Walks with Children in the Autumn Forest
This material is suitable for children of any age.
These guidelines are ideal for those teaching or aiming to teach visually impaired children how to navigate the world around them. The focus is on developing a child’s exploratory abilities.
Children should be engaged in exploratory projects and creative activities, during which they learn to express their thoughts and understand their capabilities. For visually impaired individuals, visual sensations are weakened, and their perception of the world is limited. Every walk with a child should become a small lesson. The time spent on a walk can be filled with interesting observations and stories. The lack of vision does not mean a child cannot adequately learn about the world around them. During the walk, children should get plenty of rest, move around, and practice using their vision and all other functioning senses. The teacher’s task is to make the visually impaired child’s perception of the world purposeful and conscious.
During the walk, give the children prompts such as “Listen to how the trees rustle,” “Touch the leaves,” or “Why does the autumn forest smell damp?” Such questions activate the perception of visually impaired children, making their cognitive activities more effective. Explain to the children that there are no paved paths in the forest, only trails covered with leaves and soil. Bumps and tree roots make the path uneven. Walk with the children along the path, examining the branches of the bushes. A visually impaired child explores objects in nature with both hands. Together, listen to the sound of the leaves rustling underfoot. Teach the children to draw conclusions and make simple deductions. Children should gently and carefully feel living objects—clumsy movements may damage the plants.
The experience gained through exploration will help children further develop their creative abilities. The information and knowledge accumulated by a visually impaired child can help fill the gaps in visual perception. During the walk, be sure to include vocabulary work, as many words, phrases, and expressions may be unfamiliar to the children. The beauty of nature, clean fresh air, and a sunny day all positively impact the children’s nervous system. During the walk, children are given opportunities for all-around development, and their need for active movement is met. Walks should be taken in any season and weather. The more impressions a child gets of the world around them, the fuller their understanding of their surroundings will be.
It is essential to help the child identify the time of year, the state of nature, and the time of day using their functioning senses. You can ask the children, “What does the rain sound like? How does it tap on the rooftops?” Let the child turn their face toward the sun and feel the warmth of its rays. In autumn, the sun is no longer hot; its warmth is gentle and pleasant. During the walk, use the surrounding environment to enrich the children’s visual perceptions. Look at the bright colors of the leaves and collect fallen leaves for crafts. Draw the children’s attention to the changes in the trees and plants as autumn arrives. Expand the children’s vocabulary by asking them to describe the autumn leaves using different adjectives.
Fern
Tell the children that ferns are found almost everywhere on Earth. It’s a beautiful plant with wide, feathery leaves. Ferns have spiral symmetry, with the leaves arranged in a spiral along the stem, so they don’t block each other from the sun. The leaves also possess rotational symmetry. For children with severe visual impairments, touch plays a leading role in exploring the world around them. It allows the child to form concrete, real concepts of the immediate space and the objects within it.
Ant Hill
Explain to the children how an ant hill prepares for winter. As late autumn arrives, ants gather clay and dry leaves to seal off all exits, ensuring the maximum warmth inside. The ants move down into deep tunnels to wait out the cold.
During the walk, children gain many new impressions and knowledge about the world around them.