If you really think about it, some of your favourite childhood memories are likely to have taken place outdoors.  Have you ever jumped in muddy puddles? Run outside to collect hail from the grass in a storm? Made mud pies or collected mountains of autumn leaves?  

We may be in lockdown and many things around us are not operational but safely we can say that nature has not been cancelled!  What better time than now to reconnect with nature. There are so many benefits that come from playing in nature: the resilience, the tranquillity, the challenge, the fun and the beauty. Nature play fosters good development in our children, mentally, socially and physically and is the ultimate sensory experience for all children.  

Give your child a car or a doll indoors and they will play with it for five minutes before moving on to the next thing. Give them a bucket of water, some mud and some kitchen tools out in the garden and they will be busy for hours! Playing outdoors stimulates creativity, builds strength and coordination, and makes you happy.