What is one of your favorite childhood memories in nature?
I recently asked this question to a group of thirty moms. Their memories and stories brought me back to my own childhood days spent climbing trees, picking wild raspberries, listening to birds’ songs, and observing rollie pollies.
It wasn’t only my immune system and calluses that were developing as I played in nature—my faith also strengthened. As I familiarized myself with the natural world and all its wonders, I met the Creator who made it all—and who made me and calls me very good (Genesis 1:31).
I want these same experiences for my children. It was easier back then, during our generation, to find yourself outside the better half of the day. A few decades have passed, and mine is the first generation of parents facing the technological challenges of encouraging our children to play outside when a myriad of lesser allures are available at their fingertips. So how can we help our children connect with God in creation?
Encouraging Childlike Faith
The Bible talks about a “childlike faith.” Childlike faith is not childish. Childish is a silliness and immaturity that, ideally, we grow out of. Childlike, on the other hand, extracts the beauty and awe from how a child views the world. This simple yet profound faith is marked by innate wonder at the things God made.
When I read Matthew 10:29-31, as Jesus taught using the visual of sparrows, I love picturing young children playing within earshot—listening to the great teacher as they scattered crumbs to sparrows hopping across the ground. Or as Jesus spoke of the wildflowers and how God so brilliantly clothes them, perhaps a young child sat near His feet binding together a wildflower bouquet with a piece of grass, like I did as a child.
Children are naturally inclined to play in God’s creation. As they interact with natural materials and explore God’s creation, they can develop a deeper understanding of Scripture with its poetic narrative and analogies using nature. They can meet their Maker in a profound and memorable way that anchors their faith in the truth of God’s Word and the soil of His creation.
Over time, this natural inclination toward nature may weaken. Yet no matter how threadbare that tether may feel, we can strengthen the connection and rekindle a sense of wonder in our kids. We can encourage their God-given curiosity in a way that compels them to seek out God’s likeness in all He has made.
Rekindling Our Children’s Sense of Wonder
I have witnessed this working both ways in my family. When I see my kids becoming curious about something in nature—be it birds, rocks, reptiles, insects, or countless other wonders—I encourage their curiosity. We borrow books from the library on the subject, watch documentaries, and, most importantly, venture outside together. Their interest, in turn, has sparked my own. They reawaken my childhood wonder, and as we walk a wooded path, wade through a creekbed, turn over rocks in search of crawdads, or learn the songs of our local birds, we anchor our family’s memories into nature’s soil. At the same time, our faith is nurtured.
In my book, Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family’s Faith Through God’s Creation, I wrote, “If we as adults forfeit curiosity, we lose a critical element of faith. We stop looking for, and eventually stop seeing, the evidence for God all around us…We must remain curious about creation and what it tells us about God.”
Our curiosity about nature will encourage our children to spend more time outdoors. We can inspire them by sharing with them our own childhood memories. My kids love to hear about when I would climb the massive cottonwood, then swing from our tree swing down onto the trampoline. They grin when I share my adventures of afternoons spent exploring our nearby ponds (and yes…coming home with a bucket of “pet” leeches). They love to hear of the garter snake my siblings and I caught and the games we played in our yard and nearby field.
If you don’t have many memories in nature, you can create them now—with your own child. Venture out to a space with woods, a creek, a beach, a grassy expanse, or any other area that invites you into God’s creation. As you explore, ask your child to choose something they see—perhaps a bird, flower, tree, or animal. Then ask them what that piece of nature reflects about its Creator. Talk about God as an artist who paints every sunset and an architect who designed the world’s systems, like the water cycle and ecosystems.
It’s ok if these efforts feel forced or awkward at first. Remember that children are naturally inclined to this method of play. They might resist at first, but every experience outside will dust off their God-given curiosity and compel them in the pursuit of beauty and truth. Don’t be surprised if it rekindles your own childlike, wonder-filled faith, too.
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Eryn Lynum is a certified master naturalist, Bible teacher, national speaker, and author of Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family’s Faith Through God’s Creation and 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting. Eryn lives in Northern Colorado with her husband, Grayson, and their four children, whom they homeschool—mainly in the great outdoors. Her family spends their days hiking, camping, and adventuring through the Rocky Mountains. Eryn leads nature classes and hikes and has been featured on Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Radio, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and MOPS International. Every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God’s creation with her family and sharing the adventures at www.ErynLynum.com.
