Andy Robinson CEO of the Institute for Outdoor Learning writes about the importance of outdoor learning. The Department for Education is currently reviewing the National Curriculum seeking to improve the core skills and knowledge amongst school age children. Given the innovative approach to incorporating learning for sustainability and the use of the outdoors that is […]
The news can keep you indoors, writes David Bond The full horror that took place within 2207 Seymour Avenue in Cleveland is private. Only the victims can know it. 24-hour news media seeks to get as close as possible to their pain. Video footage, testimony, pictures, interviews, artists’ impressions and journalists’ guesswork give us the […]
If we let kids be kids then their imaginations can run wild and their creativity can flourish, writes Hattie Garlick. Where are mini conservationists, zoologists and explorers made? Is it on their first trip to London Zoo, squinting through the bars at a Sumatran Tiger taking his tea? Or the first school field trip, peering […]
By annarawcliffe
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Tagged Bill Gates, childhood, children, creativity, gardens, Hattie Garlick, imagination, kids, national children's day, nature, play, ponds, William Blake
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Continuing our celebration of spring and getting outdoors, leading travel writer for The Times – Christopher Somerville – capture’s the wonder of a walk in a perfect ‘fairy’ bluebell wood. ‘O, that lone flower recalled to me My happy childhood’s hours, When bluebells seemed like fairy gifts, A prize among the flowers.’ In this simple […]
By Alec NT
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Tagged blog, bluebell, childhood, children, Christopher Somerville, environment, expression, feeling, fun, green space, kids, learning, national trust, natural childhood, natural playground, nature, outdoor, outdoors, trees, wildlife, woodland
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“The world’s not such a bad place,” says Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes fame, “when you can get out in it.” One word sums up the current experience of children in Britain: “enclosure.” It is a cultural peculiarity: no previous generation has known it, and traditional societies all over the world have given children a […]
Spring has finally sprung; and what better way to get the kids outside at this time of year, than exploring the magic of a local bluebell wood? We asked top nature writer for the Guardian – Paul Evans – to capture an image through the medium of words of his idea of the perfect bluebell […]
By Alec NT
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Tagged blog, bluebell, childhood, children, conservation, environment, expression, feeling, fun, green, green space, kids, national trust, nature, outdoor, outdoors, paul evans, roe deer, wood anemone, yellow archangel
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Children have a natural tendency to explore, have fun and take risks. This is a part of growing up and something we all want to encourage safely. Safety should not equal boring. Safety should support fun. Bath & North East Somerset Council have launched a ‘Toolkit’ to help improve play opportunities; be it a fun […]
The bicycle: The most efficient form of transport ever invented. There is no wonder why millions all over the word use it. Where could your bike take you? In 2012 my bicycle took me 16,000 miles through 25 countries on 6 continents around the world. The moment I got on my bike the entire world […]
To celebrate the re-launch this week of 50 things to do before you’re 11¾, as chosen by the nation, adventurer and mountaineer, Squash Falconer, has written about the nation’s number 1 favourite thing to do before you’re 11¾: climbing a tree. I loved climbing trees when I was younger, I still do now! Trees represented […]
By annarawcliffe
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Tagged childhood, children, environment, kids, natural childhood, natural playground, nature, outdoor, play, squash falconer, tree climbing
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To celebrate the re-launch this week of 50 things to do before you’re 11¾, as chosen by the nation, we talk to impressionist, comedian and keen astronomer, Jon Culshaw, about number 27 on the new list: stargazing. What attracted you to astronomy as a child? When I was a lad of six I read ‘ […]
By annarawcliffe
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Tagged 50 things, astronomy, childhood, children, Jon Culshaw, kids, national trust, Night sky, outdoor learning, star gazing, stargazing
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