There is so much to discover in nature!
This activity allows children to explore the world around them, using their senses!
Materials
- Logs, tree branches and leaves
- Chestnuts, wood chips and moss
- Rocks and pine cones
- Mud and water (if barefoot)
Learning Goals
- Engage, explore and experiment in their environment and use new physical skills including skills to manipulate objects and materials
- Learn about the natural environment and its features, materials, animals, and plants, and their own responsibility as carers
- Nature awareness: collecting, sorting and grappling with natural materials
- Sensorial Stimulation: experience various textures with our feet
Process Description
Step 1
Children can collect various natural resources from their environment or ask family members and friends to contribute to this project.
Step 2
Let children decide what they want to include into the path and what materials should come first, second and so on.
Step 3
Children and if possible family members or community members can help to create the path.
Step 4
This path should be freely accessible for children at all time and being used if possible without shoes.
Step 5
Give the children an opportunity to use and play with the clothing their own way. They may wish to sort the clothing by colour or style, or they may wish to try the items on!
Adaptation
If there is space for a wider sensory path, children lie down and roll over the materials with their whole bodies. A sensory wall can be created with the children. Words such as soft, tickling, hard, spiky, wet, cold, etc. can be written on paper pieces and added to the relevant areas of the sensory wall for increased literacy awareness.
Reflective questions
- What could have been better?
- How did I scaffold children’s learning?
- Could I have adapted the learning opportunity to reflect all children’s needs, abilities and interests
Looking and responding
Start by asking the children to describe what they see. Draw attention to details. These are sample questions that can be adapted using your expertise and knowledge of the children. Where is this happening; is it summer or autumn and how does this affect what we see out in nature?
I’m wondering what you were thinking when you were working with the leaves? How did they feel? What colours did you see?
Would you do anything differently, if you were doing it again?
Bibliography
- Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) (2006) Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education.
- Hsu, A. (2017) 12 Creative Sensory Walk Activities for Kids [online]. Available at: https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/12-CREATIVE-SENSORY-WALK-ACTIVITIES-FOR-KIDS
- National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) (2009a) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dublin: NCCA.
- Thornton, L. (2016) Using natural materials to enhance children’s learning [online]. Available at: http://blog.optimus-education.com/using-natural-materials-enhance-children%27s-learning.
Author Bio
TeachKloud is a cloud-based management platform for early childhood educators and parents!