Do You Close Your Eyes in Nature?

It is all too easy while walking to get caught up in one’s thoughts or in a conversation with whomever you are walking with. If you’ve ever had that heart-leaping feeling when you suddenly become aware of your surroundings but can’t remember how you got there then you know what I mean. This isn’t something that only adults do.

I remember one time at work allowing a group of homeschoolers to lead a walk. I didn’t tell them that they were leading the walk. I didn’t really plan this; we were walking and exploring, so it didn’t really matter where we went. They stopped at the edge of the nature center’s front yard and looked both ways before crossing the street. Some of the kids who were walking next to me asked, “Is that the direction we’re going?” I said, “It is now.”

I was the sole adult with ten or so kids, many who’d taken my science and nature classes for a year or two. We ended up dividing into two groups. The group to the front was deep in a conversation. Although they acknowledged diverging paths by stopping, someone in that group would inevitably select the route to take, glance back to see that I and the rest of the group was following and continue ahead.

Of course, the kids walking with me thought that this was hilarious. Although the kids in the lead were familiar with the trails, it was winter and the few inches of snow on the ground had obliterated this less traveled path. At one point, I commented to the group close to me that we were no longer on the trail. They were, of course, a bit concerned that we were lost; but, I knew that we were between two parallel trails and would come upon one of them soon.

The group near me started wondering when the chatting students in the forward group would notice that we were no longer on a trail. The fact that they had been walking for 30 minutes without a destination hadn’t bothered them, but wouldn’t the lack of a trail.

Twenty minutes later, the lead group stopped. We were just 20 or 25 feet behind them so we caught up in a few steps. One student proclaimed, “I think we’re lost. Where are we going by the way?” The kids walking with me broke up laughing. Within five minutes we found the trail. The walk was a bit longer than ‘planned’ but it taught an interesting lesson.

Know where you are going. Whether you are walking in a city or a suburban neighborhood, you’ll get directions so you can go from one place to the next. The number of people who head out without a map into a forest is astounding. When they call on their cell phone they are usually left fumbling as they try to describe their location and get directions back to the parking lot.

So, a couple of things when you set out on a walk, one, know where you are going – will you encounter steep hills, uneven footing, seasonal flooding? Two, pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t get so caught up in thoughts or conversations that you miss trail or street signs.

Glance around and see where you are. Get kids in the habit of stopping and playing observation games. They aren’t just to slow the pace but to train kids (and adults) to notice where they are. At one level, your walks will be safer. On another level, they will be more enjoyable as you notice where you are.

Finding Peace of Mind in Nature

I’ve spent the last week and a half coping with my father going from the hospital to a nursing home. This has been an opportunity for me to clean through 37 years of stuff … in many cases because I need to get my hand on a document or item.

This stress has meant that I haven’t spent much time outdoors; in some cases, I didn’t even look out a window for hours. I pushed myself this weekend to make time for my walk. I have to admit that there is so much stuff going on in my head (to do lists, questions for the nursing home) that I walked but saw nothing. Today, my head cleared for moments so that I actually noticed squirrels and birds and insect-chewed maple leaves.

Encourage your children, whether they are two or twelve, to discover that nature can be a refuge for confusing feelings. While teaching them this, you too will develop this habit if you do not already possess it.

Don’t wait for your child to experience turmoil over an argument with a friend or a bad grade or another disappointment. Practice this stillness activity when your child is in a happy or relaxed mood so they will be receptive to the activity.

Activity 1: Find a quiet spot where there is someplace to sit – lush grass, a boulder, a log. Sit so you cannot touch anyone else in the group, giving each individual their own space. Move no body part but your neck, which will allow you to turn your head from side-to-side. Announce that everyone will sit still and observe for thirty seconds or five minutes or whatever works for the child’s age and temperament. That’s it. After the allotted time, stand up and walk a bit. If desired, everyone can discuss what they observed.

Activity 2: For a more active experience, each person walks without speaking to anyone. Set your feet quietly on the ground, trying to pass silently until you reach that rock up ahead on the path or for a set amount of time.

Both activities encourage observation and, perhaps, a bit of quiet reflection. When you child is used to the activities, and you know he or she is sad or disappointment, encourage the child to go outside, even if it is in the backyard, as opposed to allowing your child to brood in their bedroom. Your child may or may not feel better outside, but it is worth the try to get them to notice what is around them and not just what is going on inside their head.

A Teeny Tiny Nature Hunt

This hike requires kids to look for small items in nature and therefore forces them to walk more slowly. I find that one of the hardest challenges with taking kids into nature – convincing them that they can only really see things in nature if they move slow, giving them the opportunity to look around at their surroundings. If they are dawdling it’s either because they are deep in conversation or they are tired from charging along earlier.

For this nature hunt, give each child a penny. As they walk along, they try to look for things that fit, whole, on the penny. Rocks, seeds, nuts, evergreen needles, buds, grass heads, clover, moss, flowers, ants, millipedes, etc. can all fit on this small surface. If you feel a penny is too small for a child, you could use a yogurt lid, a poker chip, or any other flat surface (it doesn’t have to be round).

Children can do this activity in their backyard as well as any other location in nature. You can play this while walking along a trail or when you stop for a break and the kids want to wander around and explore the area where you’ve paused.

Because the items are so small, you can tell children that they can pluck a bud from a tree branch or a needle from a spruce tree; although, if you’d rather they not damage living plants you can ask kids to hold their penny up to an object in order to confirm the size.

Kids may want to play this game for five minutes or thirty minutes. If the children aren’t inclined to continue moving slowly after finding one or two tiny items, you can randomly call out, “Penny Hunt” while walking and give the children thirty seconds to find as many small objects as they can within that time.

However you play the game, it encourages everyone to notice things that they may have missed while walking along at top speed.

The Logistics of Exploring Nature with Kids

Originally published 4/01/2011 at explorealongtheway.com

Everything that you read and hear about kids spending more time outdoors sounds logical. In fact, you think it would be great for your family to go walking in nature during weekends. But where should you start? What do you need to bring with you? What if the kids are miserable and they refuse to go hiking a second time?

Check out How Families Can Take a Successful Nature Walk or Hike with Kids for ideas on keeping kids fed, watered, and entertained whether the walk lasts thirty minutes or two hours. At minimum, bring along water, snacks, basic first aid supplies, sunscreen, insect repellent, a map of the location’s trail system, and a cell phone – turned off, but handy in an emergency.

Which may bring up the thought, how long should you go walking with kids? If neither you nor the kids are used to hiking in the woods, start with five minutes for each year old the child is (or the average age of a few children).

When this proves successful, go with seven-to-ten minutes for each year old. Of course, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule and it doesn’t mean uninterrupted walking time. Allow some time for snack or water breaks, exploration, and even games – like “I Spy” – or the occasional art project. Thirty minutes of walking can be broken with other activities so you may end up spending an hour or more out on your “walk.”

Remember, that “down time” is probably as important as movement – if you just want exercise, then walk quickly; but, if you really want to appreciate your time in nature, you’ll need to meander so you can actually notice your surroundings; Help Children Develop an Appreciation of Nature with Observation. If you enjoy the experience of walking in nature, chances are your children will develop an enthusiasm for exploring the outdoors.