How to take yourself on a Nature Observation Walk
How to take yourself on a Nature Observation Walk
Learning how to observe children in their natural environments is a major topic in many teacher trainings. Teachers are taught how to document children’s behavior and observe their developmental milestones. Threading children’s likes and dislikes and weaving appropriate curriculum can become an artistic adventure or an exhausting test in documentation. I often wonder, what if we took these same observation skills and observed Nature instead? What would we find? How would this simple practice change the way the teach both indoors and out?
What is a Nature Observation Walk? These walks are are a time to give thanks and simply reconnect with nature. Your Nature Observation Walks are the building blocks for your Teaching Outdoors practice. This practice needs cultivating and self care-just like any other practice. How can our own Nature Observation “Solo” Walks influence our walks outdoors with children? Think for a moment, what would happen if you, as a Natural Teacher, took yourself for a solo Nature Observation walk everyday?
RECIPE FOR “SOLO” NATURE OBSERVATION WALK
- TIME: Carve out 20 minutes in your day
- DESTINATION: Choose a special place to walk in Nature
- PAUSE: Observe, listen, breath
- EXPLORE: Pick up natural items that invite wonder
- REFLECT: How does your mind & body feel?
Your Solo Nature Observation Walk can be:
- Spontaneous & Impromptu
- On your own or with others
- Long or short
- Meditative
Here are some fun things to do along the way:
- Choose a TREE
- Identify tree & take a pictures
- Observe the changes
- Listen to the BIRDS All About Birds
- Learn the bird calls
- See how many you identify on each walk
- Collect a few ROCKS
- Stack the rock and create a rock sculpture
- Take a picture and see if it changes the next time you visit
Now it is time to hear from you. Share your Nature Outdoor “Solo” Walk. What did you see, hear, smell, touch? Leave a comment below.
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5 Comments
My Nature Walk had to be scaled down a little – I live in the city and don’t a car so I had to settle for a neighborhood walk to the dog park with my dog. A couple of blocks from my apartment I find my favourite house, the front yard is the most beautiful garden full of greens, tomatoes, and more. (remember this is Allston, having a big garden is a oasis compared to the rest of the house and -lack of- yards). This is one place I make sure to respect (and get my dog to respect too!) A couple more blocks in and we reach a small dog park. I sit on a bench while my dog explores every inch and every different smell in the place. I try hard to concentrate only on nature sounds and surprisingly there are a lot of birds, squirrels and other little creatures around.
This made me think about the idea of looking at the same thing or place with “different glasses” and how to brig this idea to the children at preschool…
Fantastic observations! I love that you found Nature in the city and used “different glasses” for looking at the same thing. This is a wonderful place to start! Bravo!
I decided to turn my nature walk into a kayak ride. I was immediately drawn into the wonder and peace of my suroundings. Soon I was lost in the sounds of the birds calling to each other from opposite sides of the river. The sounds of the street traffic disappeared as I heard frogs jumping in the murky water as I passed by. As I glanced around for the frogs and turtles I knew must be there, I realised I had to intentionally observe if I was going to find them. I think that is true of observing children as well. A quick glance doesn’t tell us much about who they are. We need to really pay attention to their conversations, play and body language. What better place to observe children than in nature, where there is so much to engage and marvel at without limitations.
I feel so trapped by the colorful steel coated climbing structure and plastic toys so many of our schools choose. I feel it is time for an outdoor classroom with gardens, trees and a natural landscape. What a gift that would be for my children.
I do plan on getting out there today and explore my back yard with the dog.
Last week we had a dirt table in the classroom. I brought out a bucket of dirt for our raised bed on the playground. With seeds. One of the kids talked to me about how the clouds were going to water the seeds as he played in the dirt. Poking holes in the dirt as he talked to me about doing it as he observed me doing it to plant the seeds. Another child from the other infant/toddler classroom came over with a dump truck and began to put the soil into the dump truck to dump. At the same time her face glowed as she handled the soil and spent more time playing in the soil than scooping it out into the dump truck. As hard as it was for me to let go of the fact that the seeds may have been removed (or at least a few) the joy the kids have playing in the dirt is priceless.