Sound Maps
Learning how to sit still, tune into your surroundings and really, properly listen to the world around you.
Sound Map
🌍 Activity Type: Mindfulness activity • Nature investigation • Sensory exploration
⏱️ Time: 10–30 minutes
🎒 You'll Need: Sound map printable, clipboard or firm surface, pencil or coloured pencils
🧼 Mess Rating: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
👀 Senses Engaged: Hearing · Sight
🌱 Nature Links: Birds • Habitats • Seasons • Weather • Soundscapes • Mindfulness • Observation
😊 Difficulty: Easy
Mindful · Easy to do anywhere
Slowing down, and tuning in
Like all millennial mothers, I am overstimulated beyond all reasonable measures for a lot of the time. Weirdly, when I tell Little Leopard to calm down and stop shouting, it often leads to greater protestations, along with increased noise and being treated like a trampoline.
So I'm am very on board with any activities that'll grow skills like sitting, and listening and being aware. Making a sound map is amazing because all you need is a paper and a pencil. There's no prep, no mess to clean up, nothing to buy, and it can be slotted in anywhere. (I find near water is best because who doesn't love listening to calm splashing of a brook over pebbles, or ducks sloshing around on a lake).
Instructions as follows:
- Draw a rough map of the area where you're sitting.
- Listen to what's around you.
- Draw/ write what you hear.
- Colour it in if you want
Some things you might be able to hear:
- birds
- insects
- squirrels
- people
- dogs
- water
- leaves
- footsteps
- vehicles
Little Leopard didn't feel confident in sharing his drawings with the world just yet, so he made one with labels. Which is totally fine. This one's all about the process, not the end product. The win is in getting him to sit quietly and really listen for a few minutes.
It's a lovely one to keep doing when you're sat down on an adventure, noticing how the soundscapes differ by rivers, lakes, in woods or parks.
Adapt it
Younger Children
Listen together for just one minute.
Can you hear birds, wind, insects or people? Draw simple pictures / mark making instead of writing, and see if you can find the loudest or funniest sound.
Or you can draw the pictures for the child after they tell you what they can hear.
There are no right or wrong answers—just enjoy noticing the sounds of nature together.
Older Children
Challenge them to think like a scientist.
Can you tell the difference between natural and human-made sounds? Try creating a key on your sound map, estimate how far away each sound is, and compare your map with a partner's.
Use colouring pencils, or watercolours to turn the sound map into a piece of art.
Older children could keep a sound map diary.
Sensory
Slow the activity down and explore more than just the sounds.
If they're comfortable doing so, encourage your child to close their eyes for a few moments to help them focus on listening.
You can gently model what you're noticing too: "I can feel the breeze on my skin." "The sun feels warm on my face." "I can smell freshly cut grass."
There's no pressure to identify every sound. Simply sharing and naming sensory experiences can help children become more aware of the world around them in a calm, supported way.
Your next Oxfordshire adventure
Try visiting these very different environments to see how the sound maps vary in each:
July 2026 · Nature Reserves · Reservoir
Farmoor Reservoir
A place we pop into regularly to see how the plants change over the seasons, this visit was made even more special with the jade vine blooming.
March 2026 · Farm
Oxford City Farm
A lovely hour spent saying hi to the chickens, pigs, goats and sheep, and taking inspiration from their rhythms of growing.
May 2026 · Nature Reserve
Lye Valley Nature Reserve
A wildlife packed stroll through a hidden wilderness on the edge of Headington.
Your Next Activity
If you found this fun, why not try one of our other nature activities
Other Oxfordshire Nature Adventures
Nature reserves, gardens, zoos, epic walks and quiet strolls, here's a taste of our recent family nature expeditions across Oxfordshire.
Click here to see all of the adventures so far
Nature Adventures · Nature Reserves
Earth Trust
An epic adventure spotting newts, buzzards, kingfishers, caterpillars and so much more.
Nature Adventures · Parks and Gardens
Stonor Park
A fun-filled day spent exploring the adventure playground, spotting deer, getting up close with birds of prey and strolling round the gardens and arboretum.
Nature Adventures · Nature Reserves
Cothill Fen
A distinctly Jurassic stroll through the most diverse area in Oxfordshire, taking in FIVE nature reserves. We saw solitary bees, fossils, woodpeckers and some impressive geology.
Nature Adventures · Nature Reserves
Thrupp Lake
A gorgeous walk from Radley Station to Abingdon under the sounding bridge, around the lake and through Barton Fields, hearing an astonishing number of birds.
Find your nearest Adventure
Please note - this map works best on desktop so that you can enjoy filtering by type of adventure, and clickable links.
