Charlotte Mason Quotes About Nature

Let me repeat, that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household, but what seems to me absolutely best for the children; and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p. 44)

They must be let alone, left to themselves a great deal, to take in what they can of the beauty of earth and heavens.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.44 )

Let us suppose mother and children arrived at some breezy open wherein it seemeth always afternoon. In the first place, it is not her business to entertain the little people: there should be no story-books, no telling of tales, as little talk as possible, and that to some purpose. Who thinks to amuse children with tale or talk at a circus or pantomime? And here, is there not infinitely more displayed for their delectation? Our wise mother, arrived, first sends the children to let off their spirits in a wild scamper, with cry, hallo, and hullaballo, and any extravagance that comes into their young heads.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.45 )

This is all play to the children, but the mother is doing invaluable work; she is training their powers of observation and expression, increasing their vocabulary and their range of ideas by giving them the name and the uses of an object at the right moment,--when they ask, 'What is it?' and 'What is it for?'
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.46-7 )

Children should be made early intimate with the trees, too; should pick out half a dozen trees, oak, elm, ash, beech, in their winter nakedness, and take these to be their year-long friends.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.52)

All this is stale knowledge to older people, but one of the secrets of the educator is to present nothing as stale knowledge, but to put himself in the position of the child, and wonder and admire with him; for every common miracle which the child sees with his own eyes makes of him for the moment another Newton.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.54 )

As soon as he is able to keep it himself, a nature-diary is a source of delight to a child.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.54 )

Children should be encouraged to watch, patiently and quietly, until they learn something of the habits and history of bee, ant, wasp, spider, hairy caterpillar, dragon-fly, and whatever of larger growth comes in their way.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.57 )

With regard to the horror which some children show of beetle, spider, worm, that is usually a trick picked up from grown-up people.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.58 )

I chose one of my favorite Charlotte Mason quotes from this page to make into a mini poster to inspire and remind. Just click on the image to download the PDF.

Children are born naturalists, with a bent inherited, perhaps, from an unknown ancestor; but every child has a natural interest in the living things about him which it is the business of his parents to encourage; for, but few children are equal to holding their own in the face of public opinion; and if they see that the things which interest them are indifferent or disgusting to you, their pleasure in them vanishes, and that chapter in the book of Nature is closed to them.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.58)

Nature Knowledge the most important for Young Children.--It would be well if we all persons in authority, parents and all who act for parents, could make up our minds that there is no sort of knowledge to be got in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves of the world they live in. Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.61)

Mothers and Teachers should know about Nature.--The mother cannot devote herself too much to this kind of reading, not only that she may read tit-bits to her children about matters they have come across, but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observations.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.64)

The Sense of Beauty comes from Early Contact with Nature.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.68 )

An Observant Child should be put in the way of Things worth Observing.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.69)

There is one thing the mother will allow herself to do as interpreter between Nature and the child, but that not oftener than once a week or once a month, and with look and gesture of delight rather than with flow of improving words--she will point out to the child some touch of especial loveliness in colouring or grouping in the landscape or the heavens.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.79)

When frost and snow are on the ground children have very festive times, what with sliding, snow-balling, and snow-building.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.85)

But what about the wet days? The fact is, that rain, unless of the heaviest, does the children no harm at all if they are suitably clothed.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The C