It can be easy to forget to stop sometimes and just ‘be’ – to drag ourselves away from our busy schedules and immerse ourselves in our environment. Spend a moment sitting or lying some place with nature around you and take a closer look at the invisible world beneath your feet. In our forest school ‘sit spot’ time we get the kids to use their “bear nose, dear ears, and eagle eyes”

children are wonderful role models for stopping and looking at things of interest – an ant on a food-finding mission, a worm busy at work in the leaf litter, a hidden ladybird larvae, the hum of bees when you stand under a flowering tree. 

A simple, mindful activity that can lead to so much learning.

WHERE TO LOOK?

Anywhere and everywhere! Up high has wonder and dreams, down low has magic and mysteries.

You’ll find something if you look, even on an urban pavement or wall. Habitats exist all around us – in the soil/leaf litter, in a patch of moss, under a pile of pebbles or in a tree, in the long grass, behind a pipe…

LOOK OUT FOR HOLES 

So much excitement can come from finding a hole, large and tiny, in nature! So take a look around and see if you can find any.

How were the holes made? Was it a creature? Can you use your detective skills to work out what creature might have made it? Do you think they live in there?

Unleash the imaginations of the younger mind – what is beyond the hole? Are there tunnels, food stores, sleeping giants, fairies preparing for a cold winter?

DONT FORGET TO LOOK UP AS WELL

Laying in the grass and Finding shapes in clouds is a favourite past time of many people that now often gets overlooked. Spend time just soaking up the rays observing the moments and shapes of the clouds, kids are so creative in what they see and the laughs are guaranteed to follow. 

Take it further…

Take binoculars or magnifier on your walk. 

Document your findings in a journal