A Note to Kids, Families, and Caregivers: 

Learning outdoors is active and benefits physical, mental, and emotional health, including decreasing stress and supporting wellness. As regular schedules and community connections are interrupted by the COVID-19 public health emergency, it is more important than ever to get outside and connect with and make sense of one’s feelings, emotions, and the world outside the door.

We invite learners of all ages to get outside and explore, learn, and play. Spend as little or as much time as you like with these activities. Do one or all of the activities, in any order. Use them as they are written or get creative and add your own twist. Each activity has three parts: Connect, Explore, Engage.

Adopt a quarantine tree! 

Trees are a joy to adopt—they grow, provide shade in summer, and you generally don't have to feed them!

Connect

Connect with a Walking Breath  

As you walk outside to explore, try breathing in as you lift one foot and breathing out as you put your foot down.

Connect

Whole Body Grounding Breath

1. Begin by standing with your feet firmly planted.  Imagine roots holding your feet to the earth and bringing sap/energy up to the top of your head.  Stand tall and strong.  
2. Relax your shoulders by gently dropping your shoulder blades down your back.

Connect

Return to or choose a sit spot. Close your eyes and tune into your sense of hearing. How many different sounds do you hear? If desired, map your sounds in your nature notebook. Make a mark in the middle to represent yourself. Place words, images, or symbols to represent the locations of sounds that you hear.