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August Blog! Ragwort and Forest Bathing
Welcome!

Welcome back to the PGP blog. In this blogpost you will find some suggestions for some tiny signs of Summer you may spot when out in nature this August, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

What might you spot in August?

As we reach the peak of Summer, the tree canopy is at its fullest, providing some much-needed cooling shelter from the hot weather we have had recently! Whilst some wildflowers and plants are already turning to seed, others such as Butterfly favourite, Creeping Thistle (Cirsium Arvense), and delicate blue Harebells (Campanula Rotundifolia), are currently in full bloom. You might also be able to spot some ripe Blackberries on the bramble bushes commonly found in woodlands and parks. Why not collect some to take home and make a delicious Blackberry and Apple crumble? Yum!

Ragwort and Cinnabars

An often-misunderstood plant, Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea) is a tall wildflower with clusters of yellow, daisy like flowers. The flowers can usually be found in many different habitats including meadows, roadsides, wasteland and grassland. Whilst Common Ragwort has earned something of a reputation due to the risks it can pose to grazing cattle and horses, it is also an environmentally significant plant, with a huge variety of insect species dependent on it for food and shelter. Read more about the myths and truth about this plant in this blog from Friends of the Earth: Is ragwort poisonous? A ragwort mythbuster.

Common Ragwort is the main food source for the Cinnabar Moth’s caterpillars. Look closely at one of these plants at this time of the year and you are likely to find at least one of these striking creatures munching away. With their bright gold and black stripes, these caterpillars are very easy to identify, and children love looking at them in a clean jar or bug catcher. Once hatched from their cocoon in Spring this small Moth puts on a beautiful display with it’s bright red and black wings. Sadly, due to the eradication of Common Ragwort, this species is in severe decline, making it even more important that we celebrate and protect these plants and insects!

August’s nature connection activity – Forest Bathing
For this activity you will need:

Picnic blanket or yoga mat
Instructions:

Go outside: Find a quiet spot outside that makes you feel safe and relaxed. This doesn’t have to be in a Forest! You can do this in any green space.

Get comfy: Sit or lie down on your blanket or mat. Take some deep breaths and begin to observe what you see around you.

Use your senses: What can you feel? What can you smell? Are there any sounds that stand out to you? The more you sit very still, the more animals and creatures you are likely to see!

Stay in the present: When you feel your mind start to wander, breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth and bring your awareness back to what you see and feel around you. One way to deepen your breathing is to pretend you are blowing out the candles on the birthday cake of a very old tortoise!

Say thank you: Evidence suggests that practicing gratitude can benefit children’s mental health and wellbeing (Hall et al., 2024). The calming effects of time spent in nature make forest bathing an ideal time to practice gratitude. Spend some time at the end of your bathing session appreciating the beauty you can see around you.
PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

Green Fingered Tots: We are pleased to announce we will be hosting some sessions with Green Fingered Tots at the Botanic Gardens on the 7^th and 15^th of August. To find out more please visit the following link: Green Fingered Tots – Hull and East Riding Mumbler

References:

Hall, A.H., Bache-Wiig, G. & White, K.M. Exploring the Impact of Gratitude Practice as a Protective Factor for Young Children. Early Childhood Educ J 53, 759–767 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01623-3
August 5, 2026
July Blog – Foxgloves and nature journaling
Welcome!

Welcome back to the Playful Green Hull blog. In this post, you will find some suggestions for some tiny signs of Summer you may spot when out in nature this July, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

What might you spot in July?

With the solstice just behind us, the days are at their longest, and we are certainly experiencing a considerable amount of sunshine! The opportunities for being outside and feeling closer to wildlife are endless this month, with plants thriving, insects at their busiest and birds such as House Martins and Swallows working hard to feed their babies; there is so much to look for!

Summer wildflowers

Mild and wet summers mean the UK is abundant in native wildflower species, and it is incredibly important that we treasure and protect these plants, which do a very important job supporting so many different creatures. Where a lot of the plants we choose to grow in our gardens have been changed by people and come from all over the world, wildflowers are unaltered by humans and have specially evolved to grow in the soil where we live.

There are a huge variety of British wildflowers you might see when out on a walk, or even from your car windows on a busy motorway! Why not use this free identification checklist and go on a wildflower spotting walk near you:

Summer flower identification for kids – Nature Detectives

Foxgloves

Both beautiful and dangerous, Foxgloves (Digitalis Purpurea) are a highly recognisable native plant with tall spikes of pink or purple flowers which tends to grow in woodland, as well as meadows, verges and gardens. It is best not to touch this plant, which is commonly used in medicines to treat heart problems but can be harmful if ingested directly. However, foxgloves are highly beneficial to wildlife. In fact, foxgloves have specially evolved to support specific species of bee, with the shape of the petals allowing the bee to land before crawling inside to collect the pollen. If you watch a while in summer, you will see lots of busy bees on their rounds visiting the foxglove flowers!

Also known as witches’ gloves, goblin’s gloves and dead men’s bells, foxgloves occupy a central role in British folklore, with many of the myths focussing on the shape of the flowers, which are said to look like the fingers of a glove. Historically, it was believed that mischievous fairy folk may have gifted foxglove flowers to foxes on the prowl, softening their footsteps and allowing them to sneak up on their prey!

July’s nature connection activity –Create your own nature journal

Keeping a nature journal can be a great way to connect with the animal and plant life around you and create a stronger sense of seasonal changes across the year. Emergent research findings also suggest a link between nature journaling and wellbeing, with increased opportunities to practice mindfulness being highlighted as a key benefit (McClain et al., 2024). If you work with young children as part of a professional or volunteering organisation and would like to participate in one of our nature journaling programs, please do reach out to us at PGP Hull via the contact information here on our website.
For this activity you will need:

Sketchbook/notebook

Pencils

Colouring pencils
Instructions

Go on a wildflower hunt:This could be anywhere local to you, even the verges around a car park can inhabit a wider range of species than you may realise!

Observe closely:You don’t need to know the names of the plants you are journaling about. This activity is more about noticing than knowing. Look closely at the shapes, colours and textures of the plant you are journaling about; do you notice anything different or interesting?

Engage your senses:Does your chosen plant have a scent? Do the leaves have a texture? How would you describe the colours you can see?

Make notes:You can use numbers, labels, pictures, maps, diagrams, poetry or narratives to describe what you can see.

Sketch:Remember that you are not focussing on drawing a pretty picture, you are trying to accurately record what you can see! You might like to draw parts of the plant such as leaves, petals etc separately, or from different angles.

Add details later:You can use your notes and sketches to identify and find out more about your journal entries later.
PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

13^th July: on the 13^th the PGP team will be catching up with the first cohort of our Nature Journaling project. We simply cannot wait to hear all about what the first little nature journalists have been up to and have a look through their journals! We will also be celebrating with this group and honouring their efforts over the past few months. If you are a school/setting/community group working with young children and would like to find out more about how you can participate in the project, please contact us at ForestSchoolHull@hull.ac.uk

Maintenance throughout July:As a staff team, we’re working to beat back the bramble, and ensure all of our play equipment remains accessible to children. It’s always a battle between biodiversity and keeping our site accessible and available for use.

References:

McClain, L. R., Powell, A. E. and Bettwy, K. A. (2025) ‘Community nature journaling: wellbeing and learning outcomes for adult and youth participants’, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 25(1), pp. 282–300. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2024.2425933.
July 3, 2026
June Blog!
Welcome!

Welcome back to the PGP blog. In this blog post, you will find some suggestions for some tiny signs of Summer you may spot when out in nature this June, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

What might you spot in June?

We are now moving into the summer season, and days are getting warmer and longer. Why not take advantage of the lighter evenings and go for a nature walk around your local area after dinner? Recent research has suggested that time spent with parents in nature appears to positively impact children’s sleep quality (Kokkonen et al., 2021), meaning the added bonus of more rest for the whole family!

Elderflower

The Elder tree (Sambucus Negra) is a native and widespread small tree. Hugely resilient, you will find Elder growing in a variety of habitats; in fact, it is known to thrive almost anywhere and to grow very quickly. With its abundant and tasty blossoms in Spring, its delightful berries in early Autumn and its branches which were historically used in fire lighting, it comes as no surprise that Elders hold a prominent position in Folklore across Ancient Europe. Commonly associated with major goddesses and fairy communities in many Pagan traditions, Elder is frequently understood to symbolise rebirth and renewal.

The delicate flavour of Elderflower makes it a popular choice for foragers, and you can follow our recipe below to make a refreshing summer cordial for all the family to enjoy. When foraging for elderflower, take care not to pick all your blooms from one tree, making sure to leave some for pollinators. You can recognise Elder trees by observing the leaves, which grow in sets of five. You can also look at the shape of the blossoms, which grow in tight, flat clusters of five-petalled cream-coloured flowers. The strong and distinctive scent of the Elderflower blossoms also aids identification.

June’s nature connection activity – Elderflower syrup

Now is the perfect time to make this delicious summery syrup, which can be used as a cordial by mixing with water, as well as to flavour cakes and desserts. This would also make a lovely seasonal gift for a friend or family member. Just make sure a grown-up is on hand to help!
You will need:

15 heads of elderflower

500g sugar

1 lemon

1 litre of fresh boiled water

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Instructions

Debug your blooms:To rid your elderflower of any creatures who may be sheltering in them, spread a sheet of paper on a table (preferably outside). Prop your container of flowers upside down over the paper; any insects will then crawl out towards the light and remain unharmed. You may also wish to rinse your blooms. However, doing so will reduce the flavour of your syrup slightly.

Make the syrup:Bring the water and sugar to a simmer in a large pan. Add the elderflower and lemon slices (we also added some rose petals for a subtle floral flavour). Leave this to continue simmering for 30 minutes.

Infuse:Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for a further 4 hours to let the flavour develop.

Strain and bottle:Place a clean tea towel in the bottom of a colander and place this over a clean container. Strain the mixture through, you should now have a clear, golden liquid. Decant into sterilised bottles/jam jars and label.

Enjoy!This syrup should keep for a couple of months in the fridge.
PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

Wave and Willow Wednesday sessions:

Wave and Willow run weekly sessions for home-educated children at our site in the Botanic Gardens every Wednesday, from 1-3 pm. All sessions are £10 per child. To book, please message Tasha on +44 (0)7788 405093

References:

Kokkonen, J. M., Vepsäläinen H, Abdollahi A, Paasio H, Ranta S, Erkkola M, Roos E, Ray C. (2021) ‘Associations between parent-child nature visits and sleep, physical Activity and weight status among Finnish 3-6-year-olds’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(23), p. 12426. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312426.
June 5, 2026
May Blog – Butterflies and Buttercups
Welcome!

Welcome back to the PGP blog. In this blog post, you will find some suggestions for things that you might spot when out in nature this May, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

Spring Event

On the 25th of April, we opened the gardens to the community and welcomed many lovely families to share in some magical nature play. The sun was out, the flowers were blooming, and a range of activities were on offer, including spring flower pounding (where children created stunning prints to take home), mask-making (which resulted in some fabulous creations being worn around the event), nature painting, clay play, and so much more.

Families were also invited to contribute to some co-design opportunities on the day, including helping us to build a giant bug hotel, which had already started welcoming its first residents by the end of the afternoon. Attendees also worked with professional storyteller Alan Raw to create some magical Spring tales in our new story circle under the shelter of our giant ’octopus’ tree!

Thank you to all those who joined us and to our fantastic volunteers for all their hard work in creating another fantastic day for all in our community!

What might you spot in May?

We are now in the middle of the Spring season, and signs of new life and colour are all around us. When out and about with your little ones, here are some of the May treasures you might be able to spot together.

Buttercup

The Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus Acris) is a fond and familiar sight at this time of year, with its glossy yellow petals making it easy to spot. You can find this native plant in grasslands, meadows and pastures. Indeed, you will most likely be able to spot it around this time of year on a walk in your local park. Buttercups are members of a very old family, with species of Ranunculus found in 20-million-year-old fossils! You have probably held one of these flowers up to your friend’s chin to see if they like butter! But did you know that the name buttercup comes from an old belief that cows grazing in fields with buttercups growing made the creamiest butter? Funnily enough buttercups are poisonous to cows, meaning they will avoid eating them, thereby increasing the number of buttercups growing in the field!

Common Blue Butterfly

Emerging in May, the Common Blue (Polyommatus Icarus), is the most common blue butterfly in the UK. These insects are found in a variety of different habitats, but can be most easily spotted in sheltered and sunny spots. A small butterfly, it is distinctive for its bright blue colouring, and caterpillars like to feed on Common Birds-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), which is a very common and widespread wildflower which you may find in parks and on grass verges.

If you would like more information and resources on Butterfly spotting across Hull, check out Hull Butterfly City Hull Butterfly City.

May’s nature connection activity – Butterfly spotting
You will need:

No equipment needed!

Optional extras: Binoculars, notebook and pencil, butterfly identification book.

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Instructions:

Choose a spot: Head to a sheltered and sunny local area (Priory Meadows is a particularly good spot for butterfly spotting: with a good variety of wildflowers and weeds, as pollinators butterflies of all species are attracted to a diversity of flowering plants).

Don’t rush: You could walk at a leisurely pace, keeping your eyes peeled and staying curious. You could also find a comfy spot to sit and watch and see what happens.

Approach with caution: Butterflies are shy creatures and scare easily! Take care not to move suddenly or to cast shadows over them as this can frighten them. If you want to get a closer look, approach very slowly and carefully.

Documenting your finds: If you would like to identify the butterfly species you find, you might like to take a photograph so that you can remember the details of its wings, its size and colour better. You could also make a drawing of what you find – why not keep a butterfly journal over the Summer?
PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

Early Years Daily Mile Launches at the Botanic Gardens

The Early Years Daily Mile will launch on 30 April at the Botanic Gardens in partnership with the Northern Branch of the London Marathon Charity, bringing schools and nurseries around Hull together to celebrate everyday movement and wellbeing alongside the ambassadors of Peppa Pig and her family.

The event invites children to take part in some nature-based activities and be involved in completing a simple mile (or 15 minutes!) of movement around the garden, reinforcing the message that regular physical activity should be accessible, enjoyable, and inclusive. By linking local school and nursery participation with the London Marathon, the initiative highlights how small daily actions can contribute to the wider well-being of children around Hull.

Maternal Mental Health Week Family Picnic:

We will be hosting a picnic for Maternal Mental Health Week on 7^thMay in collaboration with Together in Nature from 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm at The Botanic Gardens. Book your ticket via the Eventbrite.

Wave and Willow Home educator sessions:

From the 20^th of May Wave and Willow will be hosting their home education sessions on Thursday afternoons at our site in the Botanic Gardens. See here for more information: Explore Our Nature-Based Activities | Wave and Willow
May 1, 2026
April Blog – Buds, Bees and Bluebells!
Welcome!

Welcome back to the Playful Green Hull blog.

In this post you will find some suggestions for some tiny signs of Spring you may spot when out in nature this April, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

What might you spot in April?

We are now in the middle of the Spring season, and signs of new life and colour are all around us. When out and about with your little ones, here are some of the April treasures you might be able to spot together.

As the nation’s favourite wildflower, bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are a popular native species. Usually appearing in woodlands around the first half of April, around half of the world’s population of bluebells are resident to the UK! The vibrant blue of these flowers along with their distinctive and delicate ‘bell’ shaped petals and sweet scent make bluebells one of the most loved Spring spectacles that nature offers us. There are many examples of local and regional folklore centred around bluebells; commonly believed to be used by the fairy folk as tiny bells to call fairy gatherings, take care to listen extra carefully when in a bluebell wood! To see these magical flowers for yourself, head down to Burton Bushes in Beverley Westwood. Please remember that, as a protected species, it is illegal to pick Bluebells.

Generally considered a weed, the common dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) is a powerhouse for Spring pollinators and increasing biodiversity in urban environments. Dandelions flower across the whole year, but peak flowering occurs from April to June. You should be noticing these distinctive spots of sunny yellow popping up on grass verges, in parks and, of course, in your back garden! Whilst lots of effort is spent on trying to kill these plants using pesticides, dandelions are an excellent source of nutrition for humans too, with the whole plant (roots, petals and leaves) being deliciously edible and high in vitamins. Please note that, due to the amount of pesticides used on them, it is best to forage for these plants in your own back garden, a friend’s

April’s nature connection activity – Dandelion paint
You will need:

Dandelion flowers

Pestle and mortar/something heavy for crushing

Hot water

Paintbrushes and paper

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Instructions:

Go for a short walk to any grassy patch close to you, you will find plenty of dandelions! Collect some of the dandelion heads in a bag or basket, remember to leave some for the bees!

Use your pestle and mortar (or a rock and a chopping board will also work), to grind the petals into a smooth paste – you may need to help any little ones to apply enough pressure to do this!

Add a teaspoon or two of hot water to your petal paste before continuing mixing and crushing the mixture.

Once you have achieved the consistency and colour you’re looking for, leave the mixture to settle for about 20 minutes. This will allow your colour to deepen.

Have fun creating with your home-made dandelion paint!
PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

Spring Event:

On the 25^th of April, we will be hosting our Springtime event down at the Botanic gardens. Please join us with your children for a day filled with nature crafts, storytelling and creative play! You can find more information here: Upcoming Events

Earth Day celebration:

On the 22^nd April we will be celebrating the Earth’s birthday down at the Botanics, joined by children and their teachers we will be learning all about plants and the small creatures who live in the garden.

London Marathon mini:

On the 30^th of April we will be hosting the launch of the Hull Mini Marathon event. We will inviting local settings and schools to join us with their children and learn how to get involved.

Maternal Mental Health Week Picnic:

We will be hosting a picnic for Maternal Mental Health Week, beginning on the 7^th May in collaboration with Together in Nature. Book your FREE place here: Tea Time Family Picnic Tickets, Thursday 7 May • 16:30 – 18 | Eventbrite
April 8, 2026
If you go down to the PGP Site today, you’re sure to find a furniture surprise – (and a lot of bears!)

We are excited to share that local company Claughtons has provided a generous donation to Playful Green Hull. As part of the development of their new Trudy Outdoor Range, Claughtons have supplied us with a sample from their new range of outdoor furniture. We are thrilled to be the first site to get hands on this beautiful new range – and you can see why! We just know this will be a hit addition to our Botanical Gardens site.

Story time in the woods

Children enjoying storytime in a natural setting, seated on charming outdoor furniture designed for storytelling.

What is this?

The Once upon a time chair

With a stunning storyteller throne and some additional chairs for the little ones, these seats are a perfect addition to any outdoor space. The throne will be the perfect seat for our storyteller and is sure to feature at many of our future events.

What we love about this

The throne absolutely captures the imagination – the PGP Team is already fighting over who gets to use this first, though Kerrie looks confident she will make it first. (That said, we all might lose out to our resident storyteller Alan Raw, who deserves the honour!).

The learning connection

Storytelling in the early years builds essential literacy and emotional intelligence by sparking a child’s imagination and helping them navigate complex concepts through narrative. A storyteller throne enhances this experience by creating a dedicated, “magical” physical space that signals the transition into a focused learning environment, instantly commanding attention and increasing engagement.

Feeling risky?

What is this?

1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps… balancing beam

These low balance beams are a perfect way to build confidence and manage risk-taking. The portable beams are very stable, but also easy to rearrange to build a new challenge.

What we love about this

Just the right height for early years, these balance beams will look great in our wooded environment. Our resident imagineer, Izzy, is already dreaming up woodland balance games. Watch out for these at our next event!

The learning connection

Developing balance in the early years is fundamental for physical autonomy, as it strengthens core stability and refines the vestibular system necessary for all complex motor skills. A low balance beam provides a safe, accessible challenge that encourages children to practice weight shifting and spatial awareness, all while boosting their confidence.

Children enjoying outdoor play on low balance beams, perfect for developing motor skills and confidence.

What’s cookin’?

Children enjoying imaginative play with the new outdoor mud kitchen, fostering creativity and messy play.

What is this?

Mud kitchen

Who doesn’t love a mud kitchen? An essential component of any forest school, mud kitchens are a great place to let the imagination run wild. Add in some messy play and stunning build quality, and we are sure this will bring joy to children visiting our site for years to come.

What we love about this

As part of our Playful Green Planet network, we’ve been connecting with researchers with expertise in messy play. Mud is a great way to build a resilient microbiome, and we’re thrilled to be able to facilitate this with our shiny new mud kitchen. Lee is a massive fan of getting his hands dirty and is sure to help make lots of mud cakes with this. He might even share it with the kids…

The learning connection

Messy play in a mud kitchen is a powerhouse for supporting schemas—those repetitive patterns of behaviour, such as transporting, transforming, and positioning. These actions allow children to explore and master complex physical and cognitive concepts. By providing a tactile space where mud can change from solid to liquid or be moved from pot to pan, the mud kitchen allows children to physically act out these internal mental models, turning abstract thoughts into concrete understanding through sensory experimentation.

What shall we grow first?

What is this?

Planter bench

Two stunning planters joined by a bench provide the perfect environment to sit and smell the lavender. From planting up a sensory garden through to some veggies, there is endless potential for these planters on our site.

What we love about this

Given the bench, this is a perfect opportunity for something sensory – or edible (or both!). We’re pretty sure Jo and Cathy are already drawing up planting plans. We could even make it a competition and give them one each, heh.

The learning connection

Growing plants in the early years fosters a deep connection to the natural world while teaching children about life cycles, patience, and the responsibility of nurturing a living thing. This is pretty much EVERYTHING Playful Green Hull is about! Planters paired with a bench create an accessible “living laboratory” where children can sit comfortably to observe minute changes, supporting positioning and orientation schemas as they carefully arrange seeds and tools at eye level.

Children interacting with plush bears at a wooden outdoor bench surrounded by decorated planters, encouraging imaginative play.

Could Trudy help transform your outdoor learning opportunities?

We hope you have enjoyed reading about our plans for the new Trudy Outdoors range.

If you are interested in exploring the range more, check out the official flyer here:

Transform Your Playground Into An Outdoor Learning Environment Download
March 24, 2026
Spring’s Arrival
Welcome!

Happy 2026 and welcome back to the PGP blog. Spring is here, and the Earth is starting to wake up. In this blogpost you will find some suggestions for some tiny signs of Spring you may spot when out in nature this month, the best places to find them and some playful suggestions for free activities to help you and the little people in your life feel closer to the green spaces around you.

What might you spot in March?

After the long, cold nights of the Winter months, March signals the start of the Spring season. When out and about with your little ones, here are some of the signs of Spring you might be able to spot together.

With their early blooming season, wood anemones (Anemonoides Nemorosa) are a seasonal star (small and bright white, their petals really do make them look like a shower of fallen stars!), usually appearing before the leaf canopy has closed overhead. Wood anemones are known to be very slow-growing, only spreading around 6 feet per century, making them a sign that you are in very old woodland. In parts of Derbyshire, wood anemone is traditionally nicknamed ‘moggie nightgown’, with moggie being a pet name for mice. Can you imagine a tiny mouse wearing pyjamas made of anemone petals? To see these special spring flowers for yourself, why not take a stroll through Hull General Cemetery? You can find more information on the cemetery and the wide variety of wildlife you can find there on their website: The Friends Of Hull General Cemetery

Anemone nemorosa photo by Lilly M (CC BY-SA 3.0)
At this time of year, nature also brings us a foraging feast in the form of wild garlic, or ramsons (Allium ursinum). This tasty plant likes to carpet shady wooded areas and is distinctive for its strong garlic-like smell. As an early spring flower (ramsons are best tasting before the appearance of their small white flowers), wild garlic is an important plant for pollinators and its presence is a sign that we may be in ancient woodland. You can find plenty of wild garlic (in addition to other early spring wildflowers) lining this circular woodland walk in Cottingham: Explore Jilly Wood circular (AllTrails).
Easy Wild Garlic Pesto recipe

(Recipe adapted from ‘foraging with kids’ by Adele Nozedar)
Ingredients

100 grams Wild Garlic leaves (washed and patted dry)

50 grams strong cheese (Parmesan or Cheddar will do nicely)

50 grams toasted pine nuts or cashews (optional)

1tbsp olive oil (optional)

Season to taste

Method

Add all ingredients (except the olive oil) to a blender and whizz to desired consistency.

Add to pasta, cheese toasties or spread over pizza as an alternative to tomato! If wanting to store for later, transfer to a sterilised and airtight container and pour the tbsp of oil over the top where it should keep for a week.
A note on foraging for ramsons:
Whilst there are some similar-looking, non-edible plants which could be mistaken for wild garlic, they do not share the distinct garlicky aroma that this plant emits! If in doubt, follow your nose.

Take only what you need, leave plenty for fellow foragers.

Use scissors or a pen knife to cut the leaves 1-2 inches above the ground.
March’s nature connection activity – Nature journey wands
For this activity, you will need:

A sturdy stick (wand-sized)

Something to secure your finds to the stick (elastic bands, hairbands, a piece of string).

Go on a walk! This could be around your local estate, a park close to where you live or on a day trip somewhere further away. This activity is great for exploring and noticing how nature shows up in urban, rural and coastal areas.
As you explore, collect any loose natural specimens you notice around you and secure them to your stick. You might find feathers, leaves or flowers. Once your wand or your walk is complete, take a close look at your wand. What kinds of things have you collected over the course of your journey? Can you tell the story of your wand?

PGP Hull Diary: What’s happening next?

Spring Event: The PGP Hull team are in the process of planning our Spring event, which will take place in the Botanic Gardens on the 25^th of April. After the success of our Autumn event, we are looking forward to welcoming you all back for more nature-based storytelling, craft and play in our beautiful green space.

Earth Day celebration:On the 22nd April, we will be celebrating the Earth’s birthday down at the Botanics, joined by children and their teachers, we will be learning all about plants and the small creatures who live in the garden.

London Marathon mini:On the 30^th of April, we will be hosting the launch of the Hull Mini Marathon event. We will invite local settings and schools to join us with their children and learn how to get involved.

Maternal Mental Health Week Picnic:We will be hosting a picnic for Maternal Mental Health Week beginning on the 9th May in collaboration with Together in Nature. Keep your eye on our website for more information.

References:

Nozedar, A. and Harper, L. (2018). Foraging with kids: 52 wild and free edibles to enjoy with your children. London: Nourish, an imprint of Watkins Media Limited.
March 3, 2026
🏆 WINNERS! Playful Green Hull Recognised for Transforming Lives in Hull

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the Playful Green Hull Project has taken home the prestigious ECSDN Social Impact of the Year Award!

The team accepted the honour on 23 January at the ECSDN Awards Ceremony hosted by the University of Northampton. This award isn’t just a trophy; it is a powerful recognition of the Playful Green Hull initiative and its unwavering dedication to supporting marginalised families across our city.

At its heart, this project is about equity and joy. By breaking down social, economic, and environmental barriers, the team empowers families to rediscover their local green spaces. Our project is focused around the beautiful University Botanic Gardens – the focus of our project and its events. Through creative play and nature-rich experiences, we are helping children, caregivers and early years practitioners build deep, confident connections with the natural world.

Why This Matters:

Real Impact: We are opening doors for families to access and enjoy green spaces they might otherwise feel excluded from.

Wellbeing: We are using creative play to strengthen family bonds, mental health, and champion environmental belonging.

Future: We are inspiring a lifelong relationship with nature for the next generation of children and early years practitioners.

With thanks to our community and funders

The Playful Green Hull Team would like to extend thanks to all of the local children, families, partners and University of Hull students who have helped to make this happen. Special thanks go to Alan Raw FRSA the RSA Fellowship Councillor for the North. Playful Green Hull is a Playful Green Planet (PGP) Hull initiative. PGP is a movement co-created with local communities, delivered in partnership with the RSA, Eden Project and Bath Spa University, and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund (Climate Action Fund).

Congratulations to the Team:

A massive well done to Dr Lee Fallin, Dr Cathy Kilburn, Dr Jo Traunter, Dr Isobel Reagan, and Kerrie Lee (left-to-right), for representing Playful Green Hull and the University of Hull, bringing this award home!

This recognition highlights exactly what makes this project special: collaborative strength and a genuine commitment to social inclusion.

🌱 Discover more about how we are re-engaging children with nature at:https://playfulgreenhull.co.uk/

January 30, 2026
We’ve been shortlisted for ECSDN’s Social Impact of the Year Award

We are thrilled to announce that we have been shortlisted for Social Impact of the Year Award at the inaugural Awards of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network.

The Awards are dedicated to honouring the exceptional contributions of students, professional practitioners, and institutional settings within the Early Childhood sector.

The full list of shortlisted nominees will be available on the ECSDN website soon.

The inaugural ECSDN awards ceremony takes place on Friday 23rd January 2026 at the University of Northampton.

Wish us the very best of luck and we’ll let you know if we’re successful in the new year.
November 12, 2025
Lee Fallin’s Playful Green Planet mission

The Royal Society of Arts are the driving force behind the amazing Playful Green Planet mission. We’re thrilled to share that our own Lee Fallin has recently been profiled the following RSA Fellowship case study: Lee Fallin’s Playful Green Planet mission.

Playful Green Planet is RSA’s first big fellows-led initiative. It is made possible through the work of RSA Fellows like Lee. If you’re interested in being part of the change, perhaps RSA Fellowship is for you?

Passionate about making a positive change where you live?

Discover what the RSA Fellowship can do for your community and you:

Join RSA Fellowship
November 11, 2025