ARTICLES ON SUPPORTING CHILDREN'S PLAY AND ECOLITERACY
Schemas in Children’s Play
Schemas in Children’s Playare such an important concept when it comes to the development of our children that it’s worth taking the time to understand them so you can facilitate them when you see them.... KEEP READING |
The Nature Connection
How do we foster a love of nature and evolve imaginations and creativity in our young children? The answer is simple; take your children out into nature and leave the toys behind. At Nature Play we do not bring toys, we are there to bond with nature, not with toys... KEEP READING |
The Adult Role in Child-led Play – How to Become a Learning Ally
‘Child-led Play’ is where the child follows their own play urges. It does not refer to the play during which the adult follows the child, or to play during which the child follows the adult... KEEP READING |
Imagination 101
Imaginations: the ability to bring to mind things and experiences that are not present. We are not born with imaginations already 'installed'. Imaginations are developed at a tremendous speed in childhood, through the environments we grow up in, and through play. KEEP READING |
Keeping Curiosity Alive
It’s a bit hard to miss: the media are saying it, the environmentalists and naturalists are saying it, there are campaigns and organisations working hard to get the message out there… our planet Earth is in trouble. KEEP READING |
Five Easy Step for the Observer
Do you find yourself following your child to make sure they don’t trip and fall? Do you hear yourself yelling out warnings to “be careful” and “look where you’re going”? What about offering them a helping hand to get up, to climb, and to balance because that makes you feel safer when your child is undertaking something you have deemed as risky? Or perhaps your child is ‘shy’ and so you find yourself accompanying them everywhere... KEEP READING |
Adventure is Out There
Nature Play has been designed to bring together three key elements that contribute to the healthy development of the child; time spent outdoors in nature, 100% child-led play and offering the adult’s ways in which to support children in their child-led play... KEEP READING |
No Such Thing as Miserable Rain
If I started talking about something as being miserable, horrid, ghastly or awful - what sort of picture am I painting about this 'something'? Many of us unconsciously talk about nature in this negative way. More specifically, many of us talk about the weather and what its like to be out in it in this way... KEEP READING |
Water is Life, We Celebrate Rain
Water is amazing stuff - no doubt about that. Our bodies are about 70% water, we need clean drinking water to be healthy and survive, it is needed to grow the food that we eat. Basically we need it to stay alive... KEEP READING |
10 Top Tips to Independent Play
Here at Nature Play, we specialise in play... independent play, developmental play, free play, unstructured play, pure-play, undirected play and child-led play. The kind of play that unfolds human intelligence at natures pace - everything from the nervous systems, balance, coordination, memory, and personal development skills that will be a 'foundation' throughout life. KEEP READING |
Play Is...
Play is where children get to create decisions. This is a big one that many of us adults struggle to get our heads (and practice) around. So let's get our heads around it now. We have been running on the saying "play is self-chosen" for a long time, and while some of us interpet this to mean that the child will choose... KEEP READING |
The Playground
Sitting at the playground. A place designated for children, for their play - of course they play outside these adult designated "playground" areas and "playtime" too. What happens if we bring them and they don't feel like playing? KEEP READING |
Observation Supports Play
I remember attending a "playgroup" many years ago with my daughter. I sat there observing. I observed the children, some were ready and off, others were not ready and were being cajoled into doing something that looked like play. The parents, busy getting the children started, busy directing and busy with helping hands. KEEP READING |
Getting Outside
Outdoor play. What’s not to love? It’s free. It’s simple. It expends energy. It is refreshing, relaxing, and restoring... KEEP READING |
HELPFUL NATURE PLAY GUIDELINES
Nature Play Guidelines
For over a decade, Nature Play successfully ran thousands of child-led play sessions in nature! Adults bringing children to sessions were asked to read the Guidelines before arriving. These Guidelines, together with carefully selected Hosts who could 'hold the space', were essential in creating environments for pure, child-led play to thrive. READ THE SESSION GUIDELINES |
Some Practical Play Support Guidelines
What kind of play? The word ‘play’ is used in many ways to mean different things. Here we talk about the play intelligence that is embedded into the very nature of the human being. And through play, intelligence unfolds... KEEP READING |
Keeping Safe & Healthy, Covid-19 Guidelines
In March 2020 all Nature Play group sessions went on hold to help stop the spread of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to keep our communities safe. Now we are getting ready to resume sessions, with a few small changes to keep families safe. KEEP READING |
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FROM THE ARCHIVE / WHEN NATURE PLAY RAN GROUPS AND SESSIONS
What is Nature Play?
Nature Play is… A platform for child-led play, for all ages, every week, all weather, all seasons, free. KEEP READING |
An Introducation to Nature Play
Nature Play was set up in 2011 as a way of enabling young children to connect with nature, in all weathers, and in all seasons. What better way of achieving this than by simply going out to play in a place of natural beauty on a regular basis? Nature Play taps into every child’s innate ability for optimum learning, their ability to play... KEEP READING |
Nature Nurtures Podcast
Clare Caro, founder of Nature Play, knows how essential it is that we protect our planet. "The only way we can protect the Earth is if we care for it." In this episode of the Nature Nurtures podcast, we dig deep into what it means for young children, including infants to connect with nature. Listen to the full episode on Nature Nurtures CLICK HERE TO LISTEN [1 hour, 18mins] |
Raising the Next Generation of Environmentalists
One cold November evening, a crowd gathered at Lincoln Cathedral and process to Lincoln Castle on the 800th anniversary of the Charter of the Forest and to launch a new Charter for Trees. ...At the time of the 1217 Charter people needed the woodland and trees for their survival – today, however, it is the people who are stepping up to protect and ensure the survival of the trees and woodland. KEEP READING |
DRESSING FOR OUTDOOR PLAY
Going Outdoors in the Winter: How to Dress
At our Nature Play sessions we often get asked if we are going to be meeting during the cold winter months, and the answer is yes! We will indeed be meeting throughout the winter and an important element of this is dressing appropriately in order to enjoy this time outdoors in a safe way... KEEP READING |
Footwear for All-Weather Players
You know that old saying 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing'? Well we know that it also applies to footwear! Keeping feet warm and dry is not as easy as popping a hat on, so we have brought you some ideas to help, making it possible to keep feet warm while playing for hours outside, especially on those wet, cold days... KEEP READING |