Gather round, nature enthusiasts and champions of childhood wonder. In this collection of quotes about children and nature, we celebrate the undeniable connection between little ones and the natural world, reminding us of the profound impact that exploring nature has on their wellbeing.
In a world dominated by screens and gadgets, it’s never been more important to get kids outside and immersed in nature. The benefits of nature play are well-documented, but sometimes we need a little inspiration to make outdoor play a priority. You’ll definitely find lots of that in this roundup of quotes about kids and nature.
Inspirational quotes about children and nature
From the timeless words of John Muir to the whimsical wisdom of E. E. Cummings, these quotes serve as a rallying call to embrace the transformative power of nature, reminding us to nurture the bond between children and the earth that sustains us all.
Get ready to be inspired, uplifted and moved by these thought-provoking quotes about children exploring nature. You might also like our nature quotes and earth day quotes.
Quotes about children playing in nature
“At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair should be messy and your eyes sparkling.” – Shanti
“When children play in natural spaces, they’re far more likely to invent their own games than in more structured settings – a key factor in becoming self-directed and inventive adults later in life” – Richard Louv
“Playing together in nature is as much about us as it is about the child. Children get to celebrate and be themselves, while we are reminded of our inner child – the essence of who we are.” – Nicolette Sowder
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” – John Lubbock
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
“Sad child? Nature. Cranky child? Nature. Bored child? Nature. You’re welcome.” – Penny Whitehouse
“Time outdoors in nature offers endless opportunities to learn and grow, and supports the development of the whole child.” – Erin Saunders
“Playing in natural spaces supports a child’s sense of self, allowing children to recognise their independence alongside an interdependence and connectedness with their ecological worlds.” – Stuart Lester & Martin Maudsley
“No barefooted, tree climbing, mud pie baking, cloud spotting, puddle stomping, bird calling, wild foraging, star gazing, firefly chasing, den building, stream paddling, rock hunting moment with Mother Nature ie ever wasted.” – Nicolette Sowder
Inspiring quotes about children exploring nature
“Let children walk with nature, let them see the beautiful blending and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity.” – John Muir
“As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen unselfconsciously to the soughing of the trees.” – Valerie Andrews
“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” – Thomas Berry
“May your search through nature lead you to yourself.” – Unknown
“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.” – David Sobel
“Children have a natural affinity towards nature. Dirt, water, plants, and small animals attract and hold children’s attention for hours, days, even a lifetime.” – Robin C. Moore & Herb H Wong
“Nature breeds curiosity; it helps to grow explorers rather than robots.” – Ben Palmer-Fry
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
“They’re not just playing in nature, they are: Learning, creating, sensing, believing, relaxing, exploring, observing, wondering, connecting, discovering, appreciating, understanding, experimenting…” – Penny Whitehouse
Quotes about children connecting with nature
“Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature, open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers, and the mystery of life.” – Ritu Ghatourey
“Our challenge isn’t so much to teach children about the natural world, but to find ways to sustain the instinctive connections they already carry.” – Terry Krautwurst
“I am a tree hugging, flower sniffing, animal kissing, planet loving, dirt worshipper. And proud of it.” – Unknown
“Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves.” – Stephen Moss
“We must teach our children to smell the earth, to taste the rain, to touch the wind, to see things grow, to hear the sunrise and nightfall – to care.” – John Cleal
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” – Rachel Carson
“What do parents owe their young that is more important than a warm and trusting connection to the Earth?” – Theodore Roszak
“Children are born with a sense of wonder and an affinity for nature. Properly cultivated, these values can mature into ecological literacy, and eventually into sustainable patterns of living.” – Zenobia Barlow
“All good things are wild and free.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” – Khalil Gibran
Children and nature quotes
“The outdoors offers limitless potential to young children. It becomes a place where they can go to relax their mind, to be inspired and to deep dive into the world of imagination. It’s a place where they can design, create and explore. The possibilities are endless.” – Angela Hanscom
“Just like a bee needs a flower; a child needs nature.” – Brandi Rondinelli
“As children observe, reflect, record, and share nature’s patterns and rhythms, they are participating in a process that promotes scientific and ecological awareness, problem-solving, and creativity.” – Deb Matthews Hensley
“In my children’s memories, the adventures we’ve had together in nature will always exist.” – Richard Louv
“To raise a nature-bonded child is to raise a rebel, a dreamer, an innovator… someone who will walk their own verdant, winding path.” – Nicolette Sowder
“Nature and children are natural playmates; they’re both wild and messy, unpredictable and beautiful.” – Mark Hoelterhoff
“Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks and tadpoles” – Brooke Hampton
“Every child needs nature. Not just the ones with parents who appreciate nature. Not only those of a certain economic class or culture or set of abilities. Every child.” – Richard Louv
“Children grow up hearing how broken the environment is, how broken beyond repair. Plant strawberries together, make wild medicines, paint the sunrise. Show them proof that for every act of destruction, they can sow a seed, however small, of beauty.” – Nicolette Sowder
“Children more than ever, need opportunities to be in their bodies in the world – jumping rope, bicycling, stream hopping and fort building. It’s this engagement between limbs of the body and bones of the earth where true balance and centeredness emerge.” – David Sobel
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” – Gary Snyder
Outdoor play quotes
“Natural play strengthens children’s self-confidence and arouses their senses-their awareness of the world and all that moves in it, seen and unseen.” – Richard Louv
“Let Nature be your teacher.” – William Wordsworth
“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.” – E. E. Cummings
“Outside, quiet children start to talk more and children who find it hard to be constrained begin to relax.” – Emma Shaw
“There’s a whole world out there, right outside your window. You’d be a fool to miss it.” – Charlotte Eriksson
“In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous.” – Aristotle
“If you haven’t seen anything incredible today go outside.” – Unknown
“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein
“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfilment.” – David Attenborough
“Nature is the best playground” – Unknown
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” – Margaret Atwood
More quotes about playing outside
“We all had a playroom growing up. It was called outside.” – Unknown
“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.” – Richard Louv
“The most memorable days end with the dirtiest clothes.” – Unknown
“Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and, when the grass of the meadows is damp with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning as it wakes every living creature that divides its day between waking and sleeping.” – Maria Montessori
“It’s a wondrous thing how the wild calms a child.” – Unknown
“We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” – Native American proverb
“The Mud will wash off but the memories will last a lifetime” – Author unknown
“No matter how old you get, may you always stop to fill your pockets with smooth stones, empty snail shells and other little treasures.” – Nicolette Sowder
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
Are you feeling inspired by these quotes about children and nature?
Hopefully these quotes about nature and children have helped you to celebrate the profound connection between our little ones and the natural world, and the immeasurable value of outdoor play. If they’ve also inspired the grown-ups to get outside more, so much the better!
Easy ways to explore nature with children
If you’d like some inspiration on nature play these two books are absolutely perfect.
*A Year of Nature Craft & Play and *A Year of Nature Walks & Games are both packed with a whole year’s worth of nature-themed activities. Each activity is designed to be very low-cost and eco-friendly, with clear instructions and plenty of engaging photos to keep kids interested. From nature crafts and science experiments to fun outdoor games and walking activities, there are so many easy ways to increase outdoor time and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
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Catherine
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