We do not spend enough time outside and we want to change that! Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods" and the "The Nature Principle" says that families and communities can lead a more balanced, healthier, and happier life if they do one simple thing - get outside and get back into nature. At Discover the Outdoors we will encourage people of all ages to get outside and enjoy the beauty, tranquility, and connection that we all have to nature.
At Discover the Outdoors we will provide outdoor educational programs and opportunities for children, families and adults alike to learn and (re)discover nature for better health and well being. Our all ages programs will include activities for health and wellness: snowshoeing, hiking, running, gardening, and climbing; educational programs: learning about plants, animals, farming and food production, gardening; and explore spirit/connection to something greater than ourselves through yoga, creativity, community building, nature and meditation. We will connect and collaborate with other programs and organizations across Alberta, Canada and the world. All programs will encourage physical activity, exploring nature, and connecting to oneself, others and to the natural world. Some examples of a program are: EXAMPLE 1: It is a bright sunny wintery day and families have just arrived at the farm for a day of snowshoeing, bird feeders and adventure. Families enter the Discovery Centre and make bird feeders. After, they snowshoe into the forest to hang their feeder while watching chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches enjoying a snack. After snowshoeing, families return to the Discovery Centre to enjoy a warm beverage, a bowl full of hot soup (special made from the fall harvest) and freshly baked bread. After lunch, families have a choice of learning more about winter animals, going outside or enjoy a some quiet reflection time indoors (ie.yoga/meditation). As the sun sets smiling families head home with a new sense of connection to each other and nature. EXAMPLE 2: It is a quiet spring morning and the sun rises in the east. After a year of struggle with illness a man rises to enjoy a quiet walk around the property with his cup of tea. The man reaches the garden and pulls a few weeds, picks a few carrots to eat, and sits down on a bench to absorb the morning sun. After a time he returns to the Discovery Centre where he participates in a morning meditation and yoga class about Loving-Kindness and joins in to help make breakfast for himself and the others who are participating in a weekend retreat about End of Life. After a nourishing and food-to-table breakfast with community the group learn various contemplative practices to help in their journey before heading out to enjoy a walk and conversation. After another healthy lunch participants engage in a "tell your story" project where they find creative ways to tell their story in their own way - art, poetry, song, scrapbooking... EXAMPLE 3: It's a cool, wet day and teenage girls are huddle inside the workshop ready for an afternoon of creating and connecting. Two woman - one a woodworker and another a welder and industrial designer - have joined forces to teach the girls about power tools, friendship, and connection. Safety procedures are reviewed, projects are established and the sound of power tools fill the air. The girls laughter, chatting and learning is in full force and the woman are inspired by their eagerness to learn and grow.
