Sample Parent Week 2 – Y2:M9:W2

Sample Year 2 Parent/carer CORE Mental Health Sample Month Parent – Y2:M9 Sample Parent Week 2 – Y2:M9:W2

TOPIC

Nature

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FOCUS

Nature Walk

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sUBJECT

Feel Good Finds

CORE MH Curriculum in School

The session in school is about trees. They listen to the sounds of the forest to find out if it calms them and they also experiment with hugging a tree (if they want to). They learn about research that has found that there are many benefits of tree hugging and that when you hug it you connect through its energetic vibrations and also you release oxytocin the hormone linked to feelings of love.

Home Tasks

Discussion and activity tasks to do at home to support the learning from school.

Discussion

  • Ask: What do we mean by ‘nature?’
  • Collect all of their answers in their mood journal (e.g. trees, plants, animals, being outside, not man-made and made by Mother Earth etc).
  • Follow this up by asking: What is your favourite thing about nature? (maybe they’ll say something like freedom, discovery etc).
  • Please watch this video where Kobi and I tell you about our walk in nature…
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Activity: Feel Good Finds 🤞

Fingers crossed that you have good weather this week so you can go on a nature walk, be mindful and find some objects in nature…

Walk in Nature: 🍃🪵🐿️🌼🍁🐌🕸️🦔🌲

  • Take your child on a ‘mindful walk’ through the garden, park, or any green space.
  • Ask them to move slowly and use their senses to notice things around them.
  • Encourage them to pick up small items like smooth stones, petals, or pinecones…anything that catches their interest and makes them feel happy or calm.
  • Discuss how noticing small things in nature can help us feel grounded and connected and in the present moment.
  • The items they collect serve as ‘feel-good’ reminders they can return to when they need a moment of calm.
  • When they’re feeling overwhelmed or sad, encourage them to hold or look at one of their ‘feel-good finds’ and remember a moment of peace from the walk.
  • Ask them: “How did this item make you feel when you first picked it up? What about now?”
  • This can help them build awareness of how mindful activities in nature can change and lift their mood.

Why this task matters

The theory underpinning this activity is that nature-based therapy is rooted in the biophilia hypothesis, which suggests that humans have an innate affinity for nature and that this connection can help reduce stress and enhance wellbeing, especially in children who naturally engage with their environments through exploration.

Exposure to nature (and the colour green!) has been shown to support emotional health by reducing stress hormones and fostering positive emotions.

This activity also introduces them to mindfulness because, as the child observes and collects items, they practice sensory grounding by noticing textures, colours, and shapes.

This sensory engagement in nature also triggers relaxation responses in the brain and provides a tactile way to help children feel calm, reinforcing the positive effects of nature on mental health (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).

Resources

Good walking shoes 🙂 A sunny day? 🙂 Basket/bag to collect objects.

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