I look forward to giving him more space to be by himself. Similarly, I spent hours as a kid in our backyard by myself, digging in the dirt and fussing with flowers I pretended were magical. In fact, Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, argues that unsupervised time in nature is essential for kids’ development.

Follow their lead and respect their limits

Being outdoors can push your limits in good ways. But kids who are naturally more anxious or cautious may reject going out in nature at all if you force it. Like everything in parenting, following your kid’s lead is essential.

Being wild doesn’t have to equal being loud – and that’s a very good thing. Nature has space for all things of kids and all kinds of people.

For more on outdoor adventures, check out my posts on camping with another family  and activities to use your senses in nature. Be sure to follow us on Facebook

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