Nature for Life Toolkit for Families & Supports

On this page:

  • How to support your loved one to enjoy nature

  • Try a nature reflection after a group session

 

Image of a Kookaburra

Nature for Life is a friendly group in Canberra for adults with disabilities and neurodiversity. Being outside and moving our bodies—alone or together—helps everyone feel good, calm, and strong.

How to Support Your Loved One to Enjoy Nature

Why is Nature Good for Your Loved One?

  • Helps your loved one feel less worried and happier

  • Builds strong, healthy bodies

  • Makes it easier to relax and sleep well

  • Reduces loneliness and helps make friends

  • Doing small nature activities together brings families closer.

Easy Nature Ideas for Every Day

You don’t need special skills. Use our easy-read ideas on the Nature for Life Fact Sheet, printable below.
Try these activities:
Go outside together – sit on the grass, rest under a tree, or go for a gentle walk or roll

Use your senses:

  • Look: Notice and point to colours

  • Listen: Hear birds, wind, water

  • Feel: Touch leaves or stones – soft, cold, bumpy?

  • Smell: See if you notice any scents (flowers, fresh air)

  • Move: Try gentle stretches or animal shapes together—hop like a kangaroo, flap like a bird

  • Spot clouds or count sounds together with your eyes closed.

  • Collect nature items to make simple art or go on treasure hunts for things that are green, rough or tiny.

You can find even more tips and step-by-step support on our printable Nature for Life Fact Sheet.

▶ Save or print your copy of the Nature for Life Fact Sheet (PDF)

Easy-read Families and Supports Fact Sheet

Five Ways to Feel Good in Nature

These are easy ways for families and supports to help get outdoors:

  • Connect: Share time in nature together. Talk, laugh, or just watch and listen together.

  • Be Active: Take a walk, move your arms or legs, or play a simple game outside.

  • Keep Learning: Try something new. Touch a new plant, look for bugs, or make a small nature project at home.

  • Take Notice: Sit quietly and notice something: the sky, the smell of rain, the feeling of wind.

  • Give: Care for a plant, tidy up leaves, or spend time helping others feel good in nature.

Try a Nature Reflection After time in nature

Reflection in Nature helps people notice, remember, and feel good about things that happen outside together.

  • Use words, drawing, pointing, or pictures to show how you feel in nature.

  • The Nature Reflection Tool supports all ways of communicating: AAC devices, gestures, smiles.

  • How it works:

    • After time in nature, find a spot together.

    • Use the sheet to draw, circle how you feel happy, calm, excited, or pick an image, take a photo.

    • Families, supports and participants can use the tool together, reading is not required.

    • This tool helps everyone remember favourite moments and plan what to do next time.

Save or print your Nature Reflection Tool (PDF)

All activities are safe for all ages and can be adapted for any ability. Enjoy sharing and reflecting in nature your way!

Use at home, in the garden, or bring your sheet to group to share!

Safety Reminders

Always watch your loved one outdoors and adapt activities for their comfort and safety.

Use sun, insect, or allergy protection.

We love helping people make the most of nature, no matter your starting point.