Upminster nursery children connect with nature and go on a voyage of discovery.

Some of our fondest childhood memories take place in the great outdoors. From making dens and climbing trees, to getting wet and rather muddy.

Yet this special time to connect with nature is shrinking for many children; Ofcom estimates that the average 3-4-year-old spends three hours a day in front of a screen. 

Incorporating the natural environment is something integral to Little Adventurers Nursery and their ethos.

The nursery offers a unique outdoor learning experience where children go on adventures every day and experience all that nature can teach them, in a happy, secure environment.

Space, time and freedom

In June, the nursery took part in Essex Wildlife Trust’s 30 Days Wild campaign. This allowed the children to connect with nature every day, including planting and growing poppies to attract wildlife to the nursery garden. 

The children also became ‘Litter Heroes’ as they took part in the Great British Spring Clean campaign, pledging to pick one bag of litter from their local community before bringing it back to the nursery to sort through and recycle.

Most recently, the nursery earned both a Bronze and Silver Award for its work with the RSPB Wild Challenge. To achieve these awards, the children enjoyed taking part in a range of outdoor activities, including: • Taking trips to the woods to photograph signs of wildlife • Understanding what food is good for composting and collecting it from the nursery kitchen to compost• Collecting rocks, logs and branches to create habitat heaps in the nursery garden.

Nursery manager Ginny told the Havering Daily: “When children are given these opportunities to play outdoors, they have the space, time and freedom to learn actively and naturally.”

This is also true of harvest. A special time of year at Little Adventurers Nursery. Having access to an allotment at the local church allowed the pre-school children to visit on a regular basis. 

It was during these outings that the children went on a voyage of discovery! They would carry heavy watering cans, chat to church staff, check on the flower beds and look for any fruit or vegetables to harvest and taste. So much so, they grew their own potatoes in three months, which they harvested and turned into delicious crisps!

Go green!

Little Adventurers’ ‘go green’ mascot, Daphne Dolphin, cements this learning process at home too. Daphne comes with a backpack and activity book, and regularly has sleepovers with all nursery children. This gives the children an opportunity to think about, and learn more about, how they can care for the environment and the planet.

Nursery Manager Ginny added: “Children who feel connected with nature are generally happier, have better developed social skills and are more likely to be helpful and considerate towards others, which includes looking after both wildlife and the environment.

“Positive experiences with nature during childhood are also a strong predictor of connecting with nature throughout life,as previous studies have shown.”

As part of the nursery’s green ethos, it often holds parent community days and invites families to join the nursery for outdoor walks and adventures. A perfect opportunity to bring everyone together, no matter how old or young! 

It has also recently opened a new outdoor classroom to allow for more learning outside, making it the perfect place to foster a life-long love of learning.