Kids and Nature: The Sweetness of Childhood

Kids playing
Kids Bring Their Curiosity to the World of Nature

As an editor at Ranger Rick, one of my favorite jobs is to prepare the column called “Ask Rick,” which appears frequently in the magazine.  It features questions sent to us by our readers, and our answers to these.

Reading these questions, I am reminded frequently of the innocence and sweetness of children–and of the importance of encouraging them to look around the world of nature and ask questions. Here’s a grab bag of some of my favorites:

  • “My mom said I can get a pet mouse when I’m ten. Can you please tell me how to wait until then without thinking about it?”

Another personal one:

  • “I am going to get a ten-gallon fish tank. Will my 17-year-old cat bother it?”

And who wouldn’t be touched by these questions?

  • “Does it hurt when deer get their antlers?”
  • “Do penguins snore?”
  • “Can a spider get caught in another spider’s web?”

I also get to see the general letters that our readers send us. Here’s one I loved so much that I taped it to my cubicle:

Dear Ranger Rick,

I love your wildlife books. They are good. You are cute.

Love, Morgan

What greater joy is there in life than to be reminded of the sweetness and innocence of childhood–and to feel the impact of that on the youngsters we touch?

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Published: October 20, 2010