How to introduce children to nature (in the Vosges and elsewhere)

Holidays are an ideal time to connect with nature. Forget the screens for a while and get out into the great outdoors with the kids. As well as arousing their curiosity, you'll stimulate their sense of observation, creativity and imagination.

I asked Sylvain Mangela wildlife photographer who publishes children's books. Here are her practical tips for taking action in the Vosges mountains (or anywhere else!)

Listen carefully

Kids love it listen to birdsong. To achieve this, they are capable of the utmost silence.

Preferably in the morning, stand in a quiet spot, on the edge of a forest for example. It only takes a few moments for the magic to happen...".Chuuuut this song is extraordinary!"

In the Hautes-Vosges, for example, you'll be lucky enough to hear some:

• the music thrush
• the swift warbler (its song goes "tchip-tchap tchip-tchap", it's called "compte-écus")),
• the wren
• At dusk, you might hear the dark call of the tawny owl.

There's a great tool to help you recognise them: download theMerlin application Bird ID on your phone. Press "identify": the name and photo of the birds will appear!

To practise memorising, the Nature Minute tells you how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo0WKT1puoI

Open your eyes wide

Wild life is hiding. So it's going to take a bit of cunning and a lot of patience to spot it.

Construct a lookout with natural elements: dead branches, ferns, brushwood. A bit of string, a penknifeYou've got a shelter ready to hide in. Get your binoculars! With a bit of luck and a lot of patience, you might spot a squirrel scurrying about or a field mouse wandering about. And even if you don't see anything, you'll have won the pleasure of building a tree house together.

Lift the bark of a dead tree, pick up a stone, approach a pond and you'll see that life is teeming! "How many legs does this little beast have?"Get out your magnifying glass from the rucksack and study: "Does it have eyes? Antennae? If you don't know its name, make it up! For example, "gallery-worm" for the bark beetle larva. Then ask your child to draw it in a little notebook that will follow them on all their adventures. 

Touch, feel, create

The scent workshop For example, ask your child to look for natural scents such as pine needles, lichen and earth. Place these finds in a small bottle to create a unique composition and compare it with those of friends.

Choose a tree and it will become your tree-friend. A friend you will discover: caress its bark, observe its trunk ("is there a black peak hole?"), its leaves and its branches. You can measure its circumference. Estimate its height using the woodcutter's cross principle, explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idF6hn0aVrs

The artists' studioLandArt: Leaves, pebbles, moss and twigs are your brushes as you paint a natural scene on the ground. An ephemeral art form that will delight children.

Small warnings:

• During the nesting season (March to June), avoid trampling off footpaths: some birds nest very close to the ground and are very vulnerable.
• There are "quiet zones" for wildlife. You can easily find them on the free application IGN mapsusing the "Protected areas" layer.

Discovering nature in the Vosges

Let yourself be guided by the signposted paths or put your trust in the professionals, mountain leaders.

Some sites specialise in environmental education:

• the CPIE des Hautes-Vosges with its ideal location near the Route des Crêtes at Rothenbach.
• the Vivarium du moulinAn original approach to reconciling us with the world of small animals
• donkey rides to the Prés en Bulles Farm

You'll find more ideas for activities with children in the Vosges : sur notre page Que visiter dans les Vosges 🦉

Listen to beautiful nature stories

You don't need to spend a fortune to delight your children. The simple pleasure of a nature walk will delight young and old alike, in complete serenity..

Our gîte is surrounded by a vast meadow and forests. It's perfect for nature-loving children, who can also enjoy the play structure. Pascal's photos, on display in the garden, will give them an idea of the animals they might encounter in the forest.