It is so fun to interact with young children and help them see, learn about and appreciate the outdoors, both flora and fauna. It is rewarding to see their mental light bulbs go on as we help them focus on plants and critters.

Little kids start out with an open-minded perspective on the outdoors, which may be confined to the backyard on many days.

The back (or front) yard is a great place to begin a lifelong study of the great outdoors because our yards can be full of flora and fauna to explore and learn about interdependencies.

It is always important to help youngsters learn about letters, words, books, shapes, colors, interaction with other kids and adults and myriad other valuable lessons, much of which happens indoors.

It is also important that kids spend time outdoors, not only to burn off steam and get some sunshine and fresh air, but also to take the time to observe and learn about the outdoors around them.

The limited space of a backyard makes a perfect-size outdoor classroom for kids because it is of a size that they can wrap their minds around. My own backyard is surrounded by trees where the wind shakes the leaves and brings some down to the ground for a closer look and a talk about the trees and other plants.

The familiar space gives us opportunities to show kids leaves from the same trees throughout the year as the leaves change; to teach them about the changing seasons; and how plants need to be taken care of and how they care for us.

Lessons taught also include how insects and birds use plants for food, escape from predators and nesting spots.

One of the most exciting moments for children outside is when a butterfly visits and delights with its erratic flights of fancy that bring it almost within reach.

Birds flit through trees and bushes, perching on branches and chirping or singing to make themselves heard, which fascinates kids when the time and care is taken to point it all out and talk to them about how those critters live and thrive.

All it takes is saying to a child, “Look, there is a small brown bird up in that tree. Can you see it? Do you want to know what it is hoping for today and what it is worried about today?”

That creates an opportunity to teach how that bird is not so different from us, in that it wants something to eat and drink, wants to play, make a friend, find a comfortable spot to rest and above all to stay safe.

Outdoors lessons are part of the curriculum of family life.