Nature on your doorstep
You don't need a forest to explore nature with your child. Even in the busiest town, it is growing, flying and crawling all around us.
Here are five simple ways to find it together, on the walk to school, a trip to the shops or a stroll around the block.
Pavements, walls and kerbs are full of tiny life. Look for moss growing in cracks, small plants pushing up between paving stones, and ants, woodlice or snails going about their day.
Try this: crouch down to your child's height and see how many different living things you can spot around one paving slab.⬇ Download our bug hunt sheetStreet trees, rooftops and the sky above are full of things to notice. Pigeons, sparrows and magpies share our towns, and a single tree changes all year round, from spring blossom to autumn leaves and bare winter branches.
Try this: choose one tree on a route you walk often and visit it each season. What has changed since last time?Get creative: collect leaves that have already fallen and arrange them into a pattern, a face or a rainbow of colours. Take a photo and share it with us. We would love to see it!The weather brings nature to life, even on the busiest street. Rain fills puddles and brings out worms and snails, frost sparkles on railings and leaves, wind sends seeds and leaves spinning, and sunshine casts shadows that move through the day.
Try this: after it rains, go puddle hunting. Which puddle is the biggest, and what can you see reflected in it?Get creative: draw around a puddle with chalk, then come back later. Has it grown or shrunk? Where do you think the water went?Most towns have more green space than we realise: parks, playing fields, grass verges and churchyards. Even a small patch can be home to wildflowers, bees, birds and minibeasts, and every visit is a chance to discover something new.
Try this: sit quietly together for one minute and count how many different sounds you can hear. How many come from nature?🗺️ Find a green space in ChelmsfordYou don't need a garden to bring nature home. A pot of herbs on the windowsill, a small bird feeder or a window box of flowers for the bees can all invite nature in. Remember to collect only things that have already fallen, like leaves, conkers and pine cones, and leave living plants and creatures where they are.
Try this: start a nature table with the treasures you find, and change it with each season.🏡 Nature at home ideasThese ideas are a wonderful place to start. At forest school, we go further. Week by week, children build the skills and confidence to notice, question and explore the natural world: learning to recognise trees, birds and minibeasts, to spot the signs of each season, and to care for the wildlife they find.
They take that knowledge with them, so every walk to the shops or trip to the park becomes a chance to discover something new.
We'd love to welcome you and your child outdoors. Register your interest, or ask about a free taster session.
Register your interest Explore our sessions