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  • May Blog – Butterflies and Buttercups 

    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

    Face masks

    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! 

    Flower pounding
    Alan Raw telling stories

    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 7thMay 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 20th 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

  • April Blog – Buds, Bees and Bluebells!

    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 25th 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 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 30th 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 7th May in collaboration with Together in Nature. Book your FREE place here: Tea Time Family Picnic Tickets, Thursday 7 May  •  16:30 – 18 | Eventbrite

  • If you go down to the PGP Site today, you’re sure to find a furniture surprise – (and a lot of bears!)

    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

    Two children sitting on wooden chairs in a park, surrounded by trees and daffodils, one child reading a book while holding a teddy bear.
    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.

    Two children playing outdoors in a park, one jumping over wooden beams while holding a teddy bear, surrounded by trees and yellow daffodils.
    Children enjoying outdoor play on low balance beams, perfect for developing motor skills and confidence.

    What’s cookin’?

    Two children playing at a wooden outdoor kitchen, one child using utensils on the stove while the other smiles nearby, with a teddy bear in hand.
    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.

    Two children playing in a garden with teddy bears, surrounded by decorative plants in wooden planters.
    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 EnvironmentDownload

  • Spring’s Arrival

    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.
    Wild Garlic Pesto

    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

    Nature wand

    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 25th 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 30th 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.

    A soft toy hedgehog sits in a little stick shelter.

    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.

  • 🏆 WINNERS! Playful Green Hull Recognised for Transforming Lives in Hull

    🏆 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/

  • We’ve been shortlisted for ECSDN’s Social Impact of the Year Award

    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.

  • Lee Fallin’s Playful Green Planet mission

    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?

    Dr Lee Fallin leading a Playful Green Adventure as part of RSA Fellows Fest 2025


    Passionate about making a positive change where you live?

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

    Join RSA Fellowship

  • Autumn magic: Celebrating our PGP Launch event

    Autumn magic: Celebrating our PGP Launch event

    Following many successful small events in our beautiful Botanical Gardens, on 25th of October we we thrilled to host our first big launch event for Playful Green Hull. For this blog update, we’re excited to share a video update on this fantastic event. A HUGE thank you to all of our partners and volunteers that made the day special.

    We’re looking forward to updating you further when we complete evaluation and analysis of our initial findings.

  • Through The Tree Trail: Reporting on our test event

    Welcome back to the PGP blog. This post details our Summer family feast and the launch of our new tree trail. Continue reading to find out more about all the fun we had and see some photos from the event which was a resounding success.

    Tree Trail 

    During the event we launched our new Tree Trail. Visitors to the gardens can now use our map to navigate a path around the site and learn facts both whimsical, historical and scientific about some of our beautiful trees. 

    Apple - There are more than 7,500 varieties of apple trees - one of the facts on our tree skateboards!
    A map of trees on our PGP site including a sweet chestnut, apple tree, magnolia, ash, hawthorn, sequoia and oak.

    Keen observers may also spot some hidden creatures who have taken up residence in their branches so look carefully! Grown-ups and little ones alike loved exploring the site on the day and using the map to make sure they ticked off all the trees. 

    Family Feast 

    Families who attended helped to prepare some delicious food, (much of it homegrown by our star grower Cathy!) and to cook it over our firepit with many of the children using fire lighting flints to get the fire going.

    Plenty of marshmallows were toasted for afters and made into delicious smores – our youngest attendees were particularly enthusiastic about taking part in this activity!

    Our fire pit loaded with food

    Highlights

    Here at Playful Green Hull we are particularly lucky to have a fantastic forest water run on site which inspired an impromptu family water fight! Luckily the weather was on our side and everyone dried off quickly. 

    Families also enjoyed using our bug and minibeast hunting resources to find small creatures who have formed habitats across our site. And it wouldn’t be a Playful Green Planet get together without some very impressive tree climbing! 

    Kids using binoculars
    Kids in a tree

    Save the date! 

    On the 25th of October we will be hosting our official launch event at the Botanic Gardens. This PGP launch event will provide opportunities to set intentions for the Autumn and Winter seasons ahead, with a little help from the local fairies! Families will have opportunities to create magical seasonal crafts, enjoy some cosy Autumnal refreshments and celebrate all that Autumn has to offer through the power of storytelling, song and nature. Come and join us, (spooky) fancy dress encouraged! 

    We are still finalising the details for this event so watch this space to find out more and book your place! 

  • Playful Green Planet Hull – Supporting Children and Communities to Thrive in Nature

    Playful Green Planet Hull – Supporting Children and Communities to Thrive in Nature

    Welcome! 

    Welcome to the PGP blog. This is the first of what will be a regular series of posts, exploring ideas close to the project and providing you with any updates on what’s going on onsite! 

    Who are we?

    We are a small team of academics from the School of Education at the University of Hull who are passionate about connecting children and people from across the local community with nature. We are based in the Botanic Gardens at Thwaite Hall, where we have historically trained many professionals across the education community to become Forest School practitioners. For this project, we are working closely with the Royal Society of Arts, in close collaboration with The Eden Project and Bath Spa University. 

    What is PGP?

    Playful Green Planet is a National landmark project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. Currently in the pilot phase, Hull is lucky enough to have been included in the project, alongside Dundee, as one of the first two sites nationally. 

    The PGP project aims to connect children with nature, using community driven approaches combined with creative play in the great outdoors. The project seeks to support the transformation of previously underutilised green spaces locally, to maximise the benefit of project sites for both children and the environment. 

    More information on the PGP project is available from the RSA here: RSA kickstarts Playful Green Planet: connecting children to nature and community – The RSA

    Why is PGP important? 

    Many terms have been used to describe humanity’s need to be close to the natural world. ‘Biophilia’ refers to the innate desire of all humans to be surrounded by biological and natural life (Gunnarsson and Hedblom, 2023). The concept of ‘awe’ suggests that humans have a greater capacity for feeling wonder and marvel when observing natural spectacles, both big and small, than in other areas of life (Ballew and Omoto, 2018).  

    Evidence suggests that spending time in the great outdoors can have positive impacts on our wellbeing and mental health, as well as the physical benefits of being more active in the fresh air (Roberts et al, 2020). Research findings demonstrate that people may even experience less boredom in natural spaces (always a win for parents!) (O’Dea et al., 2025). However, humans spending time in nature can have a positive impact on green spaces too. The closer we feel to the natural world and the greater our understanding of it, the more we want to protect and preserve it. 

    Despite the positive implications for both nature and people, findings suggest that overall, we are spending less time outside than ever, with numbers having dropped after a temporary peak during the Covid-19 pandemic (Office for Natural Statistics, 2023). Children from families with lower household incomes are particularly impacted, with almost three quarters of children whose annual household income totals less than £17,000 spending less time outdoors, despite 8 in 10 children stating that time in nature makes them very happy (Natural England, 2021). 

    At a time when climate change poses a major threat to both the human and natural world, it has never been more significant that we seek to heal our relationship with nature (Forest Stewardship Council, 2024). The PGP project team here at Hull believe that it is crucial that children are offered opportunities to develop positive relationships with nature through what they know best – play! 

    By offering children from across Hull a space to have playful interactions with the natural world, the PGP project can support them to harness positive benefits such as an increased capacity for exercising agency, including increased critical thinking skills and self-reflection (Gjelvik et al., 2024). A wide range of research findings also suggest that time spent playing in green spaces allows children to develop improved creativity, owing to factors such as more time spent alone, disconnection from technologies and the relaxing and inspirational qualities provided by natural spaces (Vella-Brodrick et al., 2024). 

    What’s happening next? 

    PGP Hull are on a mission to support as many children from across our city as possible to spend time in our beautiful green space at Thwaite Gardens. We are in the early stages of running regular sessions with local schools and private settings. If you and your setting or community group would like to participate in the project, please drop us a message as we would love to connect with you! 

    We are lucky enough to have the support and wisdom of some of the most inspiring partners from across Hull in the form of our co-design council. If you are an organisation or group working in the Hull area with a focus on the arts, nature or childhood and would be interested in joining the council, please reach out for further discussion. 

    Events

    On the 19th of August from 4:30-6:30 pm, we will be hosting a Family Feast event and Tree Trail. During the event, we will be doing some campfire cooking – making a healthy, plant-based meal of veggie skewers over our firepit. With toasted marshmallows for dessert! Families from across the community are welcome to join us and spend time playing across our whole site and completing our tree trail. Please email us at ForestSchoolHull@hull.ac.uk to let us know if you will be coming and make us aware of any dietary requirements. 

    We are currently in the process of planning our launch event which will take place at the Botanic Gardens on the 25th of October. The event will see us collaborate with our partners to bring you a fun-filled day of seasonal, nature-based crafts, play and entertainment.

    Watch this space for more information! 

    References: 

    Ballew, M.T. and Omoto, A.M., 2018. Absorption: How nature experiences promote awe and other positive emotions. Ecopsychology, 10(1), pp. 26-35. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2017.0039 [Accessed 25 July 2025].

    Forest Stewardship Council, 2024. Why is sustainability important? [online] FSC. Available at: https://fsc.org/en/blog/why-is-sustainability-important#Why%20is%20sustainability%20important? [Accessed 25 July 2024].

    Gjelvik, I. G., Hauge, Å. L., Lindheim, M. Ø., Johansen, E. H., & Johnsen, S. Å. K., 2024. Affordances for agency in a nature-based outdoor activity program: a qualitative study of ‘Nature school’ for childhood critical illness survivors and next of kin. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, pp. 1–22. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2386342 [Accessed 25 July 2025].

    Gunnarsson, B. and Hedblom, M., 2023. Biophilia revisited: nature versus nurture. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 38(9), pp. 792-794. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.06.002 [Accessed 25 July 2025]

    O’Dea, M.K., Militaru, I.E., Igou, E.R., Rentfrow, P.J., Barrett, I. and van Tilburg, W.A.P., 2025. Nature adds color to life: Less boredom in natural versus artificial environments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 154(8), pp. 2220–2240. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001764 [Accessed 25 July 2025].

    Natural England, 2021. The People and Nature Survey for England: Children’s Survey, Wave 1, Experimental Statistics. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-people-and-nature-survey-for-england-child-data-wave-1-experimental-statistics/the-people-and-nature-survey-for-england-childrens-survey-experimental-statistics[Accessed 25 July 2025].

    Office for National Statistics, 2023. A million fewer people are gaining health benefits from nature since 2020. Office for National Statistics. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/amillionfewerpeoplearegaininghealthbenefitsfromnaturesince2020/2023-11-27 [Accessed 25 July 2025].

    Roberts, A., Hinds, J. and Camic, P.M., 2019. Nature activities and wellbeing in children and young people: a systematic literature review. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 20(4), pp. 298–318. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2019.1660195 [Accessed 25 July 2025]

    Vella-Brodrick, D.A., Lewis, K.J. & Gilowska, K., 2024. Exploring the nature-creativity connection across different settings: A scoping review. Educational Psychology Review, 36, pp. 134. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09964-0 [Accessed 25 July 2025].