I think this little tag I spotted says it all. There is so much “stuff” to discover on a walk that you just might be overlooking because you are just focused on the big picture. (gotta get this walk done…) Slow down, take some time, look for the little things. Maybe focus on just looking for one thing…like bugs, leaves, tiny flowers…

My husband tells me whenever we walk, I am looking down, while he is looking up. There is always something to see as you walk around your neighborhood. I am currently reading the The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday and its pretty awesome! It shares many ideas of how you can become a more active observer in the world around you–and reasons why you would want to! It really makes you think. Personally, I think it would be a pretty thought provoking read for any educator too!

Next time you are out, take a different approach. Do you have your dog with you? What are they looking at? What would a little kid be focused on? An older person? This book brings a new perspective too: On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation. (Alexandra Horowitz)

Here’s what I observed today on my walk–Scroll to the bottom and see what Ranger (my dog) saw!

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