Connecting Children to Nature

Nothing connects children to their bodies and enlivens them more than being in the elements. Breathing in the fresh air, squelching mud through fingers, catching raindrops on the tongue, quietly listening to birdsong, gazing at clouds and watching the flickering flames of a fire. Whilst most adults have memories of such experiences, a natural childhood is becoming less and less common. In this presentation I will share a few stories of how my own wild experiences through my teen years gave me so much: expanded my awareness, attuned my senses, connected me to like-minded people and above all, gave me a sense of belonging in my body and to the earth, to nature. In realising what being mentored in nature connection had given me, this inspired me to create opportunities to pass this forward. I’ll be sharing some simple formats and elements that have been most successful in creating rich, connective contexts for children to experience nature, highlighting the benefits of revisiting the same place regularly over time and having consistent nature mentors. My intention in this hour is to inspire and empower others to create their own local, nature connected communities.