Friday, April 24, 2020

Forts and Fairy Houses: The Art of Secret Spaces


I remember so many forts from my childhood.  Some were intricate and detailed, like the three-story tree house my dad built with me.  Some were cooperative efforts with friends, like the forts and tunnels built from hay bales in the barn. And some were just simple solo spaces carved out in the shade and moss in the prickly-ash thicket.  But all were treasured spaces, free from adult-imposed rules, full of promise and peace.  I could spend hours there, reading, planning, day dreaming, and observing nature happening around me.  In these hidden away dens I grew my love of the outdoors and my comfort in spending time alone.


In today's world of over-scheduled time and media's strong influence our children need secret spaces more than ever. When children are given the freedom to build forts, or tiny towns or mud kitchens they are learning valuable skills.  They make their own rules and gain confidence while problem solving.  They use analytic skills to determine what kinds of construction will work, how much planning is needed and they test their patience time and again.


In these private spaces they can connect with nature in ways that allow their bodies and minds to de-stress.  Their breathing can slow and their hearts and minds can fill with wonder.  Questions arise that they find the answers to all on their own.
In these magical places they can use their creativity to harness nature's beauty for art, for pleasure, for function or fun.  Their imaginations can take off, un-cluttered by expectations or outside influence. The world within these secret spaces is private and independent.  Here our children can slowly process and integrate new information while cultivating the skills they need to function in an ever-busy world.


In this world that has gone a little strange on us all, perhaps it's our job now more than ever to provide our children with time to build their secret places.  With nature's solid presence all around them our children can construct, create and explore spaces that feel safe and protected. Here, in nature, we know their worries are soothed, their bodies relax, and positive feelings increase.  Here in their secret spaces, the adults of our future learn to care for themselves and their world.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Finding Wild Things from Inside



Many of us have been experiencing Safer at Home practices for about a month.

While some have found reliable rhythms and routines, others are struggling to adapt and cope. You are not alone.

Fear, constant worry, uncertainty, hypervigilance (the work of taking special care with hand-washing and disinfecting surfaces), reading or watching news updates, reminding loved ones to take care, caring for those loved ones without respite...

All of these things can take a toll on mental well-being.

Resilient Wisconsin has many resources for individuals and families struggling with the challenge of this pandemic.

Many of us continue to take solace in the natural world. Research studies have shown that access to green and natural spaces can reduce the brain activity associated with rumination, the repetitive thought cycles associated with negative emotions.

But what if you are unable to get out in nature? We recognize that access to green or wild spaces is a privilege that not everyone can experience based on differences in living environment, mobility, health status, and economics. We know that the advice, “Get outside,” doesn’t work for everyone.

How then might we find connection with the natural world if it isn’t within reach?
Looking closer for things wild and natural might be a place to start.
  • Do you have a patch of sky visible from your window?
It might sound a little silly until you try this, but observing through a window can be calming. How does the sky change throughout the day? How does the light shift? Taking a few moments to pause and notice can be a welcome break from worries and concerns.
  • Virtual Nature Learning
No window available? Bring the amazing sights and sounds into your space with these virtual experiences. We know it's not quite the same as experiencing the world firsthand, but give them a try. You might be caught in a moment of awe and wonder. Many families have begun to gather and connect around these resources.
Webcams are great to watch wildlife. Here are some local favorites:
Environmental Education in Wisconsin has a well curated list of virtual wildlife viewing links here:
Our friends at Summer Outdoor Adventure Club in Reedsburg,WI, are doing daily nature videos and stories for kids. Subscribe to their Facebook feed.

If you have a backyard and simply need some new inspiration for activities, this resource provides  instructional videos from the naturalists at Fallen Timbers in Black Creek, WI.
  • Consider trying to grow a little something. Observing plants for their resilience and persistence can be a small way to inspire hope and curiosity. It's remarkable how even our kitchen scraps can hold the promise of new growth. 
Reach out and let us know what's working for you and your families. How are you connecting with wild things when you are unable to get out?

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

New Rhythms

A Guest Post by Susana Ruder, KVR Instructor and Parent

Things have changed for all of us, inwardly and outwardly. Our familiar rhythms and routines, our interactions with friends and loved ones, our commitments and time-pressing events. Around us too, mother nature is changing constantly: spring ephemerals are blooming, frogs have begun singing in ponds and watersheds, bird songs are clear and vibrant, ticks are awake after their winter sleep, nettles are poking their heads, and maple syrup season is coming to an end.

As a mother of three young children, I wonder daily, what do I want for my kids in these strange times? I want hope for them. Hope so they can continue to believe in the good around us. Hope so they can anchor themselves in what is beautiful, and so they can turn in dark times and find it, shining and guiding their steps. I find nature to be a friend I can always trust, and I turn to her arms continually for help. She has gently helped me find answers to my questions and has embraced my children as well with her soft ways. Nature is where my kids and I go to be ourselves. We play, we sing, we discover new things, and we come back home rejuvenated and alive.



Some fun things we did this week include a hike in our backyard to “The Rock,” a beautiful sandstone rock formation where the kids love to dig in the colorful sand. My youngest collects birch for his armor, my oldest likes to climb to the outcrop and carve rock, while my little girl makes little sand cakes below. The kids built a little home with sticks and moss this time as well. On our way back, they found a beautiful hollow log that had little cavities and brought it home to make more “fairy houses.” They are really hoping the fairies will leave a little present for them, even just fairy dust.



Another highlight has been our 6 new bantam chickens. They live in our living room for now, cozied up under a warm light. The kids want to handle them all the time. They even put them on our season table by the window to decorate it.

We’ve also spent some time planting bulbs, checking on the spinach that has began to grow in our garden, observing sprouted acorns by the river and planting them to see if a little oak tree will grow, and canning the last of our maple syrup.

As the days go by, I too feel myself changing slowly and silently. Adapting, grieving, tending. Forever grateful to the constant gifts of the natural world.



***
It's National Wildlife Week. Children and families can access the beloved Ranger Rick magazine online free during this time. This resource, created and maintained by the National Wildlife Foundation, has been a trusted companion for learning about wild things for decades. They've created and curated parent reading guides to help expand the learning and connection around so many great topics. Many of us remember waiting for Ranger Rick magazines to arrive in our mailboxes as kids. Times have changed, and the format is certainly different, but the content is still fantastic. 

Friday, April 3, 2020

Sitting Still

What can we notice when we sit still for a few moments? Do you have a spot where you can get eye-to-eye with nature, with the diversity of life forms and weather patterns?

Guiding children to notice the details in the world around them can be a wonderful way to connect. When we are intentional about slowing down to notice how things are experienced by our own, or another's senses, we can experience new understandings and appreciations.

Tuning into details can be calming for our nervous systems, and a way to take a
break from news cycles, routines and other demands. Over time, this can become a habit and a reliable way of steadying ourselves.

We've gathered some ideas for things to try with the young people in your life to connect observantly to the things you experience together. We'd love to hear about your ideas and experiences.

Ideas for Connecting Outside: Making Observations

I notice...I wonder...This reminds me of…


An alternative spin on urging children to look or listen, these three statement-starters offer another way into observing. Try sharing them yourself at first and then ask your youngster to share their own noticings, wonderings and remindings. For example, I notice the light through the tree leaves makes
a pattern in the grass. I wonder how long the shadows will stay. This reminds me of watching my own shadow move with me.

Source: https://johnmuirlaws.com/deep-observation/

Sit Spots

Developing a practice of sitting in one place and observing that place over time can be an amazing way for children and adults to tune in and notice their surroundings. Sitting in one place for an amount of time takes practice and patience by the guiding adult. Setting small goals that increase incrementally over time can help. This can also be a family challenge. Can we sit for 1-2 minutes during the first week and add a minute each week? Making time to share three things noticed from a spot can be motivating. Providing a little
tool for digging in the dirt near the spot can also facilitate exploration. Older children may want to bring along a nature journal to record observations or sketch. Sitting may be best after big or extended periods of movement with children.
There is lots of great information out there about creative ways to use sit spots. Here is a favorite of ours:
https://www.wildernessawareness.org/node/261


Imaginary Camera Game

In the era where we often carry cameras and phones with us to capture the most interesting and beautiful things in our world, we have become reliant on devices to do our remembering. This game asks each family member to capture their favorite memories from a walk or outing in memory. Sharing your “photos” is a conversational time to describe each person’s chosen moments. We can ask each other what the focal point or most important part of the image is or why that moment was chosen. Sometimes, being challenged to take just one imaginary camera picture during an outing can be an excellent goal. 


Barefoot Observation Hike

Exposing ourselves to new sensations can heighten our awareness. Encouraging your child to take their shoes off (in a safe area) and feel the sensitivity of their feet can enhance their connection to the earth.
Choose a hiking spot free from glass shards etc.  A good barefoot hiking place has a combination of grass, pebbles, dirt, mud, water, moss...
This could be your backyard, or a spot in a green-space near your home.  Take off your shoes and socks and store them in your backpack (best to bring them along in case your bare feet get tired).  When walking step straight down and try not to tip-toe.  Say out loud the kinds of sensations you feel: smooth, rough, sharp, prickly, dry, squishy, warm, cool, soft, wet...
Point to something you see in nature: a fallen log, moss, dried leaves etc.  Say how you think it will feel.  Then test it with your feet.
Try to pick up stones, sticks, leaves with your toes.

Source:  Horsfall, Jacqueline (1997).  Play Lightly on the Earth.


Unwind with a good book.  Here are some suggestions for sharing nature observation through story.