Level Three (Part 2)

Narratives surround nature, in stories told to children and in the stories they tell each other. From Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood, to the Lord of the Rings and Lord of the Flies, the natural world has been a refuge or a place of danger for children. Similarly, animals have long had a central place in children's stories and how they make sense of the world. They can represent the children themselves (such as Peter Rabbit) or the threats of the world outside (the Big Bad Wolf). This level of engagement occurs when nature is used as a metaphor for something else: a utopian ideal world; the climate crisis; the challenges of growing up; exploration and adventure; growth and decay. Nature offers a lens for children to see the world as they experience it, and to process those experiences to make meaning. This chapter ends with five activities for meaning - making and explains what a child will learn from each one.