NATURE ACTIVITY--FIND A TREEThis is a fun nature activity which will help to develop your sense of touch and smell. Both of these senses, along with all the others are very useful in the natural world. You will need to be around a few trees. A back yard or a park will work well.
As few as two players, or up to about 10 can play this game. Each player chooses a partner. One partner is blindfolded with a bandana or any other handy blindfold. It's ok to just close your eyes, but no peeking is allowed or the game will not work. The seeing partner carefully leads the blind partner to a tree. Remember, seeing partner, you are responsible for keeping your partner safe. The blind person then feels the tree with his or her hands. How does it feel? Rough? Smooth? Big? Small? Ridges? Holes? Try to learn as much as you can about that tree with your sense of touch. Then smell the tree. Go ahead, put your nose right up to the bark. It won't hurt you. How does it smell? Sweet? Sour? Old? New? Like the earth? Like wood? Now lead the blind person back to the starting spot. Take off the blindfold. The goal in this nature activity is to find the tree. Use your sense of direction, sense of touch, and sense of smell. Once found, reverse roles and let the other partner be blindfolded. You will be surprised how much you will learn in this simple nature activity. Here is a hint to make it more interesting. Don't lead the blind person directly to the tree. Walk him or her in circles for a while to make it more challenging. Ok, now its time to play the game. 
"Hold on, Bob arn't you forgetting something?""Who said that? Who's there?" "It's me, Moon Bird!" "Moon Bird! I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that." "Sorry, Bob, but you were about to make a big mistake. I needed to warn you." "Moon Bird, I was very careful with this nature activity. What did I miss?" "It's the tree, Bob." "Of course it is, this game is about trees." "No, I mean it's what's on the tree." "Do you mean bark, Moon Bird?" "No I'm talking about poison ivy. It could be growing on the tree." "Oh, I see what you mean. And I just told all those children to put their hands on it." "Right. So I think we should tell them to stay away from trees with any vines or green leaves wrapped around the trunk." "Good point, Moon Bird. Go ahead and tell them." "I just did, Bob, but I'll say it again. If a tree trunk has vines or green leaves wrapped around it, choose another. Poison ivy gives you a painful rash!" Thank you, Moon Bird. Now let's turn it over to the kids! Go out and try this game. Walking around with a blindfold is great fun. You may be surprised when you see how much your sense of touch and smell can teach you. Please let us know by how this nature activity went for you. You can do this by filling out the simple form below. Ask your parents if this is ok. Did you find your tree? What was the one thing that helped you the most? Can you think of another game that would use the sense of touch or smell? We will not give your email address to anyone for any reason. That was Find a Tree. For another nature activity, click here.This activity can be found in a book by Joseph Cornell called Sharing Nature With Children. For a review of this book, click here. |