What we can do in our community to preserve and look after the natural habitats around us in Merton? One answer is to encourage learning – for kids, but also for adults too!
Autumn is a great time of year to make some outdoor discoveries as a family! We’ve put together some ideas to help you nurture curiosity into kindness and creative questioning when it comes to the natural world on our doorstep.
1 | Explore!
It’s human nature to protect the things we love – nurture this early by getting kids to experience the outdoors and grow to love it. If they experience the outdoors as much as possible – in all weathers – the idea is that they’ll want to look after it without very much encouragement.
In Wimbledon, we are lucky enough to have Wimbledon Common right next to us, and not too far away is Putney Heath and even Richmond Park.
Bringing the outdoors indoors is also important: try curating a nature table or shelf at home filled with treasures found during weekend and after-school adventures.
2 | Question!
Early years kids are exploring cause and effect and the consequences of their actions every day. This is a perfect time to introduce the positive and negative impacts they can have on the environment with some thought-provoking explorations.
Ask them: What happens to litter if we drop it? What happens to our rubbish when we ‘throw it away’ or recycle it? What happens to the waste we compost? What happens to seeds when we plant them?
3 | Create!
Learning about nature is wild! This time of year, especially, as loads of creepy crawlies provide thriving learning environments for kids!
Encourage wildlife into your garden to give children plenty to explore and look after. Creating habitats helps to encourage kids to think independently, be proactive and develop nurturing instincts.
Making bug hotels, installing hedgehog houses, bird or bat boxes, or even a small pond are all fantastic activities to do that welcome wildlife.
4 | Grow!
Understanding where our food comes from, and the work that’s needed to produce it, is really important for teaching kids about food waste and encourage them to make healthy, informed eating choices as they grow older.
Growing your own food doesn’t have to take up lots of room, either. Salad leaves, herbs, beans and peas can all be grown in pots on sunny windowsills, whilst strawberries and cherry tomatoes can even be grown in hanging baskets.
If you’re lucky enough to have a bit more space, especially in London, you can include radishes, beetroots, potatoes and squashes, which are all very easy to grow outside.
Links
Explore Wimbledon and Putney Commons
Find great sustainability ideas from Sustainable Merton
No outside space? Discover the community garden at South Mitcham Community Centre | Their Website
Join in with food waste prevention activities with Abundance Wimbledon