Having a nature shelf or side table is an incidental learning hive for exploring the seasons and the wonders of the natural world with children, and you can read more on this in our earlier blog ‘Creating a Nature Table’.
Here I would like to share a collection of seasonal verses that celebrate the beauty and wonder of nature through the seasons. You may even like to write them on some nice paper or card decorated by your children to include in your seasonal displays.
Poems, songs and rhymes are a beautiful way to share language with children and because they are often short and rhythmical, they invite repetition, familiarity and fun. Together you can also make up extra verses to your favourite ones or create your own that relate to the things you enjoy about each season. Keep a note book and pencils in easy reach for any spontaneous ideas, activities, songs or rhymes that you or your child might like to record. It’s great to explore a range of ‘styles’ including funny or silly ones too as they all explore language and mood differently.
Bed in summer
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candlelight.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me on the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day? (by Robert Louise Stevenson)
Little bees
Little bees work very hard,
Making golden honey,
Sipping nectar from the flowers,
When the days are sunny.
A boat on the sea
Rocking and rolling, the boat on the sea.
Rocking and rolling, for you and for me.
Wind come and blow us so gently along,
Mermaids come guide us and sing us a song.
Come little leaves
Come little leaves, said the wind one day,
Come over the meadows with me and play,
Put on your dresses of red and gold.
Summer is gone and the day grows cold. (by George Cooper)
Like a leaf or feather
Like a leaf or feather in the windy, windy weather,
We swirl around and twirl around
And all fall down together!
Falling leaves
Leaves are dropping from the trees,
Yellow. Brown and red.
They patter softly like the rain,
And some fall on my head!
The rain
Pitter patter, pitter patter,
Look at all the rain,
Knocking on the window sill,
And on the window pane,
Sounding like the pitter patter,
Of little fairy feet,
Running down the garden path,
Running down the street,
Washing everybody’s house,
And everybody’s shop,
Pitter patter, pitter patter,
When is it going to stop?
Brooms
On stormy days
When the wind is high,
Tall trees are brooms
That sweep the sky.
They swish their branches
In buckets of rain
And swash and sweep it blue again. (by Dorothy Aldis)
Winter trees
Aren’t you cold and won’t you freeze, with branches bare, you winter trees?
You’ve thrown away your summer shift, your autumn gold has come adrift.
Dearie me you winter trees, what strange behaviour, if you please!
In summer you could wear much less, but come the winter…..you undress! (by Zoltan Zelk)
Sping is coming
Spring is coming, spring is coming,
Birdies build your nest,
Weave together straw and feather,
Doing each your best,
Spring is coming, spring is coming,
Flowers are coming too,
Pansies, lilies, daffodils
Now are poking through.
Spring is coming, spring is coming,
All around is fair,
Shimmer and quiver on the river,
Joy is everywhere. (by William Blake)
Five little peas
Five little peas in a pea pod pressed,
One grew, two grew and so did all the rest.
They grew and grew and did not stop,
Until one day the pod went pop!
Busy bugs
Out in the garden…
Look down low,
See all the busy bugs, come and go,
Wriggly bugs that can’t keep still,
Tiny bugs that build a hill,
Shiny bugs that feed on leaves,
Spotty bugs that climb up trees,
Noisy bugs in the grass,
Bouncy bugs that move so fast,
Crawly bugs that hide in sand,
Tickly bugs that like your hand! (by James Carter)
And one for all the seasons:
Whether the weather
Whether the weather be fine,
Or whether the weather be not.
Whether the weather be cold.
Or whether the weather be hot,
We’ll weather the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.
Here are some links to other resources for exploring and celebrating the seasons:
All through the year picture book
