If you have ever watched a bird fly or a flower move in the wind, you have noticed some of the beauty of movement in nature. We know that movement is an important part of being healthy and we also know that having a connection with nature is good for your well-being. One way to make movement fun and to connect you with nature is to move like nature!
How to get started:
- Spend some time observing nature (either in real life through a window or by spending time outside, or by looking at pictures or even some videos like Minnesota Zoo’s Animal Stories).
- Pay attention to how natural objects (plants or animals or clouds, etc.) move. Does it change throughout the day? Do other natural objects impact movement?
- Once you have spent some time observing nature, pick a natural object, and try to move your body like it. If movement is challenging, close your eyes and imagine moving like the object. Try swaying in the wind like a sunflower or or stretching your neck out like a goose!
- Plan to engage your senses and try to experience what it must be like to be that natural object- how do things taste, smell, feel, sound, look?
This can be a great activity to do on your own, or it can be fun to have friends or family join in. This can be done together, or virtually! You could even pick different Minnesota Zoo trails and move through the Zoo in your imagination. If you need more inspiration, you can also explore different movement practices like yoga or Qigong, which incorporate animal and nature-inspired poses in the practice.
The Minnesota Zoo would love to see examples of how you used this activity at home! Please share pictures or comments via email at [email protected], and take less than 5 minutes of time to provide us feedback by completing this short survey.
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