Have you ever heard of a senses walk? Have you lost your connection to nature, are you a parent whose trying to spend more time outside with your kids, or a teacher whose wanting your students to know more about God’s Creation? A senses walk is a great starting point to getting outside and becoming more observant and engaged in the natural world. So how do we use our senses when studying nature? My favorite part of nature studies is that I can do it with my entire family. We are building memories while we spend time together outside walking around and using our senses.
Nature Spot
Does your family have a spot outside that you enjoy? Start exploring there and be intentional with your senses as you linger and explore the area. What I love most about a senses walk is everyone is the expert and there is so much to notice! You will find that each person may be more skilled at a different sense than another and together your a team investigating God’s Creation. There are many ways to use your senses for nature study. You may also be interested in my post Into the Forest and out of the classroom.
Using the five senses for studying nature
Two of my favorite tools for seeing are a good pair of binoculars or a magnifying glass. These tools will help you see more details up close and be more observant rather than just looking at the whole picture. Binoculars give a different view of details that are farther away. My kids love to look for birds high in the trees. Both these tools are great for discovering nature with our eyes from a different perspective. Sketch what you see in your nature journal as soon as you get home. What facts or diagrams can you find about what you saw? Record them on the same page with your sketch. I’ve included below some of my favorite resources we use for nature journaling below.
Listening
Listening on a senses walk in nature is remarkable. So often we think of nature as being quiet, but when we really start listening we will discover the sounds of Creation around you! Make a list in your nature journal of what you heard. My children love to listen for bird calls and then try to figure out what bird they heard when they get home.
Touch
We all love to touch something tangible! There’s such a variety of sensations to experience in nature! Touch is a profound way to discover more about nature. Look for rough bark, glossy or smooth leaves, rocks, moss, silky flower petals, or water in a stream. My children love to carry a pair of gloves in their nature backpack or a Swiss Army knife. You never know when you might find a patch of garlic mustard to pull or a stick that would need some sharpening. I also recommend some good containers for catching.
Smell
The power of smell and our limbic system! The limbic system processes emotion and memory. We can easily neglect our sense of smell in nature. Some of my favorite memories as a child are spending time outside. The smell of lavender can take me right back to my childhood. My children will always remember the smell of garlic mustard. We’ve spent many hikes pulling up this invasive species for a quick snack or to make pesto. You can find some tasty treats in nature!
Taste
It’s important to teach your kids early to be cautious with eating anything in nature on a senses walk! If you don’t know for sure what it is you don’t eat it! There are many lookalikes that are poisonous in nature. If you are unsure of what to taste look for ripe fruit that’s blooming. We’ve found many strawberries!
Extension Activites
After your senses walk I encourage your kids to take what they have found and add it to their nature journal. My kids have loved making some paint from berries or flowers. You could also make some nature paintbrushes to use with the paint, or make a suncatcher to hang in the window.
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