When did you last go for a walk with no destination, no deadline and no reason other than to be outside? For SEN parents, the chance to take a short walk somewhere green can be a real reset.
As a mum of a child with SEN, most of your walking happens on the way to somewhere. To the car, to the school gate, to yet another appointment or assessment. Head down, mind racing through the forms and phone calls still to do, barely noticing what is around you.
This week, why not take 15 minutes for a calm moment and take a short walk somewhere green? No step count, no route to plan. Just fresh air, a few trees and an unhurried pace.
Inspired by hygge, the Danish idea of cosy comfort, this is not only about candles and blankets. It is about feeling good in simple moments, and nature has plenty of those to offer when you have been “on” all day.
Make it cosy
A walk can be every bit as comforting as a night in, as long as you are warm and comfortable.
Before you head out, grab:
- A warm coat or a cosy jumper
- Your comfiest shoes or boots
- A scarf, hat or gloves if there is a chill in the air
- A flask of tea or coffee, if you fancy it
- Your phone on silent, tucked away in a pocket
Find your green
You do not need a forest or a national park. Green is often closer than you think.
You could head to:
- Your local park or playing field
- A canal towpath or riverside
- A churchyard or quiet garden
- A tree-lined street
- Even a lap of your own garden
Your 15-minute walk
Go at whatever pace feels good. This is a wander, not a workout.
- Start with three slow breaths. Fill your lungs with fresh air before you set off.
- Slow your steps. Walk a little slower than usual and let your shoulders relax.
- Look up. Notice the shapes of the branches and the colour of the sky.
- Look down. Fallen leaves, moss on a wall, a flower pushing through the pavement.
- Listen. Birdsong, rustling leaves, the crunch of your own footsteps.
- Breathe it in. Damp earth, cut grass, woodsmoke or rain.
Slow it right down
The magic is not in how far you walk. It is in giving your mind a break from screens, lists and noise.
As you walk, try to notice:
- How the fresh air feels on your face
- The different shades of green around you
- Your breathing settling into an easy rhythm
- Your busy thoughts growing a little quieter
If your mind wanders off to emails from school or the dinner plan, that is fine. Just bring your attention back to the next tree, the next sound, the next step.
Finish gently
When you get home, take a moment before diving back into your day. Pop the kettle on and enjoy that lovely feeling of coming in from the cold. Children borrow our calm, so bringing a little of that fresh-air quiet back through the door helps them too.
You could also:
- Bring home a leaf, conker or pine cone for your windowsill
- Jot down one thing you noticed that made you smile
- Invite a friend along next time
- Make it your little lunchtime ritual
Your 15-minute challenge
Today, give yourself 15 minutes.
Put your coat on. Leave your phone in your pocket. Step outside.
Then find somewhere green and simply walk.
It does not have to be far. It does not have to be beautiful.
It just has to be outside.
Because when you are an SEN mum, sometimes the best way to feel more at home in yourself is to spend a little time out of the house.
The fresh air is waiting for you.
Looking after you is part of looking after them. For more calm moments made for mums of children with SEN, visit For parents. And if you’d like simple 10-minute activities to help your child, Mooki Cards starter packs are free until 31 January with the code HELPEVERYCHILD.