I wonder why
You’ll need
- Access to outdoor space
Notice how nature appears in songs and stories, poems, and art, and celebrate the mystery, signs, and cycles of nature.
Why, why, why
- While on any adventure outdoors, whether in the park, on a hike, or in a canoe, take a moment to pause.
- Everyone should take in their surroundings and see if anything makes them feel curious. As they look at nature, ask them to say ‘I wonder why…’ and then ask questions. They could share their questions with the rest of the group if they feel comfortable.
- If anyone knows the answer to a question, they could share it with the person who asked.
Reflection
This activity was about learning to communicate and solve problems. Asking questions and stopping to think about the spaces around us can help us experience things we haven’t noticed before. You can do this both out in nature and also in the paces you visit every day. Next time you’re doing something you do all the time, take a moment to stop and look around. What can you notice for the first time?
It’s also okay not to know the answers to all your questions. Just coming up with the questions is the first step towards learning something new. What did you learn from other people’s questions? What answer did you know that you were proud of? How could you find out an answer?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Visits away from your meeting place
Complete a thorough risk assessment and include hazards, such as roads, woodland, plants, animals, and bodies of water (for example, rivers, ponds, lakes, and seas). You’ll probably need more adult helpers than usual. Your risk assessment should include how many adults you need. The young people to adult ratios are a minimum requirement. When you do your risk assessment, you might decide that you need more adults than the ratio specifies. Think about extra equipment that you may need to take with you, such as high visibility clothing, a first aid kit, water, and waterproofs. Throughout the activity, watch out for changes in the weather and do regular headcounts.
To make it more challenging, add a rule that no one can repeat a question that has already been asked.
If anyone has difficulty thinking up a question, offer a few examples to help them out, or let them listen to some others first.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.