Teaching children how to respect nature and life in all forms is no easy job.  Especially for someone like me who isn't so fond of getting this close to a snail or anything that is slimy, jumps, or can fly for that matter.  Does that mean my children shouldn't get too close either?  Of course not.  That's not in my rule book.  I mean, unless they are headed straight for a bee hive or fiddling with a black widow or something, I tend to keep my mouth shut when they are curious about the safe bugs and insects.  There's no need to impose my own fears into them, especially when I'm trying to teach them to respect nature in all life forms.  And speaking of nature, I just gotta say this: Children + Nature = Balance, harmony, love, and a whole lot of other 'well-being' benefits for children as well as adults. 

The following are some helpful links that I personally enjoyed reading and will probably refer back to often.  I hope they help you get outside some more as well.

The work of children does not rest in the hands of the adults who are responsible for them. It derives from the heart, imagination, and curious nature of a child. Their love for the world around them and the people who care for them, serve as protectors and mentors who provide them with the unconditional love their soul's need. That's really all a child needs to do his work well.

This picture symbolizes a common phrase I have heard among cautious and well meaning parents.  "Don't play with sticks, you'll get hurt!"  When I think about what is being taught through those words, what they mean to a child, I can't help but wonder how many times we have given them the message that their choices are bad ones.  What other lessons that our world has to offer, have been taken away from a child because of OUR own fears and reservations about what is safe and what isn't?  If I had said those words to him as he walked with these sticks, we would have missed out on a few important lessons that took place in a matter of seconds. 

The fact that one object can become two (such as the stick that broke in half).
The tone that was created by the banging of two sticks on a light pole.  
The experimentation with one, then two, then together, and how they make different sounds.  
The amount of distance he needs between himself and the pole to successfully perform this task.
And the sense of Joy that he feels with the results of his work.

So the next time you find yourself saying "no", ask "why not" instead.
 
Assuming they are safe of course :)