Core Routines: Animal Forms, Wandering, Questioning and Tracking
Skills Practiced: Embodied movement, sensory mimicry, kinesthetic empathy
Ecological Indicators: Mammals, birds, reptiles
Qualities Fostered: Imagination, Body Awareness, Curiosity
Directions (Shields): East (Inspire), South (Activate), Southeast (Explore)
Suggested Age Range: 4+ (wonderful for mixed-age play; teens enjoy inventing forms)
Timing & Energy Level: Great energizer or mood shifter; pairs well with Fox Walk or Fire Keeper (South/East)
Set-Up & Materials:
- Open or wooded space
- Optional: animal cards, photos, or stuffed animals for prompts
- Natural materials can be used as “habitats”
Description:
Participants move like animals they’ve seen or imagined—walking like a fox, slithering like a snake, flapping like a heron. The mentor might model a few, or the group invents their own. Over time, learners begin to mimic behaviors: alertness, curiosity, hunting, hiding. This playful, expressive practice grounds participants in physical awareness and helps build empathy and understanding of wild kin.
Coyote Mentoring Tips:
- Start silly—then shift into more focused forms
- Invite questions: “How would this animal notice danger?”
- Use as a transition: “Let’s slither into Sit Spot”
Variations:
- Create “habitats” and travel through them in animal form
- Partner up and guess each other’s animals
- Mix with storytelling: “Today we’re foxes on a mission…”
Debrief Prompts:
- “What animal felt most fun in your body?”
- “What did you notice differently when you moved like that?”
- “If you could be any animal today, what would it be?”
Story Seeds:
- Animal creation myths
- Totem or spirit animal teachings (offered with cultural care)
- Personal stories of animal encounters