6 Calming Nature Therapy Activities To Try Now

Most of us live fast-paced, urbanized, and hectic lives with little free time and the possibility to rest surrounded by wildlife.  As I explained in my previous article, nature therapy is when one spends time doing activities to reconnect them to the environment to better their mental and physical health.

Nature therapy aims to build or strengthen our connection with our natural habitat and utilize its multiple resources through various fun and calming activities. So, I compiled a list of actions often recommended by psychologists for this exact purpose. 

Here are the best nature therapy activities to try!

Best Nature Therapy Activities

Meditating (ommm….)

This is mainly used as a time for self-reflection and introspection.

While meditating in a room can prove challenging for people with high-stress levels, the entire trip to the meditation spot in nature calms them down enough to make the whole experience much easier and more enjoyable. 

One reason meditation is an excellent nature therapy activity is the calmness one experiences when surrounded by nature. These effects sometimes make one feel better, even having difficulty meditating. 

Different practices of outdoor meditation may include focusing on a specific object (like a tree or a flower instead of the whole forest) or a sound (like a river or the birds) and thinking about exactly where they come from and why they matter.

This is done to understand better that some things are, and that’s okay. Two very different types of people benefit a lot from outdoor meditation: elderly people with little daily activity and people with hectic lives. 

The first group is because they can connect with the big trees, for example, or the essentially eternal bodies of water, and feel at peace while just existing. 

The second type often focuses on smaller things to remind themselves of their individuality and innocence in being simply what they are with no further responsibilities.

Playing with animals (from animal-assisted therapy) 

Okay, this nature therapy activity is one of my favorites. I love dogs and cats, and I find petting them so soothing. Nature therapy activities like this can be highly therapeutic, especially if you spend time alone. 

You can walk dogs and play with bunnies, chickens, or even horses, and while doing so, remind yourself of all the beautiful things a living being can do and all its excellent qualities. It is common for people with different illnesses to have treatment pets because of the trust, dependence, and love they build for each other.

Many psychologists recommend contacting animals to establish those connections. Spending time with something completely different from you but still managing to build a bond and have a great time is often a very grounding experience.

And let me tell you this – Such experiences can massively help battle anxiety and depression. If you can’t have a pet for personal reasons, going to the zoo or a dog shelter can do the trick almost as well, and it has the benefit of making the trip the focus of your day. 

Camping (from wilderness therapy)

Camping is one of the nature therapy activities that I’m not too fond of, mainly because I wouldn’t say I like bugs and small critters. However, I know that camping at least one day can improve one’s mental health.

Here, you let go of modern-day comfort and depend solely on nature and your actions.  Such activities help you gain confidence and realize that you can do much more than you do daily. 

Most people try this therapy to improve feelings like self-worth and accomplishment. It offers you a situation where you both have the stimulation needed to act, and your progress is visibly tangible.  You can try camping on a beach or mountain and hiking, visiting caves and waterfalls, or fishing or bird spotting in rugged terrain.

Going to an outdoor workout (from green exercise therapy) 

Running or cycling outside is better than doing so in the gym for your physical and mental health, but you probably hadn’t thought you could do many more different types of exercise in the fresh air. 

Take Tai-chi or dancing, for example. There are open-field classes in which you get your workout and interact with nature. 

Many people suggest doing these or similar ecotherapy activities barefoot because it’s easier to feel one with your surroundings and helps with the movement flow.

Rafting (from adventure therapy) 

The idea here is to explore what’s outside of your comfort zone.

Although you can go by yourself, many people recommend you go with your therapist so that they have a first-person perspective on how you’re feeling at the moment and help you overcome your fears if you need assistance. 

Facing something big, exciting, and maybe a bit scary gives you a thrill but has a calming effect afterward. 

Doing the action gives you the adrenaline boost while realizing it wasn’t so scary after all, and knowing that you managed to do it calms you down and makes you both humble and accomplished. 

This kind of therapy is often used to treat addiction because it reminds people that good emotions, either intense or not, can be found through their actions instead of different substances. If you can’t go rafting, you can try bungee jumping, rock climbing, zip-wiring, and many more, depending on where you live. 

Gardening (from horticulture therapy) 

The idea here is to take care of something and watch it grow. 

Many people lose their sense of individuality and forget that their actions have consequences, especially when they’re a part of a vast company. In situations like this one, or if you’re living alone in a new city, you can feel that the effort you put in is not worth as much as you thought it did or would like it to be. 

Taking care of something and nurturing it to reach its next stage of development is a very hands-on example of why your actions are essential. Knowing that something depends on you and that you’re necessary for something you love can give you a sense of purpose you may lack in a bustling cityscape. 

You can make a micro-sized garden in your apartment (if you don’t have a lot of space, you can take care of one or two potted plants) or a more sizable gardening place if you have a yard, and both are interchangeable and fun throughout the entire process. 

To Wrap It Up

Like the ones above, nature therapy activities provide countless opportunities suitable for people from all walks of life. 

You will undoubtedly find something you love in a nature therapy program. It can help you with your problems and become a lifelong hobby or passion. Most people have shared that exploring the world and themselves by connecting to it through different activities has pulled them out of a rut and helped them grow in ways nothing else could. 

With its overwhelming positive effects and the ways they can be achieved, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try at least one or two of the ideas on this list. I am sure they will give you an experience you will remember forever.

What do you think of these nature therapy activities? Let me know in the comments.