Ward School Nature Connection
After an introduction to Nature Connection at a workshop held by Ramona and Angela earlier this year, the idea of utilising an unused and wild area at Ward School grew in Nicole Cochranes mind.
It came to fruition at the beginning of this term when she led a group of excited children beyond the normal school boundary. This was the first of weekly visits to explore and connect with nature.
Each visit begins with setting up their ‘base camp’. Then they walk the perimeter to look for hazards that may have cropped up since their last visit. During their walk children pick up treasures – leaves, flowers, sticks, anything that takes their interest – to settle into the environment by way of a mindfulness activity.
Mindfulness time to begin the nature session
Then the children are free to explore!
As you can imagine the children love it. When asked what they enjoy about their time in nature, they answered with –
- Finding secret ways (paths and locations)
- Looking for treasures
- Collecting clover
- Drawing
- Building Huts
- Finding bugs and cobwebs
- Using the magnifying glasses to look at moss close up
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- Nature’s treasures
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- A student taking a closer look
Having run the sessions for nearly a term Nicole has noticed that tamariki are stepping out of their comfort zones, trying new activities and using different spaces. Some of the year 2 students have loved leading the hazard roam around at the start of the session and can identify when big branches have fallen down. At first the girls and boys were building separate huts. But now they are mixing and collaborating, combining ideas to make a better hut together with the resources they have.
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- Hut building
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- Working together to collect resources
It has been wonderful hearing about the ways in which Nicole’s tamariki are connecting with their new surroundings. They are experiencing and exploring nature through all of their senses. As well as seeking and appreciating the beauty of the environment around them.