Amy and her son Leo took part in one of our outdoor play schemes, Wellies in the Woods in Hertsmere.
“We hadn’t done a lot of stuff outside and I wanted Leo to learn about the environment. The scheme looked interesting because it seemed like it would let him use his brain as well as run around.
“It was great because it gave us ideas that we could try together and it reminded me of things I used to do years ago – instead of just going to the park to kick a ball around, it helped us interact with things around us. Plus, it’s free and healthy to go out for a walk.
“Leo loved it! Now he wants to make dens with his friends and his cousins but he also makes sure we put everything back afterwards because we’ve learnt that other creatures live there too.
“Being ‘bug detectives’ on the course has made Leo want to look at things more closely. Now we look up into the trees to spot birds’ nests and squirrels’ homes, we notice broken egg shells, and we look for animal footprints or marks… It’s sparked his imagination and we’ve even had to look up whether spiders leave footprints.
“My favourite part was that he got confidence from the course – he was quiet in the first couple of sessions but by the third he was introducing himself. He enjoyed it so much he wanted to do more when we left. It was something different to do together in the holidays and Leo always had to tell his dad all about it when he got home from work. He’s even asked him to make a bug hotel for our garden.”
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Groundwork deliver a range of family learning courses to help parents and children build their confidence while having fun. Activities range from outdoor plat to cooking fresh and healthy meals together:
