Expert tips from Emma Tolley, Early Years Programme Director for the Nature Connections Programme at The Eden Project.
Model it.??
‘Show, don’t tell,’ seems apt for parenthood.? We’re role models for our children and how we interact with and nurture our relationship with nature sets the tone for their relationship too.? Grow and share your enthusiasm for the natural world and make being in nature something you do together.
Make time for it.?
Many parents feel time-poor.? Try to prioritise having time in nature and find those windows in your day when you can squeeze in some green time, whether it’s walking back from school through the park, having a picnic snack outside, or just taking time to notice one thing or change in nature each day.
Make it playful.
Children learn through play.? Play is fun.? Make being outside a positive and playful experience.? Hide behind a tree, catch falling leaves and use natural loose parts, like sticks, as your play things.
Follow their lead.
Being smaller means children will often notice things that adults don’t see.? Talk to them about what they find and give them time to observe it. Share their child-like curiosity of seeing something for the first time and learn about it together.
Grow it.?
Children want and need to be able to shape their world and growing something is a very simple way to do something positive for nature and develop the skills to nurture and care for it.? Whether it’s a cress head in an egg shell, or a herb in a recycled yoghurt pot, find something and somewhere to grow.
About The Eden Project Nature Connections Programmes
Almost 25 years since it opened, the Eden Project is pioneering innovative programmes that connect people with the power of nature to transform their lives—from early childhood development to conservation and corporate sustainability. With over 1,000 individual participants annually and approximately 175 people engaging weekly in its various programmes, Eden’s impact continues to grow steadily.
Far beyond its fame as a visitor attraction, the charity’s ‘Nature Connections Programme’ utilises the biomes and wider Eden estate, working across the lifespan, from babies to older adults and everyone in between. It aims to embrace the transformative power of nature to improve health and well-being or offer a learning or developmental opportunity to its participants.