Finding Your Spot

My husband Damon has willingly accepted my request for him to be a contributor at Nature For Kids. I think he has a lot to offer families and children when it comes to learning, especially in nature. Check out his Bio. With that said, here’s Damon’s first post… 

One of the activities I use in my outdoor therapy groups is the “Finding Your Spot” activity. The kids are assigned the task of finding a 1ft. X 1ft. spot of ground. Then they are to discover everything there is in that one spot. All the sounds, sights, smells, bugs, rocks etc. (inevitably one kid will taste something too)

I then call the kids back and have a discussion about their spots. We talk about (or process) what if someone came and destroyed their spot by putting garbage on it or tearing it up. It’s amazing the response I get from them. More often than not, they become defensive and truly take ownership of their spot.

I like doing this activity where there’s also a great view of a big canyon or from a tall peak where they can see forever. I transition the discussion into how they would feel if someone destroyed their environment on a larger scale. I can take the discussion even deeper by pointing out that people might try to pollute their bodies with drugs or alcohol.

 

This activity can easily be adapted to any group or family size and to any age level.  Try it out and give me some feedback on other great processing ideas with this activity. Be creative, you’re the best teacher for your kids!

It’s a great experience for kids to take ownership and responsibility for their environment and their bodies even if it starts out at 1 ft X 1 ft.

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