I Am Nature

“Let the child explore,” she says.

“Let the child discover,” she says.

Let the child get messy

splash in puddles,

ask questions,

and stand in awe

of what I have to offer 

I am nature.

I am mud.

I am the sun.

I am rain or shine.

I am the bumblebee buzzing around your head, 

I am the wind gently blowing across your face, 

I am the tree branches swaying back and forth, 

I am the bird chirping in the distance,

the squirrel looking for the acorn he buried,  

I am the woodpecker tapping on the trunk,

the toad hidden in the grass,

I am the yellow flowers growing in the distance.

I am the spider spinning his web, 

I am hands- on,

I am driven by curiosity,

I am nature. 

By Melissa Richter

Teacher at Magic of Play Preschool