Spending the summer in London may not be what you had planned. However, with endless green spaces, canals, parks, rivers and a fantastic variety of museums, there will never be a moment when a child exclaims that they are bored.
‘During times spent outdoors in my childhood, I had the opportunity and freedom to be at one with nature’, says Richard McLelland, Head of Early Years at Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School. ‘It is becoming more and more apparent how access to nature can benefit our health so as adults, it is our responsibility to ensure our children have this opportunity too’.
When the heat arrives and you feel trapped inside an urban jungle, don’t forget that London was the first city to be named as a National Park City. There are over 3,000 parks in London of all different sizes so there will always be one to explore. Prince’s Garden Preparatory School is fortunate enough to be surrounded by green space. Not only do they have a glorious 2-acre garden stretching out behind the school, but just a few minutes’ walk away is Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Children benefit hugely from being close to nature, so making the most of our city’s green spaces in the summer is certainly time well spent.
The best aspect of all the London parks is that each one holds its own individual personality and treasures to be discovered by your young ones. Taking a trip to the fabulous Diana Memorial playground, inspired by Peter Pan, in Kensington Gardens or clambering up Primrose Hill to gain a bird’s eye view of London’s famous buildings can provide hours of fun. Visiting a green space engages children with nature and feeds their continuous learning about the surroundings in which they live.
‘Outdoor learning is often best when it is open-ended,’ says Mr McLelland. ‘A walk through the park or taking a minute to explore a hidden corner in a garden doesn’t need to be accompanied by a long list of objectives to be ticked off. Rather we should follow our children’s interests, see the world from their perspective and be ready to answer a wealth of questions that may arise’.
Once your child has shown a keen interest in something you can keep their imagination ticking over with a trip to one of London’s museums. ‘A visit to the famous museums in Kensington is always a popular trip for the children at Prince’s Gardens’, says Mr McLelland. ‘They benefit greatly from the variety of museums on our doorstep. For example, the interactive exhibit at the Science Museum called The Garden, created especially for children aged 3-6 which our children were lucky enough to visit one morning this Summer Term. These visits inspire further self-guided learning into a topic that has caught their attention’.
If you want to help your child connect with nature, Mr. McLelland suggests trying the following things:
- Make outdoor learning part of everyday life. Time outside is also the perfect time to learn and explore. When you are walking through the park and spending time in the garden allow your child to explore. Let this exploration be open-ended but support your child if something peaks their interest. If they start collecting twigs, spend time together counting them, or arranging them in size order. If your child is pointing out the animals you can see whilst in the garden, take some time to see how many different types of birds you can find and discuss what their differing features are.
- Don’t shy away from bad weather. Even the best British summers are prone to the odd downpour, but don’t let this put you off. If you hide away inside when the rain comes, your child shall learn to do the same, so be prepared with waterproofs and boots and lead by example. At Prince’s Gardens we believe there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Our children are always equipped with wellies and waterproofs so ‘wet-play’ doesn’t have to mean ‘indoor-play’.
- Make the most of the amazing museums we have on our doorstep. If your child has shown an interest in something while exploring nature, take this interest further and spend some time learning about the history or science behind it. At Prince’s Gardens we see London as out classroom; trips to museums such as the Natural History Museum or the Science Museum are incorporated into our curriculum and instil in our children a love of learning.
Spending time in nature is part of everyday life for the children at Prince’s Gardens, come rain or shine, and with such strong ties to mental health, the outdoor learning programme will only be extended in the coming year. Taking the time to allow your child to connect to nature and making the most of all that London has to offer this summer will be beneficial to your child’s education as well as their wellbeing.
