A nature tray or nature table is a wonderful addition to any classroom or home. If you haven’t begun the tradition of having a nature tray or table, now is a perfect time to start.
Nature Trays
Nature Tray (Photo from Montessori for Everyone)
If you want to have a nature tray, you could have a seasonal one. Or you could have a themed nature tray, like the one in the photo from Montessori for Everyone, which has a tree/forest theme. In the post with the nature tray, Montessori for Everyone has other great nature ideas such as creating biomes and animal-track imprints.
Fall Nature Tray (Photo from One Hook Wonder)
One Hook Wonder had a lovely example of a fall nature tray. Unfortunately, the blog is no longer available.
Fall Nature Tray (Photo from Discovery Moments)
Discovery Moments also has a wonderful nature tray.
I have Montessori nature tray sorting and counting for toddlers and preschoolers.
I have a nature cutting tray for toddlers and preschoolers.
I have a Montessori nature tray with magnification work and flower arranging.
I have a life and death nature tray.
I also have a Montessori nature tray with vocabulary for parts of the plant.
This nature tray has seashells and sea life along with a post showing how to use the 3-period lesson to teach vocabulary.
I have an owl-themed nature tray with owl nature craft and art appreciation.
Nature Tables
If you have enough room, you might want to have a nature table rather than a nature tray.
Fall Nature Table (Photo from The Wonder Years
The photo from The Wonder Years is a lovely example of a Waldorf-inspired fall nature table. The complete table contains fabric, seasonal items from nature, books, and handmade toys. Be sure to follow the link to see the photos and descriptions of all the items on the nature table.
Nature Shelf (Photo from Counting Coconuts)
Counting Coconuts has some beautiful examples of nature tables or shelves (photo from Our Nature Display post).
Here are some amazing Waldorf-inspired nature tables from About a Girl.
Here are some wonderful photos of Waldorf-inspired nature tables on Flickr.
Do you have a nature tray or nature table in your classroom or home?
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Hi Deb! I have been seeing so many great nature tables on blogs, and would love to start one with my bambinos, too. Just a quick question – and please pardon my ignorance – but is the idea that you display things your children pick up on nature walks, or would I as the mommy prepare the tray for them ahead of time and around a theme? We live in a city and although we try to get as close to nature as we possibly can, as often as we can, our treasures are mostly bits and bobs from our small garen, or the odd feather from a walk around the block.
Thanks for your comment! I think your exact approach depends on what works best for your family. A lot of the Montessori nature trays have a magnifying glass and objects found on nature walks. A lot of the Waldorf nature tables have draping, books, pictures, and items handmade with natural materials in addition to objects from nature. Some of the tables have gourds and colored corn which could have been purchased. I think it would be great to set up the nature table or tray with your children (and if you add a few purchased items, have your children shop with you). Then add things to your nature tray or table as your children find them on nature walks. Have fun!
I love having nature tables in my learning corners too! My kids would hold the magnifying glass and inspect all the details of the objects! They never get sick of it. 🙂
Thanks, Izzy! That sounds great! It’s amazing how much children enjoy something as simple as a magnifying glass.
Great post! We’re big fans of the nature table at our house. We sometimes go the Waldorf route and sometimes more of an organic route just adding what we find on our nature walks!
Thanks so much for your comment! I just checked out the nature tables on your blog – and love them! I added a link to your nature tables in my post!
Thanks for the mention and the great ideas!
You’re welcome, Lori! And thanks for giving me permission to use your nature tray photo. I love the ideas you gave in your post!
I love this idea, thanks for all the inspiring links!
Thanks, Jen! I had fun searching for great nature trays and tables online. It’s amazing how many Waldorf-inspired nature tables are on Flickr alone!
Thanks for the mention, Deb! We’ve really enjoyed having out nature display.
You’re welcome, Mari-Ann! And thanks for sharing your beautiful nature displays!
Great video! Thanks for sharing!! I was thinking maybe posting that on my blog with credits of course, would that be okay? [email protected] let me know, thanks, Erika
Thanks, Erika! I always love whenever you can link to my blog!
Hi Deb,
I just linked this post to my most recent post:
http://exploreandexpress-sheila.blogspot.com/2011/01/exploring-creator-through-nature.html
Thanks for the great explanation of what a nature table is and for sharing the resources that you’ve found!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Sheila – and thanks for linking to me in your wonderful post!
Living rural we get to interact with a lot of nature, whether we want to or not. These are some inspirational ways to introduce the textures, colors, smells, and tactile feeling of natural elements. Thank you for sharing and for linking up this week to the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop.
What a fantastic set of inspiration for nature tables. At the moment we only have room for a nature window sill but it’s wonderful to have in our home.
Thank you for linking up to Tuesday Tots and supporting us each week.
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