Today we’re presenting an embodied experience of nature.
Wait, what does that even mean?
It means that every sense is engaged when we spend time in natural settings. Nature is full of sights, sounds, smells, textures, and even tastes. Outdoor play exposes children to vibrant natural colors, interesting noises, and a big world of sensation.
Scroll through the photos below to see how Outdoor Education Adventures takes advantage of embodied nature experiences to teach and excite kids about learning science.
Studies show that time learning in nature improves visual acuity, fine and gross motor skills, and gives them a sense of being a part of the natural environment. It awakens a person’s senses in a way that screen time, indoor play, and play with human-made objects cannot. When all senses are engaged, people use more parts of their brains.
The squish of mud between fingers and toes, or the sticky, gummy feel of a banana slug are sensations that most people are not ambivalent about … you either love it or you hate it, but you will never forget it. While experiencing these sensations, children learn lessons about biology and ecology in ways not available from a textbook or in-class discussion.
Our sense of smell creates the strongest memory pattern of any of our senses, and is backed by our sense of taste. There is only one way to create those memories: direct experience. OEA uses those experiences as an opportunity to teach ecology lessons, taking advantage of the strong sensations as memory-building moments.
Your support, or the support of your loved ones, coworkers, and friends, no matter how small, supports outdoor education in Yamhill County and gives more kids the chance to feel these sensations while they Play, Adventure, and Learn!
