Parenting Resources

Body Smart & Nature Smart

Your child thinks with movement and touch

‘Body smart’ children move when they are excited and need the freedom and space to do so. They enjoy physical activities like hiking, dancing, running, climbing, and movement helps ‘body smart’ children learn and think creatively. Body smart children often enjoy doing chores around the house – sweeping the floor, cleaning the windows, folding the laundry. Body smart children enjoy outdoor games and Twister, and they process emotions by being physically active or needing physical contact.

As you can imagine body smart children may be diagnosed with ADHD, so it is important to show these children how to control their movements so they don’t interfere with or hurt other children.

Your child thinks with patterns

‘Nature smart’ children thoroughly enjoy the outdoors and easily observe the patterns seen in nature – noticing shapes, designs, colors. The children seem to naturally categorize items and information as they think with comparisons and contrasts. Nature smart children enjoy games that involve matching patterns, and they process emotions by being outdoors or being with a pet.

It is important that parents allow all children the opportunity to spend time outdoors, experiencing nature.

The ‘nature smart’ children will not have that intelligence awakened unless they are allowed to actually see, touch, smell, and feel the natural world.