All early years children should ideally have ‘access to an outdoor play area’, states the EYFS. Children need to be able to observe ‘animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes’, according to Development Matters (Understanding the World). It suggests children are capable of caring for flowerbeds. We argue that this ‘caring’ needs to translate into understanding why flowers are important to the planet.
Bees
Sadly, of the 26 bumble bee species noted in the UK 80 years ago, two are now extinct and another six are dwindling. Honey bee numbers have dropped from 250,000 in the 1950s to fewer than 100,000 today, partly through pesticides use.
In 2014, the Government produced the ten-year National Pollinator Strategy, which aims to boost numbers but has been criticised for failing to address the pesticides issue. So what can settings do? Not all will have access to meadows or beekeepers, but an outside area could be used to sow wildflower seeds. Friends of the Earth produces education packs for a small donation.
The Wildlife Trust says it is ‘important to provide flowers throughout the season, to accommodate the life cycles of different species of pollinators’. This provides opportunities for children to understand first-hand the seasons and plant life. Dandelions, usually considered weeds, flower late March to May. This is when bees emerge from hibernation and dandelions are bursting with pollen. So, as a setting, consider not cutting the grass.
Trees
There are multifarious advantages to trees. We know about the importance of Forest Schools – which enable children to feel part of the natural world through regular child-led activities, usually in a woodland, and have been shown by the New Economics Foundation to improve confidence, social and communication skills, and physical development. But according to the Woodland Trust, 80 per cent of the population live in an urban area. Planting trees in such areas still provides copious benefits: reduced noise pollution and flooding, improved air quality and supporting both physical and psychological health. Research shows that children who live closer to natural spaces have higher levels of mental well-being. Benefits even include a boost to property prices and making spaces easier to maintain.
So planting trees is something all settings should do – regardless of whether they are in rural or urban areas – as a key rite of passage towards sustainable practice.
The Woodland Trust offers free tree packs to nurseries, based on themes ranging from copse, hedge or wetland area, year-round colour to harvesting for wild food. The charity also runs a Green Tree Schools Award, where points are awarded for recycling, reducing energy consumption, planting trees, visiting woodlands, sharing the learning that has taken place and creating a nature trail.
Remember to research which species are right for your environment by considering which trees you already have, and the wildlife of your area. Trees are eco-systems, and native trees are often best for native wildlife (oak supports more life forms than any other tree – the roots offer a home to woodlice, earthworms and fungi, the trunk supports caterpillars and bees, while fungi, birds and squirrels inhabit the branches and canopy). A project such as this also gives settings the opportunity to get the community on board.
CASE STUDY: RIVERSIDE COTTAGE NURSERY, NEAR EDINBURGH
At this West Lothian setting, practitioners aim to provide a ‘holistic view of nature, children, education and care’. This translates into practice where the children lead the curriculum by being active participants in the thinking and planning.
Manager Luke Addison recognised the urgency about bee survival, and began a project. He explained to the children how the bee population was declining and why it was important. The children discussed what the bees do and how they pollinate the flowers. He asked, ‘What can we do?’
After researching bees and their value using iPads, children suggested planting wild flowers in the meadows. The children walked around the setting and discussed where would be a good place to plant them.
The children had to think about such ideas as ‘What are shady areas?’ and ‘Where would the sun shine the most?’ This linked to all three characteristics of effective learning: playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically.
The children then scattered the seeds and over the months watched them grow. Additionally, children studied many aspects of bees and their hives, making their own using recycled egg cartons, while a local beekeeper is planning to locate his beehives into the setting so children will then have first-hand experience of caring for bees and understanding their place in their world.
FURTHER INFORMATION
• Woodland Trust packs can be obtained from www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees – apply by 7 September.
• www.foe.co.uk/page/get-your-bee-saver-kit
• www.wildlifetrusts.org/bees-needs
• www.forestschool association.org
• www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningand teaching/learning acrossthe curriculum/themesacrosslearning/index.asp
Diane Boyd and Nicky Hirst, of Liverpool John Moores University, have set up a taskforce to develop an early years sustainability framework, along with Eco-Schools England. Sarah Emerson is head of education at Kids Love Nature.
