Many thanks to our wonderful new blogger Sadhbh for this fantastic review of our sensory nature trail at Powerscourt Waterfall last weekend! Check out Sadhbh’s blog here: http://www.wherewishescomefrom.com/
“Yesterday, we had the very good fortune to be invited to visit Powerscourt Waterfall to attend their ‘Sensory Nature Trail’ event, which was hosted by Imaginosity (Dublin’s Children’s Museum). As a family, we are very interested in and inspired by the natural world so it sounded like a great way for us to spend a Sunday afternoon. However, visiting the highest waterfall in Ireland is never a bad idea and it’s a must-see if you’re in the Wicklow area.
The sun shone as we made our way down the winding avenue towards the waterfall and we easily spotted the Imaginosity team sitting on picnic blankets waiting for the children to arrive. They had lots of interesting things laid out for us to explore. Shells, model insects and leaves which could be inspected by magnifying glass. There were also some beautiful books about nature, from which we learned about the life-cycle of the butterfly.
When everyone had gathered together we practiced listening, looking, feeling and smelling in preparation for our sensory walk. We were also offered the chance to make some ‘nature bracelets’ which I thought was a simple-but-brilliant idea. (Clearly evidenced by the fact that I was the only parent that accepted the offer…) One of the team wrapped wide tape around our wrists, so that the sticky side faced up, and we collected little flowers, moss, grass, seeds, leaves, etc and stuck them to it as we walked. We all ended up with rather fetching bracelets by the end of the day!
The pace of the trail was perfect. There was no rush at all and there was enough time at each ‘station’ for each child to fully engage with the task. Throughout, the Imaginosity team always took the time to pay attention to the little discoveries the children made along the way and to share them with the group. They really made each child feel included and the atmosphere in the group was friendly and relaxed.
Along the trail we had a chance to talk about trees and to take rubbings from the bark of a Giant Redwood. We also had a chance to fly like butterflies and to climb like spiders in a giant ‘spiderweb’. We met a frog in the grass, smelled dried lavender, felt (and tasted!) fresh pine needles. We made a wish at the wishing bridge, painted with mud (!) by the river, visited a fairy tree filled with glitter and found sparkling stones in the river, before finally making our way up to the beautiful waterfall. It truly was a feast for the senses.
Moments after this picture was taken the frog leapt from captivity and ‘kissed’ Sábha on the face.
And after all that, the team somehow still had the energy to play some games with us! We played with a huge colourful parachute and had some sack-races – which were hilarious. Especially when the parents took part…
My girls were reluctant to leave the place at the end of the event and have been talking about it non-stop since. They were excited to tell their teacher all about it this morning – which is the highest of compliments from them these days! It was a great event and a really lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Powerscourt Estate have a wonderful programme of events lined up for the year ahead and I highly recommend checking them out. You’re bound to find something suitable for your family. Or for yourself!
Disclosure: We were invited by Powerscourt Estate to attend the Sensory Nature Trail for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own, however, and I was not paid to give them.
About Sadhbh:
Hello! My name is Sadhbh.
(My name looks tricky to pronounce, but it sounds like the number five… if the number five started with an S – ‘Sive’) –
I am mama to little twin girls, Lile and Sábha (more tricky names – Lilla & Saw-va!). They are the apples of my eyes.
I am married to Devo, my very lovely and very tall husband.
I love to write, craft, create, hang around in nature, bake, read other people’s blogs and as many books as possible, listen to music, learn about and experience as many new things as I can in my one precious life.
This blog is where I write about seasonal celebrations, simple craft projects and the adventures I have with my girls. I also mention fairies and unicorns a fair bit…
You can check out Sadhbh’s blog here: http://www.wherewishescomefrom.com/
