There's a reason why a lot of schools and camps use the great outdoors as a way to manage anxiety. We instinctively know that getting out into nature is good for us.
But how can you get the most out of this free-to-access health and wellbeing resource?
Maybe you want to explore your nature-connection but never get past thinking about it. Perhaps you wonder how to get the best benefit from nature or you've tried but there are bugs and mud.
There's no right or wrong way. When we spend time in nature – listening to the birds, examining the trees and rocks, or just sitting quietly under an old tree or by a crystal clear stream – good things happen to our mind, body and relationships, both with each other and with the planet. This is a good way to ease out of your comfort zone, and for Daily Practice.
The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for intense physical activity and is often referred to as the ‘Fight or Flight’ response. The parasympathetic nervous system has almost the exact opposite effect and relaxes the body and inhibits or slows many high energy functions, and sometimes referred to as the ‘Rest and Digest’ response.
To rest and digest, get outside!
What to do
You have to dress for the weather, open the door, and go outside. THAT'S IT.
We have always loved using Nature as a way to Rest and Digest.
But we also lived on a busy street that connected to a busier street with no sidewalks in sight. We now live on a busy street with no backyard, but trails are close enough to walk.
It's hard to coordinate naturing when you have to take time to think about safety, weather, access and time. But as a family in a small space with 3 very active kids, it doesn't have to be mind-blowingly social media-worthy nature. It can be a tree in your neighborhood or a beautiful garden nearby.
The Dollar Tree sells cheap bird seed and hummingbird feeders. Thrift stores have a gazillion nature or animal books to use as treasure maps for nature walks. We love to hike and bike and walk and be outdoors. It's a FREE miracle cure.
There are no rules. Just go outside.
Grow or pick food
Create a growing space. If you don't have access to a garden, you could plant salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot.
Plant vegetables in your garden. Grow food together with others. Apply to share an allotment, or look for community gardens or food growing projects in your local area.
Go fruit picking. Look for local farms or orchards that let you pick fruit to buy. You might also find fruit growing in urban spaces, for example wild blackberries.
Learn to find edible plants, known as food foraging. We have tons of books about edible plants because it's a fun activity for the kids. We made dandelion greens that were very popular in our house.
Bring nature indoors
Buy flowers or potted plants for your home. Collect natural materials like leaves, flowers, feathers, tree bark or seeds. Use them to decorate your living space or in art projects.
Arrange a comfortable space to sit. For example, by a window where you can look out over a view of trees or sky.
Grow plants or flowers on windowsills. We starting using the Kratky Method because we live high up in the mountains and had to leave our beautiful garden in Kentucky behind.
Take photos of your favorite places in nature. Use them to create art or print them and put them up on your walls. We've snapped pictures of cool things we see and paint or draw them at home.
Listen to natural sounds. You could record the sounds like a stream or rain to relax or use apps. We regularly use apps to identify birds or plants.
Do activities outdoors
Take a walk in green space. For example, a local park. When the kids were toddlers, it was a free way to get out of the house and not end up with Strep Throat or a stomach bug. Luckily, there was a safe park with trails not too far from home. Also we had a backyard. We've used tiny city parks (where mom can see everyone) or our old backyard for "nature retreats" where everyone takes a notebook and pencil and just sits by themselves to draw or write their feelings.
Get creative. Draw or paint animals or nature scenes, or let them inspire a poem or song lyrics. If you enjoy writing in a journal, try doing this outside. Sometimes we used to bike over to a school that used rocks as landscaping and we would pick out flat rocks to paint trees on and return them.
Eat meals outdoors. Have a picnic in a local park, or sit in a garden if you have one. This might be something you could enjoy doing with other people.
Watch the stars. Use a stargazing website, app or book to help you recognize different stars, or simply enjoy looking at the night sky. Give your eyes time to adjust, as it can take about 20 minutes before you can fully see stars in the dark.
Exercise outside. Run or jog through a local park, or do yoga outdoors. You could try it by yourself, or look for classes in your local area. We always look for races to add an extra challenge and a goal- a walk/run for a good cause.
Hike! Hiking doesn't have to be a big deal. It's walking through the woods, in nature. We try to find interesting things like pinecones. We look for pinecones to make into birdfeeders with peanut butter and random seeds from trail mix no one will eat. Or save them for "Christmas Crafts" (we have one million pine cone ornaments). Our 3 year old like to use his "walking stick" to poke holes and plant the "pinecorns."
Go beachcombing. Visit the seaside and search the shoreline for interesting things.
Try geocaching. Geocaching involves looking for items in hidden outdoor locations, using a mobile phone or tablet.
Help the environment
Go on a litter picking walk. For example, in the park or on the beach.
Plant helpful seeds. For example, berry bushes for garden birds or flowers to help bumblebees. Visit the Nature Conservancy to learn more about planting.
Build an animal habitat. For example, a hedgehog house or a bird box. Or create a pond if you have space.
Try upcycling. Get creative and find a new purpose for your trash. We do this ALL THE TIME. If you like efficiency and saving money, then you will love this.
Take notice of nature
Find things you can see, hear, taste, smell or touch. For example, grass under your feet or the feeling of wind and sunlight. We've made up 5 senses stories, poems, and drawings.
Keep a record of what you notice. Take photos or make notes in a diary or on your phone.
Set yourself challenges. For example, you could try to notice three things in nature each day.
Listen to recordings of mindfulness exercises.We hike and bike and walk A LOT and listen to books, tell stories or do silent walks.
Try to minimize distractions. For example, you could listen to the sounds around you rather than putting headphones in.
Connect with animals
Watch out for wildlife. If you don't live near open countryside, try visiting a local park to look for squirrels, fish, insects, ducks and other birds.
Visit a local community or city farm. You might be able to help out by volunteering. See the Social Farms & Gardens website for more information. Hang a bird feeder outside a window. If there's space, you could build a small wooden nesting box on a tree or under a windowsill.
Try birdwatching. You don't need any special equipment. See the Audubon or Cornell website for more information on feeding, sheltering and watching birds.
Try pet-sitting or dog walking. Offer to be a pet sitter in your local neighborhood, volunteer to walk dogs for an animal shelter, or ask to borrow a friend's dog for occasional evening or weekend walks.
Take part in a nature survey. This might involve counting birds, animals or insects in a particular time and place, or reporting individual sightings of wildlife.