Take a walk on the wild side: The healing power of the great outdoors
With half term around the corner, hard-working parents may be relieved to hear that one of the most beneficial ways to entertain the family is simply by being outdoors…
We were interested to read an article in The Guardian today that discussed how children who engage in ‘adventurous play’, which they define as outdoor-based play involving a small element of risk, are less likely to have symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study, which was published in the Child Psychiatry and Development journal, suggested riding a bicycle, tree climbing and learning bush-craft skills were amongst some of the activities that can build a sense of resilience and result in fewer interanlising issues in young people.
Every year around 90% of our guests visit us from London or built up suburban areas. With the pandemic depriving many urban-dwelling families from enjoying parks and outdoor spaces, it’s a pleasure to see how children’s faces light when they arrive at Home Farm to discover an abundance of space to play in: with paddocks of horses, a maze of passages through long grass, a secluded lake as well as the secret fort all set on 150 acres of private land for them to explore.
We’re proud of the role we play in helping connect people with nature, and is why we don’t take weddings in July and August to ensure that peak school holidays are left for families.
For some families, letting their kids run wild and use our scavenger hunts, toy chest and games as props is enough to keep the family entertained and will help create a sense of autonomy and forge a connection with nature. Play England says that there is a ‘cotton wool culture’ emerging where parents are scared to allow children to play instinctively in nature. If allowed to, this feeling grows into a sense of stewardship making adults more passionate about caring for and preserving the natural world as well as helping them with critical thinking, making judgement and navigating risk.
“Just by being in nature, you are not automatically connected to it” - Ed Stafford
A family at Home Farm Glamping using one of the scavenger hunts we have available for guests to use in our barn
At Home Farm, we feel a large responsibility to offer experiences on site that educate our guests, as well as entertain – not in a forceful or preachy way – but in a way that will help embed the learnings from their experience, so they continue to add value well after your stay with us. Ed Stafford often talks about ‘just by being in nature, you are not automatically connected to it’ and that ‘the only way to make a lasting connection is to learn about it while you’re in it’’. With this in mind, we have partnered with organisations such as Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Wilderness Foundation UK whose mission is to preserve wild places and change lives through outreach programmes that educate, inspire and reconnect people facing a number of challenges in their lives. Our workshops and events are open to the public as well as our glamping guests, as a way of sharing the estate with the wider community.
Inspired by Adventurous Play? Join us at Home Farm Glamping in half term and the school holidays for nature-based workshops and activities to education and entertain the family. This includes:
Giant Tree Climbing (2nd June)
Bushcraft with Wilderness Foundation UK (monthly)
Bat Walks with Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (monthly)
Wormery Workshops with The Urban Worm (19th August)
Tickets can be booked via our What’s On page here: www.homefarmglamping.com/whats-on
