Earthwise activity boxes for disadvantaged families
Earthwise are now developing free nature-inspired activity boxes for low income families. Read on to find out what they are and why nature connection is important for children’s wellbeing.
Why is spending time in nature important for children?
Over the last couple of months many of us have turned to nature for respite from the stress and uncertainty of the Covoid-19 pandemic and yet, lockdown has shown that far too many children and their families lack access to nature at a time when it is needed most. Lockdown and the period of slowly adapting to ‘normal’ after lockdown is going to be a time of high anxiety to many children and their families at a time when mental health problems such as depression and anxiety already affect 1 in 10 children and young people.
A wealth of research shows that spending time in natural environments provides adults and children with a whole host of cognitive, emotional and physical benefits. Many of us will know this instinctively from our own experiences during lockdown and yet government research shows that 1 in 9 children in the UK hasn't set foot in a natural environment or green space in the last 12 months. This study showed that children from low-income families and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) households are particularly less likely than white children and those from higher income households to regularly visit urban or rural wild places.
Our previous blog post focused on the benefits of spending time in nature for children’s wellbeing but the benefits reach further than that. Research shows that regular exposure to nature in early childhood significantly influences the development of lifelong environmental attitudes and values. We are in a Climate crisis and it is today’s youth that will be tasked with tackling global heating and the ecological emergency that our generation created. By spending time in nature children can start to develop an understanding of the Earth’s natural systems, our place in it, and develop a sense of respect for the natural world.
““No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.””
Earthwise Activity Boxes
In order to encourage more families out into nature, Earthwise is providing free monthly children’s activity boxes for children aged 3-8 in low-income households. The boxes are designed around the 5 ways to child wellbeing and each activity will inspire families to get outdoors to grow, make and explore.
All resources and instructions will be provided to:
Grow - seed sowing activities (which can be done without a garden - on windowsill or window box). One edible and one plant for wildlife.
Make - seasonal natural craft activities - children will need to gather natural materials for these.
Explore - find out what to look out for in each month with our Nature Bingo and ID sheet.
Our wonderful partner organisation, The Community Farm raised funds through their COVID-19 fund to help kick-start this initiative and get more families to get out into nature for their own wellbeing during these uncertain times. The money raised enabled us deliver 50 boxes to families using Redcliffe Food Bank in Bristol.
This is designed to be a long-term project and so following this first pilot run, we will use feedback from families to develop the boxes further. We hope to access further funding to provide monthly boxes with activities that follow the seasons, thus encouraging families out into nature on a regular basis.
Who is designing the boxes?
Claire Rosling founded Earthwise in 2015 with the aim of re-connecting young people with the natural world. She is an experienced Forest School leader, environmental educator and is a UN accredited climate change educator. She works in partnership with The Community Farm to deliver school visits and family events and regularly runs workshops with schools. She is also a mum of two (wild) children aged 3 and 6 who will be trialling and testing the activities!
Earthwise Boxes for sale
Are you keen to help your children connect with nature through gardening and natural craft activities whilst also supporting a good cause?