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Nov 05
Love0
child making things

The gift of extra time

By Education, environment, family, Forest School, Green
by Susan Luxford, Timeless Toys, Hove

Why older children need play more than ever

Summers have been dominated by two viral trends over the last couple of years – “kid rotting” and “feral child summer”. If those terms feel a little provocative, a more comfortable description might be “slow parenting summer”.

Whatever we call it, the idea behind the trend is the same – parents are recognising that children need more unstructured play. More time to themselves and less scheduled activities.

For previous generations, play was largely child-initiated and open-ended. Today, however, even play can become adult-directed, structured and over-scheduled. And there is growing awareness of what children may be losing when every hour has a purpose and the impact this is having on children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing.

But as the autumn chill arrives and thoughts turn towards Christmas, a different kind of parental pressure inevitably creeps in.

Our instinct can shift from allowing children to explore freely to helping them ‘grow up’. For children between six and eleven, in particular, the perceived need for age-appropriate, educational or technologically advanced gifts can quietly replace something they still desperately need – the freedom of play.

I hear it often: “That’s too young for you.” “That’s not for your age.” “They’re five – it will be too easy for them.” Or, perhaps most revealingly “Does it actually do anything?”

As adults, we tend to view toys through a rigid, logical lens. We want to understand what something is for. We look at the age, the instructions, the skills it develops and, increasingly, whether it ‘does’ something.

But children don’t necessarily see toys that way. The less a toy tells a child what to do, the more room there is for the child to decide.

There is also a very real fear among parents that their children will be left behind if they don’t have constant access to technology, or that we aren’t pushing them hard enough.

That anxiety can drive us towards toys with instructions to follow, skills to master and an obvious purpose that adults can understand.

But perhaps we need to ask a different question. Not, “What does this toy teach?” But, “What could my child imagine with it?”

The secret world of older play

When an older child plays, they are often processing life.

As school becomes more demanding and friendships become more complicated, children encounter social pressures and emotions that they are not always equipped to articulate. Play can provide a private, analogue space in which to explore those experiences safely.

This is where toys can become so much more than entertainment.

Take the beautifully crafted, whimsical world of Maileg, which we proudly stock. To an adult, a tiny linen mouse tucked into a matchbox bed might simply be a beautiful keepsake.

To a nine-year-old navigating the heart-breaking complexities of friendship groups, that mouse can become a confidante.

By arranging miniature furniture, creating scenes and acting out fictional arguments, exclusions or reconciliations between characters, a child can explore feelings that may be difficult to put into words. They can experiment with different outcomes, revisit situations and regain a sense of control over a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming or confusing.

It is imagination, storytelling and emotional processing – disguised as play.

And that need doesn’t disappear simply because a child is now six, seven or nine.

In fact, older children may need imaginative play precisely because their world is becoming more complicated.

Preserving the magic this christmas

The unhurried freedom of a ‘slow parenting summer’ doesn’t have to disappear when the seasons change.

We can preserve that independent, imaginative spirit through the winter months by giving older children something surprisingly simple – permission to keep playing.

This Christmas, perhaps we can resist the urge to ‘age up’ our children too quickly.

Rather than choosing gifts because they look impressive, complicated or technologically advanced, look for toys that offer narrative depth, tactile experiences and plenty of room for imagination.

Because growing up is inevitable.

Let’s give children the gift of extra time – time to imagine, time to create and, most importantly, time to simply be children who play.

Susan Luxford runs Timeless Toys 100 Portland Road, Hove. @timelesstoysUK

This lovely shop is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. Please feel free to pop in to the shop or visit www.timeless-toys.co.uk

Nov 02
Love0
school girl gloge

Think again

By Education, Forest School, Mental health, play, Wellbeing
by Mrs Sarah Bakhtiari, Principal of Shoreham College

I change my mind quite a lot. This may not be the most reassuring opening sentence from a head teacher. But there is something rather important about being able to say: I thought this, I have learned something new, and now I think differently.

A decision should be the best one I can make with the information I have at the time. If better information arrives, stubbornly sticking with the original decision simply for the sake of consistency doesn’t make it a better decision.

And yet changing our minds can be surprisingly uncomfortable.

Most of us know the particular discomfort of discovering that something we have said with great confidence is completely wrong. Perhaps you have insisted that the car was parked on the third floor when it was, in fact, on the fourth. Perhaps you have spent ten minutes explaining why something cannot possibly work, shortly before someone demonstrates that it can.

There is a tiny moment in which we have a choice. We can defend ourselves, explain why we were almost right, subtly change what we originally claimed, or simply say, “Oh. I was wrong.”

I am increasingly interested in that moment.

Being wrong is an unavoidable part of being human. We misunderstand people, remember things incorrectly and make decisions without knowing everything we will later know. The problem is that we often treat being wrong as something to be embarrassed about rather than something useful.

Children learn this very early. Put your hand up in class with the right answer and there is an immediate little reward: well done. Give the wrong answer and, however skillfully a teacher handles it, there can still be that sinking feeling of having got it wrong in public.

Of course, knowledge matters. Seven times eight really is 56, regardless of how passionately I might argue otherwise. But learning depends upon getting things wrong. If children only attempt things they already know how to do, very little learning is taking place.

A crossed-out answer can therefore be genuinely interesting. It shows us where a child started and how their thinking changed. Sometimes the mistake is the most revealing part of the learning.

The same is true beyond the classroom. We want children to develop opinions, question what they hear, examine evidence and reach conclusions for themselves. But there is another skill that matters just as much: knowing when the evidence means that the conclusion needs to change. That requires more than critical thinking. It requires enough resilience to change your mind when the evidence asks you to.

I know how difficult that can be. Quite often, I will have thought something through, considered the options, reached what seems to me to be an entirely sensible conclusion and announced it to other people.

And then somebody says, “Have you thought about…?”

And sometimes I haven’t.

Then comes the choice. Defend the decision I have expressed, or accept that the new information has changed things.

I would love to tell you that I always embrace the latter with intellectual delight. I don’t. Sometimes becoming better informed is deeply inconvenient. But it is still better than being confidently wrong, and so I reserve the right to become better informed.

Sometimes that means changing my mind. Perhaps we should celebrate when our children do the same. Instead of asking whether they got something right, let’s be interested in what made them think again. The crossed-out calculation, the rewritten paragraph, the opinion that shifted after a conversation with somebody else: these are not necessarily signs that the first attempt failed. Sometimes they are evidence that something happened between the first thought and the second. And that something is learning.

I hope the young people we educate leave school knowing lots of things. But I also hope they leave curious enough to question some of those things, confident enough to form their own opinions and secure enough to change them. There will be plenty of occasions in their lives when they are wrong. There certainly have been in mine. The important thing is what happens next.

Shoreham College, like many independent schools, has been offering continuity of education for its pupils and their families for generations. Established in 1842, as a grammar school, where pupils were “liberally boarded and carefully educated.” Shoreham College is proud of its traditions and proud of the many and varied achievements of pupils. Whilst the Shoreham College of today is most definitely a day school, the forward thinking liberal culture of its founders continues to resonate.

www.shorehamcollege.co.uk

Nov 01
Love0
winter wonder

Winter wonders

By Early Years, environment, Forest School, fun for children, Mental health, Wellbeing
by Lucy Owen-Collins MBE, Bee in the Woods Kindergartens

Why the best gifts of childhood can’t be wrapped

At this time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to buy more and do more. There are present lists, gift guides, stocking fillers and a steady stream of Instagram stories telling us what our children need to make the season more magical.

But when we think back to the things we loved most about our own childhood, I wonder how many of them came from a shop?

Perhaps it was walking home in the dark and seeing everyone’s Christmas lights. Making something at the kitchen table. The smell of something baking. Building a den. Staying in pyjamas all day. Or simply having the people we loved around us with nowhere else they needed to be.

The things that make childhood rich are often very simple: time, play, connection and a little bit of wonder.

The gift of time

Children live in a busy world. Nursery or school, clubs, appointments, errands and the everyday rush of getting everyone where they need to be. The festive season can easily add another layer of busyness.

Yet children need time that isn’t organised for them. Time to become absorbed in something, to follow an idea, to get bored and work out what to do next. Play doesn’t always happen instantly. Sometimes children need to potter for a while before the really interesting stuff begins.

The winter holidays can offer a rare opportunity to slow the rhythm of family life. We don’t necessarily need to fill that space. A morning with nowhere to be can be a gift in itself.

The gift of play

It is tempting to think that good play requires good toys. In reality, children are remarkably good at finding fun play in ordinary things.

A cardboard box can become a sleigh, a house or a spaceship. Sticks can become a campfire, tiny people or ingredients for woodland soup.

Blankets over the table become a den. Mud, water, stones, pinecones and leaves offer possibilities that no adult has predetermined.

This kind of open-ended play matters because the child, rather than the toy, has to provide the ideas.

That doesn’t mean toys are bad, of course. There is something wonderful about choosing a present you know a child will love. But perhaps alongside asking, “What can I buy them?” , we can also ask, “What might give them more opportunities to play?”

Sometimes the answer is simply time, space and permission to make a mess.

The gift of nature

Winter can make getting outdoors feel like more of an effort. There are coats to find, gloves that mysteriously disappear and somebody will almost certainly announce that they need the toilet just as everyone is finally ready.

But once we get outside, winter has its own kind of magic.

Puddles become ice. Breath turns to clouds. Bare trees reveal nests hidden all summer. Mud freezes and crunches beneath our feet. There are tracks to discover, berries to spot and, if we are lucky, frost or snow to transform a familiar place completely.

Children notice these tiny seasonal changes when we give them time to look.

Outdoor adventures don’t have to be elaborate either.

A ten-minute torch walk after tea can feel enormously exciting to a four-year-old. So can drinking hot chocolate outside, jumping in puddles or visiting the same tree each week to see what has changed.

The important thing isn’t how far we go. It is that we go together.

The gift of connection

Perhaps this is the one children need most.

Connection happens in small moments: stirring a cake mixture together, reading the same story for the hundredth time, collecting sticks, chatting on a walk or listening properly to a very long explanation about a particularly interesting stone.

Through these ordinary moments, children build their sense of belonging, security and confidence.

And connection is not only between people. Childhood is also a time when relationships with places are formed. The woods we visit again and again, the park where we know the best climbing tree, the beach where we collect treasures. Familiar places with people we love become woven into our memories.

A little winter wonder

If you’re looking for things to do together this winter, they needn’t cost very much at all.

Make natural decorations. Collect fallen twigs, pinecones, seed heads and leaves and turn them into stars, wreaths, garlands or decorations.

Go on a winter treasure hunt. Can you find something prickly, something smooth, something red, something tiny, something that smells interesting and something an animal might eat?

Take a torch walk. Explore somewhere familiar after dark. Notice how different everything feels and listen for sounds you might miss during the day.

Make a winter potion. A bowl, water and a wooden spoon are all you need. Add leaves, mud, herbs, sticks or anything else children discover outside. There is no correct recipe.

Start a tiny winter tradition

A Boxing Day walk, hot chocolate outdoors, making decorations from nature or an annual torch walk.

Traditions don’t have to be grand to become precious.

The festive season with children can come with a great deal of pressure to make everything magical. But perhaps we don’t need to manufacture quite so much magic for them.

Children are very good at finding it for themselves.

It is there in the frozen puddle, the cardboard box, the flickering fire, the stick that becomes a wand and the familiar hand tucked into theirs on a cold winter walk.

This season, alongside the presents we wrap, perhaps we can leave a little more space for the things that can’t be wrapped at all.

Time. Play. Nature. Connection. They might just be the gifts our children remember.

Bee in the Woods Kindergarten is a woodland preschool and community Forest School for three to seven year olds, based in Portslade and Stanmer Park in Brighton.

For more information www.beeinthewoods.co.uk

Jul 12
Love0
family forest school

The power of small nature moments in childhood

By Education, Forest School
by Katie Stacey, The Wild Shift

On the way home from school, my children and I stop at our local village fountain. We check to see if the frogs are there. Sometimes they are sunbathing on the warm stone, plopping into the water if we get too close. Sometimes we spot a pair of beady eyes breaking the surface. Sometimes there are none to be seen. Either way, we pause for a minute before heading home.

It’s a tiny ritual in our day, barely long enough to delay the journey. But over time it has become incredibly important. A marker between school and home.

Moments like this have reshaped how I think about children, nature and family life.

Many families today feel enormous pressure to give their children the ‘right’ childhood. Sports clubs, outdoor activities, forest school sessions – all wonderful opportunities. Yet even with full calendars, many parents sense something is missing. Children can remain restless, overwhelmed or easily frustrated despite having plenty to do.

I have come to realise that the answer is simpler than we think.

The pace of modern childhood

Modern childhood moves quickly. Children’s nervous systems are still developing and rely heavily on the environment to regulate emotions and attention. When life becomes overstimulating, children can struggle to settle or manage big feelings.

Time outdoors has long been associated with improved wellbeing and focus in children. Fresh air, natural light and open space help the brain shift out of a constant state of alert.

But often parents feel they need to offer grand outdoor adventures to fulfil this. What I have learnt is that the most powerful moments in nature are often the simplest ones, repeated.

Small moments, repeated often

I have come to see that there is a difference between doing outdoor activities and living with nature as part of family life. Activities tend to be scheduled. They have a start time, an end time and often an element of achievement.

Nature rhythms live in the small pauses between things – noticing the sky while walking to school, stopping to watch birds, feeling the rain on your cheeks before getting into the car.

Our stop at the frogs is one example. It takes only a minute or two, and some days we see nothing at all. Yet the repetition has made it meaningful.

These small pauses create something important: shared attention. It doesn’t have to look the same each time – simply noticing the natural world together is enough.

Over time, I began to think of this approach as nature-led parenting – not treating nature as an activity to organise, but allowing it to shape the rhythm of everyday life.

When a parent pauses to notice something small – a beetle crossing the pavement, the changing light in the sky or birds singing – it signals that curiosity and attention are worthwhile.

Nature invites a slower kind of noticing. Psychologists call this ‘soft fascination’ – attention that restores mental energy rather than draining it. It’s why nature rhythms can shape how we respond to stressful moments. When we anchor ourselves in the natural world, our capacity to respond with greater calm and clarity expands. For children, these moments help settle emotions and help restore focus.

Nature is closer than we think

Early in my career as a wildlife storyteller, I specialised in urban wildlife, helping people notice nature in unexpected places.

One morning my husband and I found a coot’s nest tucked beside a canalboat in London, built almost entirely from scraps of plastic and twine. Commuters hurried past, but when a few people stopped to look with us, something shifted. Shoulders relaxed. Faces lit up with surprise that something so alive and wild was unfolding in the middle of the city. Moments like that remind us that nature is rarely as far away as we imagine. Often it is simply waiting to be noticed.

Doing less, but more often

In those early years parenting my own two boys, I fell into the trap of thinking that the moments that mattered most for my children were the big ones – long hikes, wild landscapes or carefully planned days outdoors. But I soon began to notice that the real shifts came from smaller moments, experienced more often.

One afternoon when I wasn’t feeling well, I suggested staying inside to watch a film instead of going out. My boys looked at me as if I had suggested skipping dinner.

Somewhere along the way, those small scraps of outdoor time had become as essential to them as food. Not because I insisted on it, but because we had repeated it.

The power of everyday nature

Parents today carry enormous pressure to create the perfect childhood. But nature does not require perfection or elaborate plans. A short walk around the block. A pause to watch clouds or notice birds overhead. These encounters may last only a minute or two, yet they can become anchors in the day – reminders that childhood does not need to be carefully organised to be meaningful.

Perhaps the most powerful thing we can offer our children is not another activity, but the willingness to pause and notice the world alongside them.

Katie Stacey is a writer and nature-led parenting mentor, and founder of The Wild Shift. To find out more please visit www.thewildshift.com

Jul 04
Love0
learning youngster

The great outdoors The benefits of extending learning beyond four walls

By Early Years, Forest School
by Karen Borley, Senior Education Advisor, N Family Club

Trends from Natural England surveys have found that over 60% of children now play mostly indoors at home, and that direct contact with nature has halved in a single generation, suggesting that modern children are facing a ‘nature deficit’.

While indoor playrooms provide vital learning experiences, there is a growing movement in early childhood education that looks increasingly beyond four walls to the most sophisticated classroom ever designed: the great outdoors.

In the early years of a child’s life, the world is a place of endless wonder, and from intentionally designed nursery gardens to the muddy boots that accompany Forest School sessions, outdoor learning can provide awe-inspiring experiences to young children and act as a powerful driver of wellbeing, development and environmental responsibility.

Rather than viewing the garden as a break from learning, we should instead view the garden as a way to extend learning into the outdoors. When a space is planned with the same intentionality as an indoor room, it becomes a dynamic environment where children can explore physics through water flow, mathematics through the patterns of leaves and literacy through storytelling under the canopy of a tree.

A high quality outdoor environment is often designed in ‘zones’ – dedicated areas for physical play, creative exploration, quiet reflection and discovering wildlife. This structured yet open-ended approach allows children to lead their own learning, using ‘loose parts’ like crates, planks and tyres to build, problem-solve and collaborate.

Forest School takes this outdoor intentionality a step further. By moving the learning environment into local woodlands, children are given the freedom to engage with the natural world in its purest form. Forest School is not just about being outside; it is about building a deep, long-term connection with nature.

In these sessions, children aged three and over learn to manage risks and use real tools, such as bow saws and mallets, under careful supervision.They learn to build shelters, identify native tree species and even understand the safety protocols of a campfire. These experiences do more than teach practical skills; they build a sense of independence and resilience that is hard to replicate in a traditional classroom setting.

The benefits of learning in nature are holistic and cover every part of a child’s development:

Physical development

The terrain of a garden or forest naturally supports strength, balance and coordination, and encourages the kind of physical activity that is essential for healthy growth.

Emotional wellbeing

Natural environments are proven to reduce stress and support emotional regulation. For many children, particularly those with sensory processing needs, the outdoors provides a calming, neuro-inclusive space where they can thrive.

Social skills

Nature promotes collaboration. Whether it’s working together to move a heavy log or negotiating the rules of a game in the garden, children develop strong communication and empathy as they care for shared spaces and living things.

Global responsibility

Early contact with nature is the single biggest predictor of adult pro-environmental behaviour. By caring for bug hotels, composting plant waste and observing life cycles firsthand, children become active stewards of their environment. Integrating the outdoors into early education also aligns with broader environmental goals, such as the Department for Education’s Carbon Action Plan. By utilising gardens and local green spaces, educators reduce reliance on energy-intensive indoor environments and model sustainable practices – such as collecting rainwater or prioritising natural, reusable resources – directly to the next generation.

As we look toward the future of early years education, it is clear that the classroom is evolving. By embracing Forest School-inspired learning and intentionally designed outdoor spaces, we provide children with a rich, sensory and purposeful environment that allows their curiosity to come alive.

When we give children the chance to get a little bit muddy and explore the world around them, we aren’t just teaching them about nature; we are giving them the tools to be confident, curious and physically capable individuals who are ready to take on the world.

Founded in 2017, N Family Club set out to rethink early years education – developing a progressive curriculum, building a sector-leading team culture, and a world class service that adds real value for families. A proud B Corp, N Family Club was rated the highest quality group in the UK by Nursery World in 2022 & 2023, accredited as a Great Place to Work in 2024 and 2025, and recognised as the 14th Best Workplace in the UK (Super Large Category) in 2026. www.nfamilyclub.com

Jul 03
Love0
high wire

Unlocking potential The transformative power of outdoor learning

By Early Years, Education, Forest School
by Richard Wilson, Buzz Active

For parents, teachers and youth leaders seeking to enrich educational experiences, outdoor learning offers a powerful pedagogical approach that extends beyond the traditional classroom. As education increasingly values resilience, character and life skills, outdoor activity centres work regularly with groups to develop these attributes through engaging, adventure-based experiences.

The evidence base: Why outdoor learning matters

The benefits of outdoor learning are well established in research. A major review of 150 studies found strong evidence that well-designed, planned and taught outdoor learning experiences provide significant added value to classroom education, supporting development across cognitive, affective, and social domains (Rickinson et al., 2004).

More recent reviews confirm these findings. Research published in the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning shows that most forms of outdoor learning positively affect young people, particularly when programmes are sustained and include preparation and follow-up (Fiennes et al., 2015). Outdoor adventure learning has been shown to improve attitudes, self-perception, interpersonal skills and social effectiveness.

The six foundations of character development

Activities are intentionally designed to develop six key character attributes that underpin personal growth and long-term success. These closely align with capabilities widely recognised as essential for thriving in the 21st century.

1. Confidence

Outdoor activities encourage young people to step beyond their comfort zones and recognise their own capabilities. Achievements such as mastering sailing skills or completing a climb, build self-belief. The Educational Endowment Foundation reports that outdoor adventure learning can positively influence self-efficacy and motivation, with potential transfer to improved classroom engagement.

2. Teamwork

Outdoor settings naturally foster collaboration. From canoeing to leadership challenges, success depends on communication and cooperation. Research shows that collaborative outdoor tasks strengthen interpersonal skills and social interaction, helping young people work more effectively with peers and adults.

3. Communication

Clear communication is essential outdoors, whether giving instructions on the water, problem-solving as a group, or maintaining safety during climbing activities. These experiences develop listening and expressive skills that transfer directly to academic, social and workplace contexts.

4. Resilience

Outdoor pursuits involve challenge and occasional failure. Persisting with windsurfing or completing a high ropes course teaches determination and perseverance. Research indicates that overcoming outdoor challenges strengthens resilience and adaptability – skills that remain valuable throughout life.

5. Creativity

Outdoor environments demand flexible and innovative thinking. From navigating an orienteering course to adapting paddle sport strategies in changing conditions, participants use creativity to solve problems. Studies suggest that engagement with nature enhances creative and critical thinking, fostering imagination and innovation.

6. Independence

Outdoor learning offers rare opportunities for genuine autonomy. Taking responsibility for a sailing dinghy or choosing a climbing route teaches decision-making, risk awareness and accountability. For many young people, especially those with limited access to such experiences, this development of independence is particularly powerful.

The RYA OnBoard Programme: Evidence in action

The Royal Yachting Association’s OnBoard programme provides strong evidence of outdoor learning’s impact. Research by the Institute of Education at University College London studied 371 young people aged eight to 17 from schools and sailing clubs.

The study, Children and Sailing, found that OnBoard effectively develops the six character attributes of confidence, communication, teamwork, determination, creativity and independence.

Key findings included:

• Almost all participants reported enjoyment, fun, and a sense of freedom.

• Increased confidence, relaxation, and peer support.

• Significant contributions to personal and social development, including maturity and responsibility.

• A positive impact on social equity by providing unique opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

As RYA OnBoard Operations Officer Hannah Cockle explains, being on the water creates safe but challenging situations that support the development of crucial character attributes for life success.

Translating research into practice

These principles should be embedded in all provisions with each activity delivered with intentional learning outcomes and facilitated reflection:

• Sailing and windsurfing: Confidence through skill

mastery, teamwork through coordination and independence through helming.

• Paddle sports: Determination through physical challenge, communication through synchronisation and creativity through route planning.

• Team leadership games: Explicit development of teamwork, problem-solving and communication.

• Climbing and high ropes: Confidence, persistence and personal responsibility.

• Target sports: Concentration, confidence through improvement, and independent self-assessment.

• Forest or beach school activities: Creativity, exploration of the natural world, appreciation and education of the environment, connection to nature and development of practical skills.

Qualified instructors ensure that activities become meaningful learning experiences rather than simple recreation.

Making outdoor learning accessible

High-quality outdoor learning has the potential to level the playing field. Research shows that many young people – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – have limited access to nature and adventure. Outdoor programmes provide experiences that build resilience, motivation and self-confidence, helping shape more positive life trajectories.

Practical considerations for educators

Research highlights several factors that maximise impact:

• Duration: Sustained or longer-term programmes deliver greater benefits than one-off visits.

• Preparation and follow-up: Intentional reflection helps transfer learning to other contexts.

• Safety and support: Qualified providers balance challenge and safety.

• Inclusive design: Effective programmes ensure accessibility and success for all participants.

The lasting impact

The benefits of outdoor learning extend well beyond the activity itself. Educators report improved concentration, behaviour and engagement upon students’ return to school. More importantly, the character attributes developed – confidence, teamwork, communication, resilience, creativity and independence – become lasting assets for education, employment and personal life.

As one OnBoard participant reflected: “This week, I did not just learn how to sail, I learnt self-belief and bravery.”

Outdoor learning is not simply enrichment – it is an essential educational approach. By embedding character development through well-designed experiences, providers complement classroom learning while equipping young people for modern life.

The evidence is clear: outdoor learning works. It engages, builds character and creates lasting positive impact. In a world of growing pressure and uncertainty, investing in outdoor learning is a real investment in young people’s future.

Buzz Active, Royal Parade Eastbourne, Bushy Wood Scout Activity Centre and Seven Sisters Country Park.

info@buzzactive.org.uk  www.buzzactive.org.uk

Jul 02
Love0
children-on-beach-foraging

5 outdoor skills every child should try this summer

By Childcare and Nannying, Education, Forest School
by Lucy Owen-Collins, Head of Adventures at Bee in the Woods

Summer has a way of inviting us outdoors. The days are longer, shoes are optional and suddenly the world feels full of possibility. For many parents, though, summer can also bring a familiar pressure: How do I keep the children entertained?

However, children don’t need endless organised activities or expensive days out to have a rich summer. Some of the most powerful learning and memorable times happen when children are trusted with real experiences – using tools, growing food, cooking outdoors, building things, exploring wild spaces and testing their own capabilities.

Outdoor play offers something many modern childhoods have less of: freedom to experiment, opportunities to take manageable risks and space to become genuinely capable and grow.

Here are five outdoor skills families can explore together this summer.

1. Learn to use real tools

Many adults instinctively think that real tools are too dangerous for young children, but with careful supervision and clear boundaries, children are often far more capable than we expect.

Start simple by supporting your child to:

• Hammer golf tees into a pumpkin, log or thick cardboard.

• Use a child-friendly hand drill to make holes in conkers or driftwood.

• Build a simple stick boat using string and found materials.

Children are naturally drawn to real, purposeful work. Using tools develops hand-eye coordination, concentration, perseverance and problem-solving – but perhaps most importantly, it helps children learn how to assess risk. Child sized hammers and hand drills can be sourced online and can be used safely with supervision.

Rather than teaching children to fear tools, we can teach respect, safe handling and responsibility.

Top tip: Resist the urge to fix it for them. A slightly wonky creation built independently is far more valuable than a perfect adult-made one.

2. Grow something they can eat

You do not need an allotment, greenhouse or even much space for this one. A few pots on a doorstep or balcony can become a summer classroom.

Easy child-friendly choices:

• Strawberries

• Salad leaves

• Peas

• Mint

• Nasturtiums

• Tomatoes.

There is something magical about watching a child check their plant every day, noticing tiny changes and taking responsibility for watering.

Gardening teaches patience, observation, cause and effect and care for living things. It’s also a wonderful way to encourage adventurous eating – children are much more likely to taste something they’ve grown themselves.

And who doesn’t love digging for worms!

3. Cook outdoors

Outdoor cooking creates a special kind of magic that makes for a memorable summer.

There’s something about preparing food in fresh air – collecting ingredients, stirring, waiting, tasting – that naturally draws children in. Give children of all ages real jobs – stirring, chopping softer foods (age appropriately), mixing, wrapping and serving.

If you have a fire pit, wonderful. If not, a barbecue, camping stove or picnic setup works beautifully.

Simple ideas:

• Elderflower, blackberry or blueberry pancakes (Vegan/gluten free recipes can be found online too).

• Banana boats (banana with chocolate melted inside foil).

• Campfire apples or pineapples with cinnamon.

• Flatbreads cooked outdoors.

• Herb butter corn on the cob.

Cooking supports maths (measuring, quantity), language development, sequencing, fine motor skills and independence. It also creates something less measurable and equally important: connection. Shared outdoor food experiences become the moments children remember.

4. Become a beach explorer

Living by the coast gives families a wonderful summer classroom.

A trip to the beach doesn’t need to mean simply paddling and ice creams (although both are lovely). Children are natural scientists when given the chance.

Try:

• Shell sorting by shape, colour or size.

• Driftwood sculpture building.

• Rock pooling with gentle care for wildlife.

• Watching wave patterns.

• Drawing maps in the sand.

• Collecting seaweed varieties.

• Noticing tides and how the shoreline changes.

Beach exploration encourages observation, curiosity, early science thinking and environmental awareness.

For families living in coastal towns, the beach also offers an important opportunity to teach safety awareness and risk assessment – essential life skills for children growing up by the sea.

Notice the waves together.

Ask questions:

• Does the sea feel calm today?

• Would it feel safe to go to the water’s edge?

• What might the sea look like when it isn’t safe?

• What would we do if the waves were high?

• How deep is safe to go?

These kinds of conversations help children learn that risk is not something to fear, but something to notice, think about and respond to.

One child may spend an hour fascinated by a crab. Another may become deeply invested in transporting wet sand from one place to another. Both are learning. Alongside all the joy, digging, splashing and discovery, children are developing respect for the sea – understanding both its beauty and its power.

Top tip: Keep a spare towel, spare clothes and low expectations about staying clean!

5. Build a den

If I could prescribe one childhood activity, it might be den building.

Dens are extraordinary spaces because children must imagine them before they exist. You don’t need woodland to do this.

Try:

• Garden dens with sheets and chairs.

• Stick shelters in a local park.

• Beach windbreaks.

• Mini fairy shelters made from natural materials.

• Blanket forts that migrate outdoors.

Den building develops:

• Planning

• Engineering thinking

• Collaboration

• Persistence

• Creativity

It also gives children ownership of space – something many children deeply value. And once the den exists, the imaginative play begins!

Let children lead. The ‘best’ den is not the neatest one.

Family life can be wonderfully full, especially in summer, with so many opportunities, outings and activities on offer.

Yet some of childhood’s richest experiences often come from simpler moments – getting muddy, hours of playing, solving problems, building, climbing, cooking, digging and discovering.

The outdoors offers a rare kind of freedom: space to explore, test ideas and grow in confidence. Sometimes the most memorable summer moments are the ones where children are given time, trust and a little room to surprise us.

Bee in the Woods Kindergarten is a woodland preschool and community Forest School for  three to seven year olds, based in Portslade and Stanmer Park in Brighton.

For more information www.beeinthewoods.co.uk

Mar 09
Love0
early years

The heart of early learning – an inspirational reflection on being a nursery educator

By Childcare and Nannying, Early Years, Education, Forest School
by Karen Martin
Tots’ Village Nursery

To step into a nursery classroom each morning is to step into a world where wonder lives in the smallest moments, where a single crayon stroke is a masterpiece in progress, where a shy smile is the start of newfound confidence and where tiny hands hold enormous potential. To be a nursery educator is to witness magic daily, but more importantly, it is to help create it.

Being a nursery educator is not simply a job; it is a calling rooted in compassion, patience and a belief in the extraordinary abilities of young children. It is the joyful responsibility of nurturing minds and hearts during the most foundational years of life. These are the years when children discover their sense of self, begin to understand how the world works and learn how to connect with others. And in the middle of every milestone, big or small, is the educator, guiding, encouraging and celebrating.

In many ways, nursery educators are architects of the future. While the world often measures success through visible achievements, nursery educators understand that success begins long before a child can read their first word or solve their first equation. In the nursery, success looks like empathy taking root when a child shares a toy unprompted. It looks like resilience when a child who was once hesitant now tries something new. It looks like curiosity every time a little voice asks,“Why?”.

These moments may seem small, but they are transformational! Nursery educators know that early childhood education is the soil in which the seeds of lifelong learning are planted. With every story read aloud, every question answered, every conflict gently resolved and every imaginative game encouraged, nursery educators help children build the emotional and cognitive foundations they will carry forever.

And yet, the job demands more than knowledge of child development. It asks educators to be storytellers, dancers, scientists, mediators, nurses, cheerleaders and sometimes even magicians! It requires them to be flexible enough to shift from teaching colours and shapes to comforting tears within seconds. It asks them to balance structure with spontaneity, offering routines that make children feel safe whilst also embracing the unexpected creativity that young minds bring into the room.

But the true beauty of being a nursery educator lies in the relationships. Children respond to the teachers who kneel down to meet their eyes, who celebrate their ideas, who make them feel seen and valued. A nursery educator knows that children learn best when they feel loved and so they fill their classrooms with warmth, encouragement and opportunities to succeed. They know that each child is different, each with their own rhythm, needs and spark and they take the time to understand those differences.

There is a profound sense of fulfilment in knowing that you are shaping the earliest experiences of learning. It is an honour to be one of the first adults a child trusts outside of their family. It is a privilege to hear the unfiltered thoughts of young minds and to watch them unfold into capable, confident learners. Nursery educators hold space for children as they navigate big feelings, celebrate first friends and find their voice.

Whilst the work is deeply meaningful, it is also undeniably challenging! The days can be long, the tasks unending and the emotional energy required immense. Yet nursery educators return each day because they know their work matters, perhaps in ways not immediately visible, but inevitably powerful. They know that the lessons they teach extend far beyond the classroom: patience, perseverance, kindness, curiosity and a love of discovery.

What makes nursery education inspirational is not only the impact educators have on children but also the impact children have on them. Children remind adults to see the world with fresh eyes, to find excitement in the ordinary and to appreciate the beauty of simple things. They remind us that progress is not always linear and that learning is as much about exploration as it is about achievement. To work with children is to witness unfiltered joy, pure honesty and boundless imagination every single day. This is the gift of being a nursery educator.

Every child who walks through the nursery door brings a universe of potential. And every educator who greets them helps shape that universe, through patience, guidance, creativity and love. Nursery educators change lives not by delivering grand speeches or dramatic lessons, but through consistent, gentle and intentional acts of teaching and care.

So, to every nursery educator: know that your work reverberates far beyond the classroom. Know that the stories you read, the songs you sing, the hugs you offer and the encouragement you give will echo throughout a child’s life. Know that your presence, your passion and your belief in each child help shape confident, compassionate, capable human beings.

Being a nursery educator means being a builder of futures, a cultivator of curiosity and a guardian of childhood wonder. It is one of the most impactful roles in education – and perhaps one of the most inspiring roles in the world.

Tots’ Village is a family run nursery for children aged 0-5 based in Caterham. Graded Outstanding by Ofsted we build strong foundations for happy futures! Discover the difference – where love and care comes first and learning is fun. www.totsvillagenursery.co.uk

 

Mar 07
Love0

Raising resilient children

By children's health, Early Years, Education, Exercise, Forest School, play, Uncategorized
by Lucy Owen-Collins
Head of Adventures at Bee in the Woods Kindergartens

What outdoor nurseries know about risk, freedom and play

Spring has a wonderful way of reminding us that children, like the natural world, grow best when given space, time and the right conditions. As blossoms return and days stretch out, many families find themselves venturing outside more often – opening the door to something Early Years educators have known for decades: outdoor play isn’t just ‘nice to have’ – it’s one of the most powerful ways to build resilience in young children.

At outdoor nurseries, children spend their days immersed in nature. What we observe, time and again, is that resilience isn’t taught – it’s lived. Through climbing, balancing, running and problem-solving, children learn what their bodies can do and how to navigate the world with confidence.

“Resilience isn’t taught – it’s lived, through movement, challenge and freedom.”

Why risky play matters
Risky play – clambering, balancing, running on uneven ground, navigating logs, slopes and tree roots – has been widely shown to increase children’s coordination, confidence and risk-management skills. Importantly, these experiences don’t remove danger; they teach children what danger feels like and how to make good decisions around it. It means offering children opportunities to assess, manage and respond to challenges in a supported environment.

When a child pauses at the base of a muddy slope or tests a branch before climbing, they’re developing judgement, balance and self-awareness. Outdoor practitioners support these moments with calm presence rather than intervention, asking questions like, “What’s your plan?” or “How does that feel?”

Research consistently shows that children who engage in appropriately risky play develop stronger motor skills, better risk assessment and greater emotional regulation. Just as importantly, they learn confidence in their own decision-making.

“When children learn to judge risk, they grow confidence – not fear.”

Health resilience, built outside
Spring weather can be unpredictable, but outdoor learning thrives on this variety.

Children who spend long periods outside become more adaptable – less phased by drizzle, cold breezes or muddy boots.

Research suggests that regular outdoor play supports immune health in several ways. Exposure to fresh air, sunlight and diverse natural environments helps regulate circadian rhythms and supports vitamin D production- linked to immune function and overall wellbeing. Studies also highlight the role of environmental biodiversity; contact with soil, plants and natural microbes can help strengthen the immune system by supporting healthy gut and skin microbiomes.

In practical terms, this often looks like children who cope better with seasonal changes, recover more quickly from minor illnesses and show improved energy and stamina.

“Muddy hands aren’t a problem – they’re part of building a healthy immune system.”

Nature: The ultimate motor-skills playground
Nature provides a constantly changing environment that challenges the whole body. Uneven ground strengthens balance and coordination. Climbing builds core and upper-body strength. Carrying heavy objects develops proprioception and teamwork.

These physical experiences are deeply connected to brain development. Neuroscience tells us that movement supports learning, attention and emotional regulation. When children navigate varied terrain, they create richer neural pathways – laying foundations for skills like writing, concentration and problem-solving.

“Uneven ground builds strong bodies – and adaptable minds.”

Trust, courage and self-assurance
Perhaps the most powerful element of outdoor learning is trust. Children are trusted to try, to wobble, to fall safely and to try again. Adults remain close, attentive and supportive, but not intrusive.

A child jumping from a stump isn’t just playing – they’re testing belief in themselves. When adults honour that moment, children internalise a powerful message: I am capable.

Over time, this self-assurance travels with them – into friendships, learning and everyday challenges beyond the woods.

“Confidence grows in the space between challenge and trust.”

Advice for families: Bringing risk, freedom and play into family life
You don’t need a woodland to experience the benefits of outdoor play. Spring is a wonderful time to lean into simple, low-prep ideas that help children stretch their bodies and minds.
1. Make micro-adventures part of your week
A walk to the local park can become a balancing challenge on curbs, logs or small walls. Invite children to choose the ‘wobbly path’.
2. Let them get properly muddy
Messy play is body work, brain work and emotional work. Pack spare clothes in the car and relax into it.
3. Ask reflective questions instead of instructions
Try: “What’s your plan?” “How does that feel?” “Do you need anything to make this safer?” These questions build decision-making skills.
4. Resist the urge to rescue too quickly
If a child is struggling to climb, pause before stepping in. Check they are safe, then give them space to problem-solve.
5. Vary the terrain
Choose parks, beaches, woodlands or even gardens with natural gradients, slopes and textures. Nature is built for motor-skill development.
6. Celebrate courage, not outcomes
Praise the trying, not the height climbed. Children flourish when bravery is noticed.

Growing resilience, one spring day at a time
As children run, climb and explore through spring, they are doing far more than playing. They are building physical strength, immune resilience and emotional confidence through experiences that can’t be replicated indoors.

Outdoor nurseries remind us that childhood doesn’t need to be smoothed or rushed. When children are given freedom, trust and space to move, they grow into themselves – strong, capable and ready for what comes next.

Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is just open the door and let nature lead the way.

Bee in the Woods Kindergarten is a woodland preschool and community Forest School for three to seven year olds, based in Portslade and Stanmer Park in Brighton.
For more information www.beeinthewoods.co.uk

Mar 04
Love0
flower garden

Creative growth Nurturing imagination with nature

By dance & Art, Early Years, Education, Forest School
by Kerry Ferris
Prep School Head of Art, St Catherine’s Prep School, Bramley

In my role as Prep School Head of Art, I am passionate about how nature and creativity intertwine to unlock imagination, calm the mind and inspire joyful learning. The connection is powerful and undeniable: nature engages all the senses; its colours, textures, sounds and shapes spark curiosity and invite exploration.

Our students don’t just observe nature; they interact with it in tactile ways that fuel creativity. They have drawn with sticks, printed with leaves and used natural materials as both tools and inspiration. For example, they pressed leaves into clay, cut around the shapes, moulded them into bowls, and painted the finished forms. These experiences nurture observation, patience and a deeper connection with the world around them.

Scientific research supports what we see daily: Time in nature restores children’s attention and focus. Natural environments allow the brain to relax and recover from fatigue, improving concentration and encouraging creative problem solving. Being outdoors also boosts cognitive flexibility, the ability to think in new and original ways, an essential ingredient for creativity.

Students often don’t realise how deeply nature is woven into their learning. From recycled materials to natural textures and colours, nature lies at the heart of every project, even subtly. Its endless variety reminds us of individuality: no two leaves are the same, just as no two people are alike. The unpredictability of nature, like an insect suddenly crawling from beneath leaves, sparks wonder, curiosity and sometimes laughter. This curiosity is the seed of creativity, encouraging exploration and experimentation.

Recently, we gathered conkers from the chestnut tree, admiring the contrast between smooth seeds and spiky shells. We collected leaves of all shapes and colours to craft autumn wreaths, each student free to design something magical for home. These natural forms will also be used for prints, transforming simple outdoor objects into tools for artistic expression. Such encounters inspire children to see the world differently and imagine new possibilities.

Nature offers an ever-changing palette of shapes, patterns and textures that children instinctively want to explore. Throughout history, artists from Monet to Andy Goldsworthy have drawn inspiration from the natural world. With Year 3, students studied insects closely, noticing intricate patterns and forms. Year 5 explored landscapes, inspired by famous artists and their surroundings, creating their own interpretations. These projects show how nature and art complement each other, providing endless opportunities for learning and creativity.

We have also celebrated contemporary female artists such as Hester Berry and Barbara Rae who use nature as their muse. Experiencing nature first-hand allows students to connect with this creative legacy while developing their own voices. Beyond inspiration, natural materials encourage experimentation, problem-solving and imaginative thinking – skills vital in art and life. Children sharpen observation and fine motor skills as they notice the veins of a leaf, the curve of a shell, or the texture of bark and translate these details into clay, paint and prints.

Nature fosters collaboration too. Outdoors, children share discoveries, exchange ideas and build on each other’s creativity. A simple walk can spark conversations about colour, form and texture, leading to group projects that celebrate collective imagination.

Our Prep School, surrounded by woodlands, offers endless opportunities. Students collect leaves, sticks, pinecones, bark and seeds to create prints and make nature brushes, exploring ways to represent our community through art. They experiment with tea dyes and textured materials from the grounds, finding creative ways to bring the essence of our environment into their work.

Sustainability is another vital dimension. By encouraging the use of natural and recycled materials, we instil environmental responsibility alongside artistic skill. Children delight in bringing egg cartons or cereal boxes for the cardboard collection, learning that creativity doesn’t depend on expensive resources but flourishes through imaginative use of everyday materials. This approach nurtures respect for the planet and teaches resilience, as students transform limitations into opportunities for innovation and think ‘outside the box’ to create meaningful, original artwork.

We also explore how nature inspires cultural traditions worldwide. Year 5 students, for example, have been learning about the Windrush generation. To enrich this, we studied Caribbean culture in art lessons, examining shells, flowers and wildlife. Though far from the Caribbean, handling real cultural items, shells, fabrics and objects generously lent to us, gave students first-hand experience. They transformed these observations into vibrant patterns capturing the colours, textures and rhythms of Caribbean life.

Nature is at the heart of our art practice. By learning from and creating with the natural world, students develop a lifelong love of creativity grounded in curiosity, mindfulness and respect for the environment. They understand that art is not only about producing beautiful objects but about cultivating ways of seeing, thinking and connecting with nature.

St Catherine’s Prep School extends a warm welcome to parents who would like to visit the school.
Visit www.stcatherines.info to find out more about upcoming open mornings and arranging a visit.

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