We all have five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. But how often do you really focus on just one? There might be interesting things you’re missing when you don’t. Try this activity out by yourself or with your family and see what new or unusual things you hear when you focus on just your hearing.
Make a Sound Map
Sound Maps are a great way to expand your senses, slow down and observe your world in a different way. This is a fun activity no matter your age.
Go to your favorite nature spot with your journal. Don’t forget to tell everyone to put away the cellphones!
Close your eyes tight and try to just listen. Listen as hard as you can to everything that is making noise. To help, you can cup your hands behind your ears to target your listening power at various sources of sound the same way that cats, deer and other superstar animal listeners can. This really works!
Now open your eyes and find a new page in your journal.
Draw yourself in the middle of the page. Without looking, draw each sound around you like you’re making a map. What direction was each sound in? How far away is the sound? Was it loud or soft? Was it made by something alive? How would you draw the sound of wind in the tree? How far away do you think that bird is that just chirped?
When you’re done writing it in your journal think about how it felt to observe your surroundings through sound. Did you notice anything new that you would have missed? How would your world be different if most of your observations were made through sound rather than sight?
If you would like to share your sound map send it to education@cfimoab.org and we will share it on our social media!
If you’re looking for more journal prompts or activities to do outside visit www.cfimoab.org/coyotescorner and remember – the outside is always open!
Create a sound map
