Introduction

Hi! I’m Natalie. I have two children that are both under the age of five and I’m a registered childminder. I was a teacher for eight years and felt it was time for a change. I also want to spend more time at home with my children. I’m planning on home educating them as I don’t always agree with the ethos and the pressures of our current education system.

It worries me that children can easily recognise logos, but can not identify trees, plants or birds. And it’s not surprising – when they go to school, they will spend about 6 hours inside in a classroom. Outdoor education centres have had their funding cut which means that children will receive even less outdoor education. Learning about the local environment just isn’t on the national curriculum anymore. And yet, the benefits of being outdoors and learning from nature are well documented. Children show improvements in other areas of learning and being outside can help to improve your memory and attention span. By helping children to develop a connection with their environment, I think they will be more likely to protect it.

(For more information about how being outside can improve brain function, look at this article http://www.rspb.org.uk/images/naturalthinking_tcm9-161856.pdf)

And, that’s why I’ve started this blog. I’m aiming to share the activities that we do and the adventures that we have. I want to encourage my children and the children that I look after to explore and engage with nature. I have a responsibility to meet the Early Years Foundation Stage (as an Ofsted registered childminder) so I will explain how each activity has opportunities for assessment against these milestones. I’m also interested in a different educational approach which looks at schemas. When talking about schemas in relation to young children and how they play, it refers to their developmental urges. This blog explains what they are: http://www.nature-play.co.uk/blog/schemas-in-childrens-play.

When I registered to become a childminder, I excitedly ordered a few catalogues from retailers of specialist early years teaching resources. When they arrived, I started flicking through them enthusiastically, looking for engaging toys and learning resources. And then I saw the prices… Wow! For someone who is just starting out, they are just not affordable, or essential. Using natural materials and the great outdoors is very cheap and much more environmentally friendly.

I hope you enjoy reading about what we do and find some useful ideas that you could do with your own children or those that you look after. If you have any ideas on how we can be more eco-friendly, I’d love to hear them as I’m always looking for ways to improve my practice.