Learning Through Play: Changing Perspectives

The magnifying glass is an excellent tool for children to discover the small details of the world around them. At Green Leaves, we love using our magnifying glass indoors and outdoors, whether it’s during a science experiment, Bush Kindy, or simply observing the greenery in our edible gardens up close.

Tools such as magnifying glass and microscopes offer a different perspective which creates interest, and invokes awe and wonder in small things. Providing additional visual stimulation, it’s a great way to nurture a child’s visual sense, which supports the development of spatial awareness, visual tracking, and orientation.

This is a simple activity you can do with your child at home. Next time you go for a walk, whether it’s to your local park or the beach, bring along a magnifying glass or binoculars. Perhaps even collect seed pods, rocks, seashells and objects of interest to further explore at home. To further extend this activity, you can discuss the features of these objects (for example, it looks spiky up close, it’s see-through) or even record your findings by drawing them.

What you need:

• A magnifying glass/ microscope/ binoculars
• A lightbox
• A collection of natural objects
• Your curiosity