Tip #62: Know If Your Child is a Naturalist or Nature Smart

The naturalistic or nature smart child is curious about and understands the environment we live in. They notice what is around them and enjoy identifying and classifying things like plants or animals. That brings us to tip #62.

Tip #62: Know If Your Child is a Naturalist or Nature Smart.

This intelligence was not part of Gardner's original theory of Multiple Intelligence, but was added in 1997. Children and adults with this intelligence have a greater sensitivity to nature and their place within it. They love animals, usually have a green thumb, care about nature and the environment causes, like going to the parks, zoos, and aquariums, enjoy hiking, camping. Nature smart people have a good memory for the details of places where they have been and remember names of animals, plants, people, places, and things in the environment or nature.

Careers suited for those who are dominate naturalistic or nature smart include scientists, naturalists, conservationists, gardeners, and farmers.

If you would like to expand your child to be more naturalistic or nature smart you can:

1. Point out nature wherever you are.

2. Plant something and watch it grow.

3. Lie down in your yard together and look at the sky during the day and night.

4. Go bird watching.

5. Watch nature shows on television.

6. Read books and magazines about nature.

7.Get involved with environmental organizations.

8. Take care of a pet.

9. Build your own ecosystem.

10. Start a collection.

If your child is naturalistic or nature smart it is important that solve logic problems and games, get involved with a team sport or take dance classes, play an instrument, read books of interest, take photography lessons, keep a journal or diary, and meet new people. For more information on naturalistic or nature smart children read, "You're Smarter Than You Think", by Thomas Armstrong, PhD.