What you will learn
This unique course of 12 online workshops will help you rediscover your own deep-rooted connection with the natural world and reawaken the creative being within. It will provide you with a meaningful, actionable nature based art activities to help actively engage your students in nature.
Through exploration and discovery, these nature-based activities awaken children’s’ senses, minds and hearts and help them to express their feelings, ideas, thoughts and urges. Enabling children to better understand their deep-rooted connection with nature and one another in ways that are fun and encourage them to explore and celebrate their unique sense of creativity.
12 Chapter Journey
Educating the Heart through Nature Art is a 12-chapter journey that walks you through a series of exercises and activities designed to open the mind and heart, and draw on the many benefits of creative play in nature. Nature nurtures the soul, mind and heart, but so many of today’s children rarely play outside and explore nature, and this is damaging to their long term health and well being. These art activities engage children with nature in a way that develops a quest for knowledge, a foundation of respect and gratitude, and an appreciation for all life.
To find out more about the online Nature Art Program click here: NATURE ART ONLINE PROGRAM
Chapter 1: A Journey of Rediscovery – Nature is the Best Teacher An introduction to the concepts behind the classes of the program.
Chapter 2: Rediscovering our connection – Instructors and students are introduced exercises to expand the creative mind by letting go of creative restrictions and embedded thought patterns.
Chapter 3: Why Nature Art
Chapter 4: Connecting to Nature through the Senses – Exploring all the senses through the four earth elements and connecting through sensory play.
Chapter 5: The Whole Child – Exploring the interconnectedness of all things. Nurturing the connection between body, mind and spirit by engaging wonder, mindfulness and free, unstructured play.
Chapter 6: Creative Spaces – Outdoor Classroom, Hearth & Homes The natural environment becomes a personal space. Children relax in and feel a sense of responsibility for the space they have created. Child led.
Chapter 7: The Magic of Gardening, Flowers and Land Art – The wonder of planting a seeds and making a garden space. Children gain the confidence to tackle big projects and work collaboratively as each child contributes to the whole.
Chapter 8: Creativity and Nature in Art – Finding inspiration in nature. Using natural objects found in nature to create art. Introducing famous artists and their work inspired by nature.
Chapter 9: Storytelling and Creating Stories – Reading outdoors in the fresh air surrounded by nature offers a great multi-sensory, reading environment. Creating our own stories and understanding concepts through nature stories. storytelling with stick people
Chapter 10: Nature Cultivates Gratitude – A celebration of life helps establish an attitude of gratitude. Connecting to Mother Nature’s heart and nurturing respect and a positive and peaceful outlook.
Chapter 11: Trees and Stick Play – Spending time with trees and exploring who make homes in trees, and discovering all they provide. We investigate Canadian Artist Emily Carr’s dancing tress. We create colorful dragonfly puppets, snakes and discover a world of creative play with sticks of all shapes, types and sizes.
Chapter 12: Music, Dance and Yoga – Exploration of sound and movement in nature, through making sound and finding sound in nature. Connecting to yoga poses and exploring music and movement.