nature displays

by Whitney on January 16, 2011

chestnut, moth, fir slices, hydrangea

One of the greatest joys of parenting is witnessing little eyes open wide to yet another new detail of this wide world. Tangible, portable wonders of nature often find their way into our home.

We began displaying such treasures on our piano, which was out of reach until our then-toddler learned to climb. Now our mantle showcases the fragile and hazardous finds. We bring them down (or hold the kids up) for closer examination from time to time, and larger, sturdier treasures are always available for handling.

Consider bringing a little of the outdoors into your home with a nature display. Adding natural elements to the everyday decor of your home instills respect for their beauty. It also offers an opportunity to increase familiarity with less commonly encountered items. Low tables and baskets invite exploration, sorting and classifying, and incorporation into play.

In addition to a steady rotation of sticks and stones, our collection includes:

shells, sand dollar, butterfly, driftwood, paper wasps' nest

coral, snakeskin

feather, cicada shell

more bugs!, chestnuts, seaweed

hornets' nest, leaves, hydrangea

{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

Dakota Gal January 18, 2011 at 11:56 am

What lovely treasures! Our nature table is mostly sticks, stones, with a few bird feathers and pinecones. Yours is definitely more inspiring!

PS — Made your squash soup last night — YUM!!

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Whitney January 19, 2011 at 10:15 am

We have been fortunate to come across such variety. It really has grown into a work of art. The bugs freak out some people, though. :)

So glad you liked the soup!

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e l l a @ lifeologia January 18, 2011 at 3:57 pm

So pretty and the kids learn from it too. Awesome ;)

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Whitney January 19, 2011 at 10:17 am

What’s not to love about educational decor?

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Mariah January 20, 2011 at 8:03 am

Simply beautiful!

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Whitney January 20, 2011 at 10:36 am

Thank you! I find the most joy in such simple treasures.

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Sofia's Ideas January 21, 2011 at 8:36 am

We do this too, but not nearly to the extent you do! I LOVE the pictures – thank you for sharing! What a great variety of items you have there – most of our stuff is from the beach. The bugs, though? Eeeew! I don’t think I could handle those, just the thought is giving me goosebumps! LOL! I know, I can be such a girl sometimes! Hee! Hee!

Anyway, I was also coming by to let you know that I replied to your comment on “its nothing personal, its google” and I asked you a few questions, so I hope you’ll find a moment to make it back over! :)

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Whitney January 21, 2011 at 4:55 pm

If you’re fortunate enough to live near the beach, the peace and beauty of a sea-centric display connotes an authentic sense of place. We divide our time amongst a few different regions, so our display is reflective of that. I’ve become more at peace with the bugs as time goes on; some of them do have lovely features, and they’re all harmless at this point. Still, you certainly won’t find any cockroaches in the mix–a girl can only take it so far!

Hopping over to address your questions now–thought-provoking post, by the way.

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