This activity is meant to help calm your body and mind by becoming aware of the world above our heads.

Choose a sunny day with blue skies and white, puffy clouds. Have a camera or piece of paper and pencil with you just in case you want to record something. Head outside or sit by a window in your home. If you’re outside, find a place where you can sit or lie down comfortably.

• Once you are comfy in your spot, look up. Take a deep breath. Notice the colour of the sky.

• Now focus on the clouds. Do you notice anything about their colour or movement? Choose one cloud to observe for two minutes. Does it change in any way while you’re watching it?

• Bring your gaze back to the whole sky. Breathe deeply and let your mind wander.

• Bring your focus back to the clouds. Do you see any shapes in the clouds? Maybe you see an animal, a face or an object. If you like, draw what you see, take a photo or show someone who you are with the pictures you are seeing in the clouds.

Enjoy cloud gazing for as long as you wish.

This activity is a grounding exercise that can be used to relax your mind and body. Relaxing the mind and body will help you become more aware of what is happening in the natural world around you. Sit or lie down if possible where you feel comfortable.

• Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Focus on the sounds around you. (Focus on how quiet the room has become)

• Now, think about the space where you spend time outdoors, in your school yard or at home. Try to imagine the sun for a moment and imagine feeling the sun shining on you while you are playing outside. I want to remind you that all the life and energy on earth comes from the power of the sun.

• Next try to focus on the air. Imagine you are outside and you can feel the wind blowing a gentle breeze.

• Now pay attention to how your body feels while you are sitting at this time. Keep your attention focused on your body for a moment and feel the earth supporting you.

• Next focus on your breath. Pay close attention to each inhalation and exhalation. Pay attention to the next 5 deep breaths you take. While doing this, imagine being outside and think about the air passing in and out of your lungs coming from the trees.

• Lastly, picture your favourite place or thing from the natural world. Take your time. Offer gratitude to the place or thing you have chosen. Take your time to give thanks!

• Open your eyes when you are ready.

How did you feel during the activity?

How do you feel now?

When was the last time you did something like this?

Do you feel more connected to the natural world?

When did you feel most connected?

For this activity you will need a partner (classmate, family member, friend) and a blindfold for each person.

One partner is blindfolded and the other partner is the guide. The guide is in charge of the safety of their partner. The guide also gets to choose a tree of their liking and brings their blindfolded partner to visit the tree. The blindfolded partner "meets" the tree by taking their time to:

• Feel the bark

• Feel the leaves

• Feel the branches

• Attempt to gauge the height of the tree

• Use all your senses (except sight & taste) to remember your new friend

The guide then brings them back to the starting spot and takes the blindfold off. The partner now has to find their new tree friend.

Trade roles and then talk about how each person found their tree. Was it touch, smell or the sounds that helped you to determine which tree was your new friend?