Purpose: It is scientifically proven that spending time in the woods, coming into contact with the volatile substances produced by the trees (monoterpenes, essential oils), brings to the human being countless physical and psychological benefits: it reduces anxiety and the consequences of stress, decreases blood pressure, promotes good mood, produces relaxation, increases immune defenses, in short gives wellness to 360°.

The project "One step at a time" is based on these premises to use nature as an ideal environment and a means of stimulus for children. The wood is a universe to be discovered, a reality constantly changing in relation to the seasons and atmospheric events, and thanks to this it offers many ideas so that children can freely express themselves, know, experiment, measure their abilities.

Objectives: During each meeting, short walks will be made, with the aim of stimulating and developing attention to sensory perceptions in children. Each of them will interact with natural elements according to their own predisposition, sensitivity, curiosity, attitude. It will therefore be possible to combine the benefits, which in itself to be in nature transmits, to the possibilities of discovery, knowledge, motor development and sensory stimulation that the wood offers.

Target: The laboratory is aimed at children with behavioral methods that can be traced back to the autistic spectrum by offering them a world different from those reduced and closed with which they are accustomed to familiarize, more typically linked to the school and the house, in which it is easy to fall into isolation. Moreover, considering that children with autistic disorder have hyper or hypo sensory perceptions depending on their experiences, psychological characteristics and age, my aim is to allow each child to experience positive sensory experiences by approaching them with delicacy and graduality to every new experience, respecting its times and characteristics.

Strategy: At small steps, one step at a time, they will be led to observe, listen, touch, smell, taste, in other words "percepire". Everyone will be guided but in their own and personal way will be reactions and sensations. Each child will bring home a wealth of well-being and new knowledge to which he will be able to take autonomy later.

Cronoprogram: Within each 2-hour session we will have:

Greeting and presentation of each child, boots distribution, caps and baskets.

Small wandering or dance or propitiatory singing to greet the wood and ask for "allowed to enter"

Delivery of route map

Way

Apex of the route with small surprise

Return

Greeting to the wood and thanks

Activity in structure: summary experience, view of any materials collected

Relaxation activities (yoga, massage, music)

Greetings