Why focus on nature engagement?
Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.
Feeling connected to nature can produce similar benefits to well-being, regardless of how much time one spends outdoors.
Both green spaces and blue spaces (aquatic environments) produce well-being benefits. More remote and biodiverse spaces may be particularly helpful, though even urban parks and trees can lead to positive outcomes.
Ten ideas for nature engagement in WWE classes
Let the participants take the lead.
Your participants will have the best ideas for how they like to engage with and learn about nature. Ask them to make suggestions! If they have any special nature knowledge (bird-watching, foraging, scenic walking trails, etc.) encourage them to contribute and take the lead. Learn more about co-creation tips for your classes.
Nature-based grounding activities
The SNAP-Ed Mental Flourishing Toolkit has several great ideas for grounding participants through references to nature. Use these activities as icebreakers or grounding activities, or to end your time together in class.
There's an app for that: Learning about the natural environment
Do your participants want to learn about the local wildlife? Plants? Birds? If so, you can facilitate some great group learning through apps. Merlin and Seek are two easy ways to start!
Visit a local, regional or state park.
Although taking a group to a park will take some preparation, it is not that hard and the rewards are sweet.
Nature-based activities suitable for adults and children
There are so many ways that kids (of any age) can engage in nature through fun activities. Encourage your participants' observation skills by seeking out colors in their natural environment. Use this Google Doc to lead a color-find activity. Or, provide photo themes to inspire your participants to take creative photos of their natural environment. For more nature-based activity ideas, visit the Extension website.
Nature-based art
How can art and walking go together? Walking time can be used to collect natural art supplies, to put together some wonderful nature-based masterpieces after the walk is finished.
Nature photography
Bring out the phones and cameras - photography can be a wonderful way to engage in nature and enhance the nature-based Walk with Ease program. View these tips and tricks for nature photography.
Yoga: Nature-based stretching
Stretching is essential preparation for a walk, but what exactly is nature-based stretching? It's more than just stretching outdoors. Nature-based stretching involves yoga poses that are based on nature and are designed to help us connect to the natural world.
Scavenger hunt
When your mind is focused on finding things in the natural world, you can walk forever! Use this nature-based scavenger hunt as a template; you can design your own based on where your group is walking and what they may encounter.
Foraging
Our natural world is filled with foods and medicines to help us heal and be healthy. We can even eat some of the the weeds in our own backyards! Find foraging ideas for beginners, as well as important links to resources to expand your foraging pursuits.