What’s a story walk?

The Basic Idea

Explore how to create stories through finding inspiration in natural found objects and working together with a group to create a unique story featuring these.

This activity can take a varied amount of time depending on the time given to explore and the size of each group and the total group.

Small groups of 4 or 5 are asked to go off in a specified area and explore for 5 minutes and each individual collects something that is natural on the ground that they think is interesting. The group then comes back together and spends 5 minutes creating a short story that features each of the found items. This is then shared with the wider group.

Groups may need guidance on what is suitable to collect – e.g. nothing that is moving or nothing that they feel uncertain about the might be poisonous – e.g. fungi.

Groups may need boundaries setting in larger or wilder areas and a suitable call or whistle might be needed to indicate when time is up.

How to take it even further or make it more challenging

This activity can be extended to explore colours, textures or shapes. Also themes can be provided for the story to link in to other learning. In addition the story can be written down and illustrated with the found items.