Family, nature and COVID-19 – A free online guide to support families by Nature Play SA
In an Australian first, South Australian, not for profit organisation, Nature Play SA has launched a free, online guide to support families across the country and the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This beautifully presented 85-page e-book offers credible information, strategies, and practical ideas to help children, families and communities adapt to social distancing and self-isolation measures.
There is a strong focus on nurturing the mental health and wellbeing of families, including providing accessible, nature-based methods that can be practiced at home or in the local neighbourhood.
Family, Nature and COVID-19 has been developed by Nature Play SA with funding support from the South Australian Government, through the Department of Human Services.
Executive Director, Community and Family Services at Department for Human Services, Ann-Marie Hayes said:
“Bottomline, there is no other guide like this and we encourage everyone one to check it out and whether you do two or 20 of the activities, rest assured you’ll love them and you’ll be doing something proactive for your family’s mind and body.”
The 85-page e-book contains over 200 ideas for all ages, including:
- Bug collecting
- Obstacle course
- Scavenger hunt
- Cubby House Making
- Back yard sport games
- Learning how to read the weather
- Star gazing and learning about the stars
- Bird watching
- Chalk drawing
- Painting
- Yoga
Nature Play CEO, Sarah Sutter said:
“We believe a key objective for this guide and Nature Play SA is to raise awareness of how nature connection can support health and wellbeing during social distancing and self-isolation. We hope it will reach in excess of 300,000 families in South Australia and become a ripple effect across the world. Nature has not been cancelled and will be an important factor in supporting physical and mental health and wellbeing.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE
Some of the key themes include:
- Turn to nature
- Keep active
- Eat healthy
Some family and community activities include:
1. Provide a message of hope to your community: paint or draw a rainbow to display in your front window; place a teddy in your window for others to spot; or take to your footpath with chalk to draw rainbows and leave messages of hope
2. Start a nature journal – each day after time spent in your yard or outside write, draw or paint something you noticed. See where nature journaling takes you (there is no right or wrong way)
3. Tend to a garden and plant something you can nurture, harvest, eat and cook
4. Go to the Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au) website and learn how to read the weather, tides and about indigenous weather knowledge
5. Set up for ball skills or your favourite sporting practice in your yard (get creative with how you could set up your space, like making cricket stumps from what you have at home)
6. Run, walk scoot or bike ride around your neighbourhood or closest nature patch with trails (see social distancing and self isolation guidelines if venturing out)
For more information, to download and for all enquiries please visit the Nature Play SA website.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: supplied
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