Family Activities
NO SCREENS ALLOWED
So there are lots of relatively simple things we can all do to help ourselves and the world around us. These activities can be done alone or with the whole family. Getting us all away from our screens for a while can only be a good thing right? Below are some projects that myself and my family have been doing together and helps us to all stay positive and ease some of the day to day stresses we all have.
Eco Minded Activities
Some eco minded activities we can do and get out in nature.
Why not set up a beach clean up.
A litter pick near your home.
Go for walks, record what animals or flowers you see,
Visit a local farmers market.
Get in your garden and plant wildlife attracting plants and flowers.
Build bug hotels and bird feeders and houses.
Go on a local camping trip.
Or do you fancy becoming a phantom planter?
Start going to an allotment and grow your own food.
Book a forest bathing session.
Wild Adventures
Get wild with the family
RSPB
Wild Challenge:
The RSPB have set up a free Wild Challenge that you can do alone or as a family. Once you are signed up you can click on each of the challenges you want to complete. There is a Bronze, Silver and Gold to be won. I have signed my family up to this and will be taking part, it does have some similar elements to it as 30 Days Wild - so on some occasions we can fill both out in the same day (yay). It looks like good well being family fun and I cannot wait to have a go.
Nature Projects
Ideas to get you started.
As I keep saying I really do believe nature can help mend us. So I love all this kind of thing anyway but since it is Mental Health Awareness week 10th-16th May and they have chosen NATURE as this years theme I thought I would put some ideas and tips up of things that could help us all.
30 Days Wild with the Wildlife Trust - JUNE.
Apply for a pack or download and print it out.
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Go Wild 365 days a year.
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Wildlife From Your Window
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sibirdclub/
#wildlifefromyourwindow began when Lizzie Guntrip started the #wildlifefromyourwindow as she suffers from Myalgic Encephomyelytis. This was to help those who had disabilties or conditions which prevented you from getting outside with nature. Lizzie began watching out of her window and observed what she could see and there you have it #wildlifefromyourwindow was born.
During the initial lockdown Chris Packham decided to use social media to engage people with nature to help people whilst they were confined in their homes. This became The Self Isolating Bird Club (SIBC) on Facebook. Daily live streams, with lots of different guests and knowledge flowing through each stream. This is when Lizzie Guntrip was on doing her thing. Fantastic stuff, I personally do not know what I would have done without the SIBC and all those fab guests. It is so worth joining the Facebook group and watching all the broadcasts. Amazing is the easiest way of saying what I think of it. Huge success meant it is still on to this day but sadly not monday to friday now as they are busy people with their own lives. The book Back to Nature stemmed from this which was written by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. I am half way through this book at the moment and loving it. I managed to get it for £10, result.
Wellbeing Activity
This is something that can work for some people. It will not take too long and you just may get some suprising results.
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Get a pen and paper.
Write down 10 things that you DO LOVE about YOU.
This works great is you use sticky notes or tape. Then put them in a place you are most likely to go in your house in the morning so you can see them.
Leave them up a while and see of it helps you.
ANOTHER WAY OF USING THIS METHOD:
Why not do it for others in your household, get them to do it for you and especially for your children if you have any.
Imagine how nice it would be as a child to see 10 awesome things about you that your parents/carers thinks about you.
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It is a simple exercise and it may just help and if it does not no harm done.
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If you use this method and it works let me know as I am looking for people to do guest blogs about things they have tried and what results they have had.
So please send me an email if you want to do a guest blog: keepmyheadstraight@gmail.com x
Forest Bathing
Recently tried this with Clair at Journeys in Nature.
I had been wanting to try this for quite some time so when I saw the the chance to try it close to home, I had to give it a go.
I had a little bit of an idea what it may be like before I went but I was pleasantly suprised at all the elements involved.
Claire from @journeys.in.nature put the whole group at ease straight from the start. It was made clear that you can get as little or as much involved as you felt comfortable.
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Over the hour and a half you had a moment to speak and share if you wanted to after each element had been practiced. I found it fascinating how differently people interpret their experience. That is what makes it so good and hey we may even learn something new on the way!
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I do not want to detail everything that we experienced as I would not want to ruin any aspects for others.
However, I do want to say your anxieties are gone almost from the very start, you do and take from it whatever you like. YOU DO NOT NEED a swimming costume!! hahaha
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It was a very calming and soothing experience, it is like almost like stepping out of your day to day life for a little bit and getting back to the simple things. Like silence, focusing your senses which we often never notice as we are always so busy.
Some people found that it made them see that stepping out of the world of technology is actually good and that maybe it needs doing more often.
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Forest bathing will give you a whole new respect for your senses. It was amazing what some focus can do for the mind.
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I really do think that being out in nature can help our mental well being and I have been advocating this for some time now.
I say it a lot - Nature's Medicine.
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A big thing for me is when people try this kind of activity that they will come away with all the benefits and maybe the attitude that wildlife, nature and the planet as a whole is worth fighting for.
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I would highly recommend people to give this a try and if you live in the North West to give Clair Deeney at Journeys In Nature a call.
@journeys.in.nature
www.facebook.com/journeysinnature
07824032401
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