Sit Spots – Tips and Tricks for Success
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 05, 2024
As much as I love outdoor learning, I will admit that the rain and snow we get here in BC definitely deters me a bit. This spring weather, however, gives me the itch to get outdoor as much as we can to make up for all of that time spent inside! In previous posts in my Wednesday Wander series, I have talked all about Sit Spots, their benefits, and how much I have enjoyed using them with my learners. To be honest though, there is definitely some planning and practice that goes into running them successfully. In this post I share some tips and tricks to get the most out of using this reflective learning practice with your students.
Looking for some resources you can use to implement outdoor sit spots with your learners? Click on the image or button below to see all of the Outdoor Learning resources available in my TPT shop – they all come with sit spot activities!
If you missed my previous posts on Sit Spots, you can check them out here and here.
Top tips for successful Sit Spots
To help you find success with this this effective learning and mindfulness activity, I have compiled a list of tips and tricks. Following these tips will help you make the most out of using Sit Spots with your students.
1- Set boundaries with your students before sending them off to choose their sit spots
You will want to make sure that you can keep your group within the range of your sight or voice, so you can keep an eye on everyone. At the same time, you want to make sure that everyone has enough space to spread out. Since Sit Spots are solitary and silent activities, you will want to make sure that they are not sitting next to each other. This will also prevent some of the inevitable distractions.
2- Provide time for writing and reflection
Time spent reflecting on the experience is essential to maximize the benefits of the activity. Providing students with clipboards and pencils to record their experiences helps them to process their thinking.
3- Provide students with opportunities to share their thinking
At the end of the activity, gather the students together and share some of the observations they have noticed. This is an excellent opportunity for them to compare their thinking and experiences with those of their classmates.
4- Visit the sit spots often
The more times students visit the same spots, the more they will notice about the environment changing over time.
5- Visit the sit spots in all sorts of weather
Choosing to visit the spots when it is both rainy and sunny increases the opportunities to notice new and exciting things about their spots. I will admit that I am always hesitant to head out when it is yucky outside, but the observations and learning that takes place really does make it worthwhile.
6- Choose spots that are close
As you will be visiting these spots often, you want to make sure they are easy to get to. The time it takes getting to the sit spots can take away from the time needed to sit and observe.
I hope this post inspires you to head outside and try this fun nature activity with your class! If you decide to try them out, shoot me a message on Instagram. I would love to know about your experiences!
For more information on outdoor learning, check out our posts on place-based education and outdoor math activities!
Looking for more lessons to inspire Outdoor Learning?
Click on the image below to go directly to the Outdoor Learning section of my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I have a wide variety of different outdoor lessons available!
Looking for my previous Outdoor Learning posts?
Click on the link below to go directly to my previous outdoor learning posts.
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