Nature Connection Workshop
How often do you take the time to slow down and experience the environment with all your senses?
At the beginning of March Marlborough Early Childhood teachers left feeling inspired and excited to plan their next excursion after attending this term’s Nature Connection workshop.
Following on from the Nature Connection pilot programme last year where our Environmental Education team supported Spring Creek School and Springlands Kindergarten to set up their own Nature Connection programmes, they hosted an introductory workshop.
Gathered at Sheps Park, Springlands Kindergarten teachers guided the group through the experience that they offer tamariki when they have their fortnightly visits there. Opening with a karakia, they then followed their process of a “safety check” walk around the boundary of the park. This is also utilised as an opportunity to role model intentional observation of the environment. Whilst walking teachers were encouraged to collect an object that spoke to them. The objects were then used for a guided sensory activity that invited them to notice how it may change in different lights, how it felt on their hand vs their cheek, what it smelt like and how it sounded?
Utilising this object again they were invited to be creative and create something with their item. These two experiences explored the first two Pathways to Nature Connection of Contact and Beauty.
A series of brainstorms followed on from this which allowed teachers to unpack the Five Pathways to Nature Connection. They looked at other experiences that they could offer tamariki to strengthen their connection to nature.
“Senses, Beauty, Emotion, Meaning and Compassion”
These pathways come from the Nature Connection Handbook which can be found on the link below
https://findingnatureblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/the-nature-connection-handbook.pdf
You can read more about the Nature Connection pilot programme here
https://www.marlborough.govt.nz/your-council/latest-news-notices-and-media-releases/news?item=id:2pflyjpbg17q9sw4svsf