Walkabout Wellbeing Activity Cards & Teacher Resource

Trevor Fourmile, Sharlene Coombs

Following on from the very popular Yarn Circles Wellbeing Cards, we were approached to publish a practical Indigenous Perspectives resource for students which extends social and emotional wellbeing activities and life skills to an outdoor environment, and away from a technology focus.

Walkabout Wellbeing Activity Cards reflects the benefits of the traditional First Nations ‘Walkabout’, an ancient healing practice which has significant positive implications for today’s students. For many students, a connection to nature is an alien concept and something that needs to be explicitly taught. The teacher directed cards have been designed to help students to switch off from their thoughts and their devices, immerse themselves in nature, and practise living in the moment.

The 30 activity cards have been authentically illustrated by proud Yidinji author/artist, Trevor Fourmile, and include traditional Yidinji terms to prompt discussion around language and culture. The activities can be adapted for use in any setting – school grounds, local parks, gardens, and National Parks, making them accessible for everyone. A comprehensive Teacher Resource Book helps students to engage in deeper learning opportunities for every card.

The ‘walkabout’ takes many forms, however, the essential aim is to recoup wellbeing and revitalise students’ interest in the world around them through exposure to both sensory and mental health experiences. This includes a focus on life skills that are both positive and healthy, and which develop students’ sensory and cognitive awareness skills. In today’s tech-saturated world, social media distractions and agonising social acceptance battles can create overwhelmingly negative impacts on students. Walkabout Wellbeing Activity Cards help students to be aware of the factors causing distress, provide them with skills, ideas, habits, thoughts, and options that are both positive and healthy, and ulitimately help to revitalise their interest in the world around them.

Judge’s Comment

The Walkabout Wellbeing Activity Cards provide an easily accessible educational resource for all educators. Each card has bright beautiful images and feature traditional Yidinji terms, building the knowledge of first nations language. There is key background information and first nations knowledge provided on the cards in conjunction with some instructions for learning and promoting conversations around well-being. The cards also feature suggested literacy links to promote further discussion and literacy development. The Teacher Resource is easy to use and provides further details and activities for how the cards may be used. The Walkabout Wellbeing Activity Cards and Teacher Resource will continually develop literacy skills and oral language opportunities within the context of Indigenous Perspectives. A stand out for providing such a user friendly resource with strong links to curriculum.