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Nature movement break

Action Challenge

5+ minutes / Inside or outside

Learn how to take a nature movement break with your class and take on a challenge to do it regularly!
 

Learning outcome: Pupils will enhance self-regulation and body awareness through polar nature-inspired movement and breathing exercises, promoting mindfulness and a connection to the natural world.
 

HBN FAQ Slice

Instructions

  • Pupils mimic movements from the video, inspired by animals and features of polar regions (or nature in general)
     
  • Include breathing exercises inspired by nature (e.g., slow “mountain” breaths, “wave” movements, “diving” like a penguin)
     
  • Link to positive effects of nature on us and how we feel, even if not able to be in nature, this can be a way to bring the outside, in
     
  • Challenge: Can you take a nature movement break every day for a week/month/year? Why not log your Class/School results could be logged and celebrate learners/groups when the achieve milestones of e.g. 50 nature breaks

Adaptations

  • Pause video, specific instructions and model
     
  • Keep sequences short and repeatable
     
  • Seated options if movement is a challenge 
     
  • Provide additional prompts

Extensions

  • Learners could lead their own session and design the movements if able – whole class or small groups
     
  • Link to pro-environmental behaviour; nature makes us feel good how can we ensure the nature around us is healthy to? E.g. litter picking, reducing water/paper usage
     
  • Take a nature movement break at home, sharing the benefits of listening and reflecting on nature with families and carers.

Happy by Nature Reflection Journal

Creative Challenge

10+ minutes (plus walk if applicable) / Inside or outside

Practise reflecting on the effects of nature, as well as observation skills, in this quick and simple activity. 
 

Learning outcome: Pupils will practice reflective thinking and emotional expression by observing polar nature and recording personal responses, fostering wellbeing, environmental empathy. This activity builds knowledge of the polar region and skills which contribute to personal resilience.

Instructions

  • Watch the video stimuli
     
  • Tell the class that they will have a few minutes to do some quiet reflection after watching the video
     
  • Write or draw how the video made them feel, perhaps as themselves seeing it for the first time
     
  • Encourage students to think about the polar region and what it’s like to live there in their reflections. What’s the weather like? How does the environment effect the animals, plants, and environment? What might it be like at different times of year?
     
  • Optional: Take a walk in nature / around the school and complete the reflection activity again afterwards, focussing on benefits of time in nature and linking to other learning around language.
     
  • Repeat this reflection activity at regular intervals, tracking time in nature using a reflection journal

Adaptations

  • Complete this as a class/partners/groups.
     
  • Drawing only if working as a group.

Extensions

  • Link to real life actions/pledges, such as animal adoption via WWF
     
  • Share the reflection activity with others
     
  • Explore other environments, experiencing different seasons and with different climates, and repeat the reflection activity

Browse activities

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Forestry England activity pack

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Bring nature into your classroom with a free pack of engaging resources to support learning and track progress. Includes a vibrant poster, pupil passports, stickers, and panda pawprint stamps. 

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Forestry England activity pack
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