"Connections" Activity #1

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Sit Spot in Nature

A mindful activity for forest adventures. Try this with your family and encourage a peaceful time connecting with nature.

Develop a greater awareness of the landscape around you by finding a spot that feels right. This could be a rock in a shaded forest, a stump or a log, in a grassy meadow, or on the top of a lookout in the middle of your hike. Wherever you choose, make sure it feels right for you. 

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Take time to search for the perfect place for you!

Start by taking a look around and tuning into your senses. Try focusing on certain smells, sounds, sights, feelings, and even tastes that arise. Stay in the moment by acknowledging these, but letting them pass. 

How to get started

  • Sit down, get comfortable and wait.

  • You can intentionally draw your attention to what you can see, what you can hear, what you can feel, and what you can smell.

  • Look up.

  • Look down.

  • Close your eyes for a while, then open them. 

  • Breathe in deep and release your breath. Let your breathing patterns rise and fall naturally and stay as long as you can.

  • If your attention wanders, that’s okay; bring your focus back and rest again.

  • It’s up to you how long you stay. You might find it difficult at first to sit for even a few minutes, but with practice you can extend your sit spot time longer and longer. 

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There are no rules! Do what feels right for you.

Learning from your Sit Spot

By returning to your sit spot, you might observe:

  • The changing seasons

  • The changing textures

  • New growth

  • New decay

  • Smaller things

  • Tiny details

  • Things you have previously overlooked

How to get children involved

Not all children welcome the idea of being still and quiet. There are no rule books about how exactly you do your sit spot, but if you can get them to give it a chance they might love it.

Try these ideas to get things started:

  • Model it yourself- share your excitement about visiting your special sit spot and telling your children they might, if they are also very lucky, find a sit spot of their own.

  • Try a treasure hunt instead to introduce the idea that the forest is full of amazing things to spot.

  • Play I-Spy, to get noticing things in a fun and sociable way.

  • Practice sitting still with birdseed in your hands to get used to sitting in a spot for a while and see what nature pops up around you.

  • Invite your child to pick their own special spot and let them explore it for a while on their own while you watch from a safe distance.

  • Use an old picture frame (without glass or back) to have your child frame a certain area by holding it up and looking at what is inside the border. They can also make a drawing of what they can see through the frame to focus on details. 

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Learning how to focus.

Share your Sit Spot

Do you already have a sit spot in nature? Where is it? What have you noticed there? Talk about these with your family- you might be surprised about what you can discover!

Information adapted from: https://nurturestore.co.uk/sit-spot-mindful-forest-school-activity

Sydney Smith