Wind Chimes: Being Mindful with Urban Nature
At Reid Park Zoo we encourage families to find ways to explore and connect with nature together. Family craft ideas help us to go outside and think of creative ways that we can discover and enjoy nature without having to go far. Right now it is important to stay at home as much as possible, but you can get exercise while still practicing social distancing. You can even find beautiful natural materials right in your neighborhood or yard. My family and I collected some small rocks and pine cones on our most recent walk to make this wind chime. We were careful to only collect natural materials that were from urban sources, as we didn’t want to remove natural resources from wild areas.
It was great bringing all our rocks together to make something that we could all enjoy, and we like listening to them clacking against each other when the breeze picks up. While we are all adjusting to this ever-changing new normal, nature activities help remind us to slow down, be mindful, and make intentional time for each other. Sometimes just looking for a pretty rock or focusing on the sounds of nature help to keep us grounded when we feel uncertain.
Have you taken any walks with your family and found something that you all enjoyed? Did you make any crafts with what you found? If so, we would love to hear about it! Email us at education@reidparkzoo.org to share your stories.
