Waldbande beim Erforschen des Waldes.
WOW Wienerwald Outdoor Weeks – August
In a recent study in America it was reported that even a few hours a week in nature can significantly reduce the effects of ADHD while increasing concentration and reducing stress. This led to less aggressive, more imaginative children with an increased access to mental facilities. These findings build upon the great amount of work and books printed by Huether stating the same facts, that Nature is greatly important for ones well being.
In this modern society where social media, TV and computers play a major role in a child’s life, it is increasingly important to find time to spend time in nature.
With our course we hope to reintroduce a child to the world that is on their door step, a world of wonder and adventure. As small children there was awe in the world outside, from the simple feel of grass to climbing trees. We hope to reignite not only their interest in nature but also provide them with skills and knowledge that can be applied to everyday life and for the rest of their lives.
The course will run over 5 days from Monday to Friday and comprise 5 topics that encompass a wide range of knowledge from the natural world. The topics and knowledge will be shown in a fun, stress-free way with games and hands on work. Team work will take a large role as will the ability to work together with different age groups to facilitate understanding and communication.
We also offer the course as an introduction and building of the English language as Richard Latham is a native speaker from Great Britain. Learning will be facilitated with lots of description and hand-outs in both German and English. There will be no formal learning just fun and immersion in the language. No experience is necessary.
The week will cover many skills and methods traditionally used for thousands of years in the outdoors. It will also incorporate many modern ways that man has enhanced upon this knowledge. The areas of study will cover:
- Navigation
- Fire
- Flora as food and medicine
- Shelter
- Nature as a tool.
The children will be provided with writing and source material to aid with the subjects covered in the course. The children will also be provided with a pouch to collect interesting finds and their crafts that they make during the week.
The WOW Wienerwald Outdoor Wochen are conducted by myself (Thomas Beham) and my colleague and friend Richard Latham.
About Richard Latham
I am a biomedical research scientist working in an international research organisation based in Vienna, a fan of nature and a loving father of two.
I have, since I was a small boy, been keenly interested in the natural world and for years was involved in the cubs and scouts in England. I went on to do the Duke of Edinburgh award as an older child further expanding my knowledge. Both of these activities allowed me to discover the wonder of the world around me. Later in life I re-discovered my love for the outdoors and the joy it can bring. It was also very apparent to me that children of today have grown far removed from Nature and the wonder it can inspire. I sought to learn more about how our forefathers/mothers lived in Nature and thrived with just the resources around them. I wish to show and pass on this knowledge to others and especially children as they are the building blocks of a modern society that can understand and respect nature, not fear and forget the importance of our environment.