During this time of Covid, the kids and I have walked. And I don’t mean just walked, I mean WALKED. I regularly track over 10,000 steps a day. It’s good for everyone. It gets us out of the house, into nature, it’s good exercise, and there were a few months where 2-year-old Dylan would practically tear the house down if we DIDN’T get out for a daily walk.
We’ve also found wonderful ways to make our walks fun and interesting. In October, it was looking for scary Halloween decorations, we called them “Spooky Walks.” We ate candy corn and Rose practiced being brave by walking up to scary houses. In November, we searched out big, beautiful leaf piles to play in. December brought Christmas lights and we often went for night walks donned with hot chocolate and peppermints.
Those walks have all been amazing, but I have to admit that my favorite walk to do with the kiddos is right now, a Tiny Perfect Things Gratitude Walk.
Tiny Perfect Things is an ADORABLE children’s book written by M.H. Clark and illustrated by Madeline Kloepper. It’s about a little girl and her grandfather going on a walk one day. This is THE book that I pull out of Rose’s library whenever I feel like the pace of our lives has gotten too fast. When we all need a reminder to slow down and appreciate life. You can get it on Amazon or at your local book store.
Illustrated by Madeline Kloepper
Here’s a lovely excerpt from the book. The grandfather wisely tells his granddaughter:
“Today we keep our eyes open for tiny, perfect things.
Like here, on the ground, a yellow leaf that the wind blew down.
A spider’s web that’s caught the light.
A snail that climbed the fence last night.”
EXCERPT FROM “TINY PERFECT THINGS” BY M.H. CLARK
It closes with the granddaughter telling her parents about the walk.
“We found so many things today! A leaf, a snail, a cat, some crows.
The world is full of wonders, no matter where we go.
Can we go again tomorrow? I wonder what we’ll see.
The world is full of perfect things when you come look with me.”
EXCERPT FROM “TINY PERFECT THINGS” BY M.H. CLARK
The sentiment on the face of the book is that curiosity about the world around you can make even an ordinary walk into an extraordinary adventure.
What I actually see and hear when I read this book is the beautiful way it teaches children to appreciate and feel grateful for the tiny perfect things in their lives.
The walk is all about being mindful, slowing down, and taking in the beauty that surrounds us just steps outside of our homes. What a WONDERFUL lesson to teach our children.
So, have some fun and go on your own Tiny Perfect Things Walk with your children! It’s super easy. Just tell them that you’re going for a walk and the game is to look for small, beautiful, or interesting things along the way. Show them how by pointing out things you find. Use descriptive language to describe the tiny, perfect things you find. A vibrant red leaf, a smooth black stone, a shiny green bug. They’ll catch on quickly and jump right in.
I like to give Rose my phone so she can stop and take photos as she spots wonderful little treasures that interest her. You can also have the kiddos draw pictures of their favorite tiny perfect things when they get back home.
If we can teach our children to appreciate the color of a vivid yellow daffodil, the shape of a statuesque cactus, or the determination of a slug crossing a forest, just think of how we can impact their appreciation for their toys, their homes, their health…even their parents.
Talk to your children about how beautiful and wonderful the things they found on their walk are – how they’re all unique and special in their own ways. Then, draw comparisons to the world around them. Tiny perfect things exist in nature, but they’re also surrounded by them in their day-to-day lives. Each of their family members is unique and special in their own ways as well. Mention how important it is to feel gratitude for something as small as a bug as well as much bigger things in their lives, like family and friends.
Gratitude is the secret to happiness, let’s cultivate it every day in our very own Tiny Perfect Children.
Until next time, keep raising EXTRAORDINARY kids,
Angelique
Beautiful reminder to always find beauty in all that surrounds our bustling lives. Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us to slow down, look, and be grateful for the amazing beauty that surrounds us.
Thanks so very much Misty! I’m so glad that it resonated with you! xoxo