About Us

The ability to imagine and create through nature

“Our children are our future and we need to ensure we develop the best future possible”.

Great Discoveries

Issues

We started out as a wildlife club for young children and as we progressed ‘parents’ found that they were fully enjoying the time spent with the children, actively engaged in our wildlife projects and experiments. By the end of the summer holidays it was recognised by all that they were providing their children (as well as the children’s friends) with activities and spending time they would not have otherwise have considered. Many of these parents lamented that they did not previously spend the time or have the understanding to engage fully with their children

“…the concept of Green Parenting was born!”

Parenting cannot be described as an easy task and modern life appears to add an extra challenge.

Evidence suggests at some levels we are loosing this challenge. I suppose given all the elements involved, it is understandable and even predictable. Worrying none the less!

“We would like to say the first year was all ‘plain sailing’ … like the time we set up 12 live traps over night. We were amazed at our success the following day having captured 14 field mice and two voles. Trying to weigh and measure the little critters was a whole new source of entertainment and we discovered laughing hurts!

“Other exercises we describe as less than successful … our two giant wormeries for example: where the children carefully layed out the layers of soil and sand before selecting 25 worms to go in each. The club task was identified to see the effect on the soil/sand layers and to count the number of worms at the end of the year.

“Despite the weekly watering of the soil in the wormeries they were always ‘bone dry’ at the end of each week. A year later in front of an audience of club members, the soil was tipped out. We had a good layer mixing but when it came to finding the worms …we discovered that they were the world’s best creatures at playing hide & seek!

“The conclusion established was that all the worms had escaped!

“It was nice of the young audience not to ask how … considering they were housed in a barn loft several 100’s of meters from the nearest soil!

You could be forgiven for assuming that children living in the countryside villages of Great Britain will have the wildlife and nature ‘at their feet’. You may also assume that such children will be ‘rich’ in their knowledge and experience of all local wildlife and fauna.

Sounds ideal doesn’t it! … Unfortunately it is far from the truth!

Green Parenting

The future of natural play & creativity

…initiative was born out of the desire to rejuvenate natural play and family interaction. It confront the state of sedentary modern lives by making our countryside and local wildlife more accessible and understandable for local families to enjoy and discover together.

Trial & Error

Being ‘Green’ means not only considering the possible impact of our actions on the planet, but choosing to act in a way that leaves the smallest footprint. The green movement is not new. However, global consciousness about green issues has risen to new heights. Green Parenting with muddy boots means thinking globally and acting locally with the massive injection of fun, adventure and learning.

Wychwood Wildlife & Countryside

‘Green Parenting UK’ identifies
the natural integrity of nature and
its essential investment in child development.