Duration: 25-30 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Emotional awareness, regulation and communication
- Empathy
- Connectedness
Brief Description:
Children explore a structured outdoor environment (school garden, park, courtyard) with their “Emotion Hunt” cards and small pouches or bags. Their task is to collect or draw one natural item per listed emotion (e.g., a soft flower for joy, a broken stick for anger). The focus is on personal associations — there are no wrong answers.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills
- Emotional awareness – by recognizing how emotional states can be reflected in natural forms.
- Empathy – by considering how others might associate different objects with emotions
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
- Strengthen observation and reflection skills.
- Build emotional vocabulary through non-verbal symbols.
- Encourage self-awareness in natural surroundings.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Natural sciences – exploring textures, forms, and materials in nature
- Art – symbolic representation of emotions
- Civic education – mindfulness and emotional intelligence.
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- Emotion Hunt cards
- Bags or pouches for collecting objects
- Optional: drawing paper and pencils for children who prefer to sketch.
Preparation notes
- Ensure the area is safe and has a diversity of natural elements
- Remind students to respect nature — no picking live plants unless permitted.
Guided Questions
- What does this object make you feel?
- Do you think someone else might choose something different for the same emotion?
- Can one object represent more than one feeling?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- Was it easier to find some emotions than others?
- Which emotion was hardest to ‘see’ in nature?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Pair less confident children with a buddy.
- Offer extra time if students are engaged and focused.
- Allow drawing or describing when a child can’t find a matching object.