About
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Nature Play was established in 2011. It started as one group in Sydenham Hill Wood to provide young children (with their parents/carers) with the time, space and place to play in nature. A second group came about when one of the regular parents moved to north London and wanted to continue the Nature Play experience for their child! At this point, founder Clare Caro put the structure for running a Nature Play group into written form. The Host Handbook and Host Application processes soon followed.
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Caro went on to write articles and give talks and workshops on play, child development, and how to facilitate children's play.
In January 2023, Nature Play started a new chapter when Nature Play groups were handed over to local organisations who shared the same values to run and make their own. These handovers were carefully selected to ensure the established groups would continue to provide for pure-play and the nature connection.
In January 2023, Nature Play started a new chapter when Nature Play groups were handed over to local organisations who shared the same values to run and make their own. These handovers were carefully selected to ensure the established groups would continue to provide for pure-play and the nature connection.
The next chapter. In the pipeline, work has started on bringing the wealth of knowledge from the Nature Play model to anyone who works with young children and wants to support play and optimum development through play.
"We are sitting on a bundle of really important practical knowledge on how to support play and create optimum play and development conditions.
The Nature Play model shows us how 'play is in the child'; we have just spent over a decade successfully holding 'play groups' without any toys or adult-led activities. And, thanks to the application process and information pieces, we have a recipe for successfully developing facilitation skills in adults.
We know how to choose and set up the environment for pure, child-led play. And how to support adults to facilitate play. It's time to start sharing that knowledge."
The Nature Play model shows us how 'play is in the child'; we have just spent over a decade successfully holding 'play groups' without any toys or adult-led activities. And, thanks to the application process and information pieces, we have a recipe for successfully developing facilitation skills in adults.
We know how to choose and set up the environment for pure, child-led play. And how to support adults to facilitate play. It's time to start sharing that knowledge."
Watch this space.
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Founder Clare Caro
When Clare's daughter Scarlett was starting to get crawl, Clare started looking around for groups that were nature based, relaxed and local... after coming to a dead end she started visiting Sydenham Hill Wood on a weekly basis with a friend, and her baby and toddler. When that friend went back to work she started up Nature Play: South East London in July 2011. Word soon got around and before she knew it there were other parents joining her for a weekly dose of nature! |
"I grew up in the countryside and so felt very strongly about passing on that love of nature, the earth and care of the environment on to my daughter - especially as we were bringing up our baby in a city! There was only one way to do that as far as I was concerned and that was to get in amongst nature regularly.
One of the most surprising bits to the whole Nature Play experience for me, is that we the adults get just as much out of the weekly experience, we come out relaxed and grounded. It's what I wanted for my daughter, but forgot that I needed it for myself too."
Clare now lives in Rutland with husband Nick and their two daughters Scarlett and Olivia.
www.clarecaro.co.uk
One of the most surprising bits to the whole Nature Play experience for me, is that we the adults get just as much out of the weekly experience, we come out relaxed and grounded. It's what I wanted for my daughter, but forgot that I needed it for myself too."
Clare now lives in Rutland with husband Nick and their two daughters Scarlett and Olivia.
www.clarecaro.co.uk
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Nature Play Hosts
For 11 and a half years, Nature Play ran 14 groups, all run by volunteers. Over the years, a selection and application process was developed to ensure that Nature Play Hosts had the foundations and skills to run a group, facilitate play and hold the environment for play to unfold. A huge shout out to all the wonderful Nature Play Hosts! Natasha M, Ana W, Sally, Tonka K, Sara A & Sabira R in South East London. Sophie C, Beth S, Roselyn M & Damaris L in North London. Maria R, Nikki R & Abigail J in Croydon. Natalie D, Chloe W & Kat P-M in Richmond. Dorothea M-A, Maria K, Effie M & Nondas K in Thessaloniki (Greece). Nette H, Iveta M and Sandra B in Wimbledon. Paula R, Paula K & Clare W in Greenwich. Belle C & set up support from Valerie S in Nelson (New Zealand). Nina L in North West London. Cathy W in South West London. Hannah P, Isobel B & Jen R in Peterborough. Wen Y, Shey T, Thea Z & set up support from Shumei W and Kasia P-L in Singapore. |
13 of the amazing Nature Play Hosts who hosted Nature Play groups!
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The Nature Play Name
When thinking up a name for this outdoor parent-child group, taking children into nature for 100% pure play, the words "nature" and "play" were not found together as they are today. When Nature Play started in 2011, only one other company was using the name "Nature Play", and nowhere near the UK region. Based on the limited use and the way the two words perfectly represented the organisation's ethos, Caro developed the Nature Play branding and positioning for the local and UK audience. Around 2013, something incredible happened "nature play" became a term to describe the activity of children playing in nature and/or providing children with natural materials to play with. The new verb exploded into Early Childhood Education (ECE), Outdoor Education and beyond! Today a household term, many children benefit from adults being "nature play" aware and providing settings and materials that aid in the nature connection. |