Thoughts are clouds and you are the sky…Full of endless possibilities.
Dreamlike, ethereal and perhaps a little unpredictable; do you remember those innocent hours lost, laying about in lush green grass with your school friends, giggling about who knows what and letting your imagination run wild as you gazed up at the clouds floating across the sky… Epiphanies, revelations and a fusion of wonderful dreams, yes much can be learnt from the lessons of clouds and marshmallows.
From dragons to deer, volcanoes to flowers, clouds just like our thoughts take on shapes in the form of all matter of things, never to really cross our minds again. Made of nothing but water, what if I were to tell you that there were many a wise moment to be learnt from watching those fluffy, puffy white balls of H2O sail across the sky?
Way up high
Besides being a very chilled way to unwind and connect with yourself and children, philosophers, writers, and nature-enthusiasts have written about the importance of connecting with nature for years. And within those connections, the opportunity to expand the mind beyond books, classrooms and the internet. So just what will those clouds in the sky teach you?
Cloud Lesson 1: Encourage the imagination
Just like clouds, our thoughts are endlessly changing. It’s almost impossible to not use your imagination when you cloud watch. It also makes a perfect first lesson and one of the reasons why cloud watching is a great activity to do with your little ones. That and the fact that it gives you a chance to breathe and catch up with yourself! Even just by being outside of a built up area, your mind (and lungs) will let out a sigh of relief.
You might even find yourself favouring particular clouds “because we’re human, we become partial to clouds we like and resent or resist the ones we don’t. Yet regardless of our preferences, all clouds are made of the same fundamental stuff. This is also true of good thoughts and bad thoughts.” source
Cloud Lesson 2: Journal, Draw, Create
In a world bustling by, thoughts are transient just like clouds. Some can be let go, but others hold significance and meaning — rather than fleeting on by, journal, draw and create what you can from those very thoughts. Often the most insightful and clearest of epiphanies appear when we are relaxed and free to let our minds wander. Encourage your little ones to do this too.
Cloud Lesson 3: Let go… and go with the flow.
Have you ever tried to control the thoughts that rush into your mind? Banishing this one, while letting another slip by… It’s not the easiest thing to do. Cloud watching can teach the mind that control is not everything. And everything is not control. Just go with the flow and let things go that you might otherwise allow festering in your mind. Clouds are ephemeral. They leave no trace, and they have nothing to do with the past. They come and they go.
Nature is a mutable cloud which is always and never the same.” ~ Poet and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Cloud Lesson 4: You are unique…
No two clouds or snowflakes are the same so why should we be as people. Your first child is different to your youngest, the birth of each is a unique experience and the personalities they nurture and grow are uniquely different too. Encourage your little ones (however old), to embrace their uniqueness and be the best version of themselves in this big, ever-changing world.
Cloud Lesson 5: It’s not always gloomy…
Even when the storm clouds roll in and the sky is grey and heavy, remember it’s not forever. It’s ok to not always be happy, smiling and joyous. It’s ok to have a bad day or feel sad. Just so long as the feeling and emotion are acknowledged for what each is. It is essential for children to understand that throughout life, they will experience as many emotions as there are colours in the rainbow.
Nurture their feelings and help them understand that quite often talking about feelings, makes it just that little be easier to get through it, knowing that someone is there for them. Feelings and emotions change, just like clouds do. They constantly come and go, and they tend to move fast, without much warning.
Once you look up and see the clouds zipping overhead, it reminds you that the world is still turning, the wind is still moving; and that you are insignificantly small as far as the clouds are concerned. (source)
If only for just a few seconds, look up. It helps you reset. Refocus. Reconnect. For we are not our thoughts. We are simply the sky in which they happen.
3 Ways to Unwind with clouds…
School holidays need not always be bustling and busy. Sometimes the quiet can be just as appealing. So if you’re seeking downtime then these three activities are just for you:
Winter Cloud Watching
Pull out a blanket and find a green hillside or park to lay back and watch the clouds float by in the warmth of the winter sun. Let the crispness of the cool air dance across your cheeks, but not before rugging up.
Marshmallow Making
Sweet treats are lovely to share with your little ones on special occasions. Create a gooey, sweet sugary mess in the kitchen with this healthy marshmallow recipe. Pick out a family favourite [movie], curl up on the lounge with cups of hot chocolate and lots of cuddles. Keep them close!
Cloud Craft
Not only is this activity fun, it also teaches little ones about cloud formations and the different types that grace our skies. Here are two cloud craft activities – one for preschoolers and one for those who just that little bit older.
Feature photo by Joshua Fuller on Unsplash.