Nighttime is a Great Time to Explore!

Let’s Be Curious! Talk to your child about what it’s like outside at night time. Discuss what animals or bugs you might hear or see that aren’t around during the day. Ask your child questions such as, "What sounds are different? What can you see easily? What is hard to see?" Talk about how it might feel outside when the sun isn’t out — will it be hot or cold? Invite your child to think of other questions about what happens outside your front door after the sun sets.

Let’s Make a Plan! Create your own nighttime observation kit. Gather flashlights, the observation chart, and any additional items you have on hand that can help you explore at night time where you live.

Let’s Explore! Just before sunset, invite your child to grab the nighttime observation kit and sit by a window or on your front steps with you. Get settled before it’s truly dark out so you and your child can notice differences from day and night. You can also take your nighttime observation kit with you for when you know you’ll be out together after dark on an errand or visiting with family.

If it gets dark too late after your child goes to bed, let your child know that you’ll explore after dark together another time. Mention that the days are shorter during the fall and winter and longer during the spring and summer.

While you explore at night time together, ask your child lots of questions such as, "What do you notice? What surprises you? What did you expect?" Be quiet together to listen for sounds. Write down or draw your notes on the observation chart.

Observe some more! Look down and look up. Nighttime surprises are everywhere. Continue to ask your child questions such as, "What do you smell? How does it feel to be outside after dark?"

Follow a particular sound and see if you can discover who — or what — is making it.

Let’s Share! Write down or draw pictures of what you discover together on your observation chart. Review the notes when you’re back inside. Talk about what’s different at night than what you notice during the day. Share with a friend or family member the next day. Did they notice anything outside at nighttime that you did or didn’t notice?