Let's go walkies in the woods
Oh, what a glorious season — chestnuts and conkers, trees blushing red and gold, and beautiful leaves just waiting to be gathered. No chance we're spending autumn on the living room mat, comfy as it may be ;) It's time to head into the forest! And why not turn that walk into a moment of wonder and togetherness, lifting our little ones out of their prams (and rolling out our mats)?
For Sophie Lernould, psycho-somatic accompaniment practitioner and founder of Bien être en mouvement, the benefits of the outdoors are plentiful for our children (and for us!), right from the earliest age. So at Mezamé, we laced up our boots and joined her for an outing with her mini Nature Club, designed for toddlers from walking age up to 3 years.
With five other mums, we follow Sophie and her trolley — packed with all sorts of bits and bobs — into the forest. She stops before long to lay out large groundsheets and her mat (borrowed for the occasion, and immediately adopted), where we all sit down to discover the morning's agenda. "I always prepare a semi-guided activity, she tells us afterwards, but mostly I trust in something far more powerful! A snail turning up or a puddle can quickly upstage whatever I had planned — and honestly? What matters is awakening the senses, beyond that, I have no particular expectations!"
Today, Sophie has planned a treasure hunt: each child (or parent) has a sheet listing things to find in the forest, and a basket to collect them in. "If you don't find everything, that's absolutely fine, she says with a smile. Parents — I'm counting on you to let go a little!"
For three years now, through the various workshops she runs, Sophie has made it her mission to nurture children's connection with nature — and above all, to help parents understand and embrace the benefits of free movement. " Parents need this — to let their child climb a mound of earth on their own rather than holding their hand, to let them get their hands dirty, jump in puddles, feel the wind or the rain on their face… There is a very strong link between a child's psychomotor development and the experiences they can have outdoors."
Once we've gathered our multicoloured leaves, pebbles and little sticks, we come together to create one big collective artwork, Land Art-style. Sharing your own treasures with others isn't always easy, but the result is worth it! Sophie arranges all these little finds — it feels like we're creating a genuine work of art. "Wow"s ring out from every direction!
Before parting ways, Sophie suggests some free play with a makeshift tea set — a big hit with the children. It's the moment to quietly concoct a good stone soup in your own little corner, digging in the dirt with a spoon, with no worries about the others or any instructions to follow. "These moments of free play are precious — they allow children to act with full awareness. They're doing something for themselves, and no one else. It brings us back to all the benefits of outdoor learning: calm and inner peace."
The whole little crew will head home beaming, pockets stuffed with chestnuts and heads full of the great outdoors!
For more info: @bien_etre_en_mouvement and www.bienetreenmouvement.com
