Tips for parents

‘We could not love the world half as much had we not had childhood in it’.
George Eliot, Mill on the Floss

"Some things that cannot be counted, count" Albert Einstein

If you are really interested in connecting children and nature listen to this video on utube, Richard Louvres, author of 'Last child in the woods', talking at a conference:Richard Louvres talk

Tips for parents to facilitate outdoor play sessions for their children

We are constantly amazed by how stimulating children find the ‘ordinary’ countryside to be. Our approach is one of enabling play by:

Style - Be child led
It's the experience, not the facts, that is important. Resist temptation to tell your child about nature, let them experience it. Talk less. Watch more.

Let your agenda be to have a fun time, not necessarily be to get to a certain place or have lots of exercise
The trick is to let the children show you what is interesting. There is more to a place than meets the adult eye!. This can be as mundane and ordinary as:
steep slopes like bank or a step of steep steps and having a snack on top
a boggy bit, a marshy bit
a water trough
a tree that is easy to climb up into
water in a tree trunk
a stream
a good place for putting up a rope swing (again see guidelines)
Regard play as the serious work of childhood. Something important is going on when a child is engrossed. Try just observing, don’t interrupt by talking too much or trying to teach them something. Intervene as little as possible.
Examine your ideas about what is appropriate and inappropriate play e.g. what do you think about noisy play, rough and tumble play, stick play, war games, gun play (with pick
If you are going to offer advise, phrase it in the positive i.e. tell your child what you do want not what you don't want. Some examples are: “Keep upright”, instead of “Don’t fall” when running down a slope, or "Keep on the branch", rather than "Don't fall off".

About getting wet or muddy

Say your child is paddling in a stream. What is the value of that experience of stream walking? Huge. Is it worth getting wet socks for? Yes! Remember that when it comes to getting wet socks children mind much less that we do! Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that can happen? Walking home with damp feet? Bring spare socks and trousers rather than interrupt a magic moment exploring with warning of getting wet feet.

Have a spirit of adventure
Take water and nice food with you so you can stay out longer than expected,
take something for yourself to sit on and something you can do like read a book so you won’t hurry your children along, wanting to get home yourself
allow yourself to take detours to discover new things
dress your children in old rough tumble clothes you don’t mind washing/getting dirty
take spare socks and clothes with you so you can let your children get wet
remember that children don’t seem to mind walking home in damp trousers, wet socks even wet shoes, half as much as we do
Instead of shouting to your children, signal to them to follow you or just walk on!
take a camera/video and enjoy observing your children
bring tools, ropes
Bring emergency gear with you like mobile phone and first aid kit
talk to the children about what you would need if you were going to have to spend the night outside

Revisit the same places
Children who have come before on an Explorer Day often eagerly ask us, “Are we going to the place we went to before?” . We have found that children quickly build relationships with places and have vivid memories of games played and imaginary play there. Once there invariabley different games develop or extensions to previous play sessions
places are different everytime you visit whether it be change in weather, season or because a herd of cows has passed through!
enourage your children to name places, make a map of your favourite walk
ask friends to join you for a walk
As we walk the countryside children have shown us, through their playful interaction with the features we encounter, where their ‘fun-packed’ places are. Consequently the routes we have developed link these places together.

Time
stay in a place long enough to find out about it, sit down and relax and watch your chidren explore
make it ‘home’ by putting down a plastic sheet and tablecloth and laying out some food
build a campfire (see campfires for guidelines)

Ideas for activities

Our bodies are generously made. As human beings we all have great NOSES but most of us don't use them very much. Try blindfolding some of you and follow a trail with your nose. Use chocolate. Npod is naturepod - open up your senses to really be there.