It’s Fall, my favorite time of year- the crisp air, the changing leaves, walking through pumpkin patches… it is a great time to be outside. Did you know that research suggests that spending time outside has significant psychological and physical health benefits? But even more than just being outside, some studies show that spending time in nature has the greatest benefits (See Jill Suttie’s article on Why Trees Can Make you Happier). The Japanese have a term for this: “Shinrin Yoku” which means “taking in the forest” or “forest bathing”. What’s great about this activity, is that it doesn’t require anything except for you to find a place where you can be surrounded by trees. Nothing else. It is really that simple! Spending time in nature and immersing your senses in the surrounding environment can lead to a decrease in stress and an increase in happiness. It’s such a simple activity that the whole family can enjoy. If you have active kids, you can take a walk in the woods and search for different colored Fall leaves around you. For quieter kids (or a solo trip for you), you don’t have to move at all- you can find a quiet spot to sit and take in the beauty around you. So get out there and reap the health benefits of hanging out with the trees.
Tags:
Health & Wellness
Social-emotional learning
Grade Levels: Pre-K through High School
Age Levels: Choose from this list. Delete those that do NOT apply.
- Birth-36 months (infant/toddler)
- Pre-K 3-5 yrs (preschool)
- 5-6 yrs (kindergarten)
- 6-8 yrs (primary)
- 9-11 yrs (elementary)
- 11-14 yrs (middle school)
- 14-18 yrs (high school)
Developer:
Karena Rush
Credit:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Credit: ConnectionSpot.org on 10/28/2020
