5 Ways to Teach Kids about God through Nature Adventures

Nature clearly shows God's loving and generous care. God supports everything alive. By pointing this out to your kids when you're exploring nature together, you can teach them to trust God as their Heavenly Father, who knows their needs and always meets them well. In 1 John 4:16, the Bible points out that we can rely on God because God loves us: "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." 

Find food and water sources outdoors together to show your kids how God provides for people and animals alike through his creation. Point out streams, rivers, lakes, and even dew on leaves as water sources. Show your children the berries, nuts, and plants that animals eat. Discuss how different animals find their food in nature. Look at animal adaptations and talk about how they're made perfectly for their environment to meet their specific needs. You can point out a bird's special beak for cracking seeds, a squirrel's ability to gather and store nuts for winter, and much more. Also, teach your kids how everything in ecosystems depends on each other. Explain how different parts of nature show God's detailed plan for a healthy environment where every plant and animal can find what it needs to thrive. You can talk about how trees give us oxygen to breathe or how bees pollinate flowers and help plants make fruit in the process. You can also collect natural items like leaves, interesting rocks, or pinecones and talk about how they're part of God's care for creation because He designed them to provide shelter, beauty, or something else we need. 

Most importantly, thank God for creation. Before a picnic outside, or just while looking at a beautiful natural scene, lead your children in a prayer to thank God for all the life around you and how God supports your lives together.

One of the best ways to teach kids about God in nature is to help them see how amazing God's creation is. Think of nature as God's giant art show; every part is a beautiful masterpiece that shows us something about who God is. Romans 1:20 points out that every part of nature can help us learn about God: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

When you and your kids explore God's creation together, you can't help but be inspired by all the evidence of God's wonderful work you'll discover there. That will lead you to feel awe for God as you think about God's endless creative power and how much attention God pays to the details of his designs. Get into the habit of pointing out specific parts of nature and connecting them to God during any outdoor activity. For example, point out a tall tree and tell them that God designed it to be standing strong, just like he designed your children to be strong people. Encourage your kids to ask "How did that happen?" questions. So, when you're talking about a tall tree, ask them how they think a tiny seed can grow into something so big and strong, and tell them that only God could create something with that kind of power. Help your kids notice how different parts of nature are made with care, like the wings that help birds fly high in the sky. Let your children know that God gave animals natural instincts to do wonderful work, like spiders spinning strong and beautiful webs and caterpillars turning into butterflies. Use words that express the awe you feel for God as the Creator. Talk about a "grand" mountain, a "dazzling" sunset, a "powerful" ocean, and more as you explore nature together. Make a habit of going on a nature adventure daily with your kids to enjoy experiencing God's wonder every day together. On each nature adventure, remind them that God is the best designer and inventor. When possible, turn your nature adventures into treasure hunts for God's wonder. Give your kids a list of treasures to find that show God's wonder: something colorful, something small but mighty, something that grows, etc. As they find each treasure, discuss what it shows you all about the God who created it.

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God has given humanity the important job of taking care of his creation (Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 2:15). Job 12:7-10 describes how humans are connected with all of God's creation: "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."

Since God has all of creation in his hands and has made humans caretakers of it, we need to do our best with that vital work. Nature adventures offer hands-on opportunities to teach your kids about their roles as caretakers of God's world. This can help them feel both respect for the environment and a sense of personal responsibility. Start by teaching and practicing "leave no trace" rules whenever you are outdoors. Explain why it's important to take out everything you bring in, stay on marked paths, and never bother wild animals or plants to show respect for God's beautiful world. As a family, join a clean-up day at a local park, hiking trail, or beach. Pick up trash in your neighborhood together when you can while discussing how important it is to keep God's creation clean and healthy. Talk about how important it is to save natural resources at home by turning off lights when leaving a room, taking shorter showers, recycling, etc., because the resources God has given us are valuable. Teach your kids about how they can help endangered species and threatened ecosystems. Grow a garden together at home, and volunteer with a local environmental organization to do service projects like planting trees. Pray together for creation regularly. Include prayers for the well-being of the earth, for those who work to protect it, and for wisdom in how you care for it as a family.

Nature moves on God's schedule, not ours. Seeds don't grow overnight, and mountains don't form in a day. This slow, steady pace of nature is a great way to teach children about patience and the importance of waiting for God's perfect timing. One of the best ways to use nature adventures to teach your kids this is to plant a garden with them. This teaches them what plants need to grow: water, sunlight, and, most importantly, time. As they check on their plants regularly, they'll see tiny sprouts slowly appear and then grow. Use this to talk about how God makes things grow in his perfect timing. They can learn from gardening what it's like to wait for something good and the reward that comes from being patient. Watching animal life cycles is another great lesson in patience. Look for tadpoles in a pond that will become frogs, or watch caterpillars that will become butterflies. Talk together about the different stages of growth and how much time these changes take, according to God's design for his creatures. Also, seeing seasons change shows your children God's faithfulness and consistent timing. Talk about how spring brings new life, summer brings growth, fall brings a generous harvest, and winter brings rest. Connect this cycle to how God faithfully brings each season when it's supposed to come. 

Finally, when your kids are impatient about getting something they want, encourage them to be patient by reminding them about God's timing in nature. For instance, point out how your family had to wait for tomato plants in your garden to grow, but God eventually gave you fresh tomatoes when it was time. Explain that waiting often makes your faith and trust in God stronger.

Nature often powerfully shows God's unlimited strength and wonderful power at work. Your children can experience that through tall mountains, vast oceans, and other experiences in nature that remind them God can do much more than they can understand. One way to help your kids learn this about God is to watch a thunderstorm from safely inside your home. Look out a large window at the storm and talk about the raw power of the lightning flashes and the loud booming sound of the thunder. This is a great chance to read Bible verses about God's power over creation, like Psalm 29, which includes verses like "The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters." (verse 3) and "The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning." (verse 7). When possible, visit mountains or large bodies of water. Stand before a towering mountain range or look out at a massive ocean. Help your children grasp how huge it is and let them feel small in comparison, which will help them feel awe for God, who made that powerful part of nature. Visit a waterfall so you and your kids can experience the awesome force of the water together. Talk about the tremendous power of the water and how God ultimately controls every drop of it. Help your children understand that God made all natural forces, and he keeps them going. Discuss how nothing is too big, too chaotic, or too wild for God to handle in their lives.

In conclusion, enjoying nature adventures together can teach your kids important lessons about God in ways that involve all their senses and connect them well with their Creator. So, take your children outdoors not just to play but to think and to worship. When you do so, you'll help them grow a lifelong love for nature and for the wonderful God who made it all!