Sounds are very important in nature. Some animals make sounds to tell other animals where they are, to warn others that there is danger, or to try to attract a mate. We can hear so many different sounds when we go outside to enjoy nature. This blog introduces a fun activity that you can do to try to become a better listener while you are outside!
This can also be a great activity to learn about bats and their great hearing abilities. EALT has bat boxes at many of our conservation lands, which also educational signage. Check them out at Glory Hills, Hicks, Bunchberry Meadows or Larch Sanctuary!
What You’ll Need
At least 2 people
Pen or pencil for each person
Notebook or piece of paper for each person
A timer or a watch
Awesome listening skills
What To Do
Head to your nearest park, pond, EALT conservation land, or other natural area with some friends or siblings. The more the merrier!
Find a nice spot where you can sit down on the ground for a few minutes while you complete the activity.
Have one person start a timer for 5 or 10 minutes.
Sit and listen carefully to things happening around you. Do you hear the rustling of leaves? The whooshing of the wind? Birds chirping? Dogs barking? Write down everything you hear until the time runs out. Try to write down as many as you can - it’s a contest!
Count how many different sounds you heard. Compare your list with your friends’. Who got the most? What are some things that other people heard that you did not?
Play again! See if you can get even more this time.
Individual Challenge: If you wish to do this activity along try out doing Sound Mapping. You still need a quiet spot in a natural area to sit.
Bring with you a piece of paper and a pencil
Draw a large circle and an X in the middle (this will represent you)
While listening to your surroundings, draw what you can hear around you and place them on your sound map according to which direction you think the sound is coming from.
The longer you sit, the more you’ll hear!
Ask Yourself
Did you hear different kinds of birds? What did they sound like? Can you try to recreate that sound by whistling or humming?
What happens when you close your eyes? Is it easier to focus on what you can hear around you?
Check out the Merlin Bird ID app to listen to the sounds of different birds that live in your area!