7 Ways to Appreciate Nature Every Day

Last Updated on July 28, 2022 by Ellen Christian

Looking for ways to appreciate nature? Try these simple activities to help you appreciate all that nature has to offer you.

Spending time outside is one of my favorite activities. Check out these safety tips for walking alone at dusk or night.

7 Ways to Appreciate Nature Every Day

Living in Vermont, I am always looking for ways to appreciate nature.  My rural location makes it possible to enjoy all sorts of animals and nature around me.

My computer window looks out on our ducks and chickens in their pen.  Our garden is off to the side.  

In the early morning when I first wake up and am drinking my coffee at my desk, I have seen foxes sneak by my window going from the woods behind our house to the stream across the road.  

I watch the rabbits sneak nibbles from our vegetable garden and the birds chase each other in the lilac trees. 

Why do we appreciate nature?

Lately, I’ve found that I’m spending far too much time working and nowhere near enough time relaxing and enjoying life. It’s a trap that I fall into far too often whether I’m working for someone else or for myself.

I’ve decided that I need to slow down, work less, and look at what I’m spending my time doing. Working twelve hours a day isn’t good for you and, eventually, it will catch up to you in one way or another.

Spending time in nature encourages you to slow down. It’s a time to reflect on what’s important and to calm your thoughts. Deepen Awareness with these Guided Meditations

How do you appreciate nature?

I’ve been reading a lot about minimalism and leading a more intentional life. I’ve learned that I am working simply because that’s what I’m using to doing.

I’m not always productive and far too often I find that I’m wasting time on social media instead of actually accomplishing things.

One of my goals is to slow down and appreciate life and the world around me more often. Here are a few easy ways that you can appreciate nature every day.

Learn to appreciate nature with these activities

• Feed the birds – You can hang a bird feeder, make your own suet, or even make food for the hummingbirds. Place the feeder in a window you can easily see from inside and take the time to watch the birds.

• Enjoy your lunch outside – Sit quietly and simply look around you.  You’ll be surprised at the wildlife you overlook at other times. Watch the birds in the trees or the dog playing in your neighbor’s yard. Don’t have time for lunch outside? How about your morning coffee?

• Plant flowers – Flowers will attract all sorts of wildlife to your yard.  Hummingbirds love bright reds and pinks.   Brightly colored songbirds enjoy sunflower seeds. Gardening is good for the soul and for the planet. Take time to snip fresh herbs from your herb garden for dinner or stop by your vegetable garden every evening to pull weeds and pick fresh vegetables for dinner.

Things to do with the kids

Here are a few ways to appreciate nature with the kids.

• Visit a local attraction – Visit a botanical garden, the zoo, an aquarium, or go horseback riding.  If you have the opportunity, go on a whale watch.  That’s on the list of things I would love to do someday. If you can’t afford to go somewhere far away, why not head to a local park or hiking trail for the afternoon?

• Start the morning with a walk – Take a walk through the woods or around your neighborhood. I’ve started walking twice a day: once in the morning before I start work and once in the evening after supper. Go for a hike on the weekends.

• Play with the kids – Don’t forget to teach your child different ways to appreciate nature.  Help them plant their own garden, identify wildflowers, or just throw a ball back and forth for a while after school. Why not take the kids fishing.

• Just sit quietly – Too much of our lives are spent doing things. When was the last time you just sat and looked around? Learn to appreciate the silent moments in your life whether that’s the sunrise/sunset, the waves lapping against the beach, or the rabbits in your garden.

More things to do outside

If you’d like a few more ideas of what to do outside, why not try these.

• Get children physically involved outdoors

• Walking tips for beginners

• Healthy fall activities

• How to reconnect with nature

• Are lilac flowers edible