Autism and Outdoor Learning: an Autistic Practitioner’s Perspective
Marwen is a Director of Wild Green Space CIC and works across projects at The Nest, Den and Roost at We Are Wonder. They are currently planning a 3 day event ‘Tangles in the Trees: a Celebration of Outdoor Autistic Play’ for Easter 2025.
“When I spend my time amongst green and growing things I am reminded of my organic self. It is the experience of being simultaneously in and of nature that helps me connect my thinking self with my blood,bones and muscles, with my aches and pains, and with my senses. This ephemeral awareness is at times for me as a distant echo or a tiny voice, though when I am in distress it thunders and stamps, demanding attention at the expense of everything else.
Through a quiet awareness of self and of my body existing in space I gain a greater awareness of my exact, in the moment mental state: am I tired? Thirsty? Joyful? Then come my spoons* – those I have lost through exertion, through complex social interaction and through sensory overwhelm; and those I have to spare.
Group tool use during a session of The Nest.
When I spend time in the woods I am more able to give myself time to notice these things about myself and to take stock of how they will affect my day or my week. It is a space that inspires stillness, reflection and in-the moment sensory feedback in a way that indoor spaces just don’t do for me.
A comfy sofa in a heated room leaves my mind dull and my body sleepy, but a hammock or a tree swing in the woods, there is nothing more peaceful! I could gaze up at a canopy for hours in early springtime and look for patterns amongst the leaves, for signs of crown shyness or symmetry.
I authentically tap into my playful self with the basic and stripped down nature of our offerings. I find quiet, contemplative joy in the unravelling of string,then exhilarating order in the weaving of nets,webs or mouse sized ladders. I find a lot of satisfaction in a stick, carefully selected for its assigned purpose, I enjoy whittling away some of its imperfections and bringing others to light as it takes form into gnome or mushroom or spoon or humble tent peg.
I love to have a project always at hand, something to do with my hands and my senses as I assist in the day's activities and listen to the needs of the group. I randomly and sporadically stim – uttering small nonsense words, humming, flapping my hands or steepling my fingers.
I often act as a mirror for the group, even when I am low in spoons to spare I can reflect back the vibe and energy of an individual at play as I resort to unconscious mimicry that adds weight to their comedy and turns silliness into full on skits. In this way I become less conscious of my position as an ‘adult’ and more in tune with the group. As a wild woodland being I can let go of social expectations, unmask a bit and seek to use my imagination to weave stories, to entertain, to collaborate in world building and role playing.
Communication, processing words and simultaneous conversations can lead me to feeling exhausted and fragile after work – sensory overload from voices, high winds, loud lawnmowers and the constant ever-present hum of traffic that is unavoidable in an urban Glasgow park all chip away at my resilience. I find myself stuck in the minutiae, wading through small conflicts, trying to keep one eye in the future communicating to the group what will be happening. I believe this makes a difference to their comfort as well as my own ability to anticipate needs before they overwhelm me.
There is no greater privilege however than being able to live and work in an environment so well suited to my needs. To take a playful approach to life and work is a balm to anxiety and leaves me open to finding new interests and passion. These are often brought forth by the young people themselves in how I find ways to relate to them and to facilitate their learning”.
* Christine Miserandino coined spoon theory at a college diner to better explain to her friend what it was like to live with a chronic illness using spoons as a stand in for finite units of energy. A person living with a disability, mental illness or chronic pain has only so many spoons to spend on accomplishing tasks and must be meticulous with their decisions on what to use their spoons on in order to avoid going into deficits and risking burnout or a health relapse. Many neurodivergent people including myself resonate with this concept and use it as a framework for discussing our capacity on a given day. https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/the-neurodivergent-spoon-drawer-spoon-theory-for-adhders-and-autists
** For more information on participating in “Tangles in the Trees” please contact Marwen directly at marwen@wearewonder.org
