A week ago we went down to Nymans House to be part of a group of bloggers who have a real interest in giving our kids a passion for being outside. Enjoying nature, being kids, being wild. Tapping into that childhood that we had, freely available without the fears and distractions that exist now. The fear of strangers, the traffic, the dangers. The distractions of the screens….the s-c-r-e-e-ns. It just gets into everything doesn’t it. So early as well, you can check out babies less than a year old doing the Apple swipe on mummy or Daddy’s phone. They just pick it up so quickly and it becomes part of the norm for them. Plugged in before they are 12 months. Is a natural childhood possible anymore? It is scary stuff!
As we were chatting about the boundaries that our kids face now and by contrast how easy it was for us as kids to get out into the wild. Made me think about how easy it was for me as a kid, we lived in front of a large wood and used to disappear all day and our parents would ring a bell to get us all back. That would never happen for my children where we live now. N-E-V-E-R and that is sad and it is a loss to their childhood and to us as well as parents. What parent wouldn’t want their kids to be out of the house, exploring the wild all day and not tearing each other apart inside and arguing over who goes on the wii
hands up?? 😉
The nice folk at National Trust had put on some seriously cool activities for the kids. In the afternoon they got to hang out with gnarly outdoors man and musician Rob Cowen. A guy who has a real passion for re-discovering nature and connecting with the outdoors. He showed the kids how to build a den, which they all got really enthusiastic about and lined up ready for a lie down in once it was put together…along with all of the adults as well!
Ever meet one of those people whose passion for a subject just draws people in? Rob is one of those guys. He cares enough about getting re-connected with simplicity of having an adventure in the outdoors that he has written a book called Skimming Stones – a book inspiring us to have an adventure, get out into the wild…and for the practical ones out there it is a full on ‘how to’ book. Things like how to build a den, make a kite, forage for food, catch a fish..and no its not saying trot down to your local outdoors store and buy a shed load of north face equipment..it is mostly things that you can find and use in the wild. Minimal spend to your pocket, maximum benefit to your soul.
We have been inspired to try and work through the 12 sections in the book, there is even talk of starting up a skimming stones blog! Getting our kids to work through the 12 challenges and coming back to share how it went and what we got from it. Which im thinking is going to be a whole lot more than a fish…!
Go on, google the book and see what comes up, it has been reviewed by some heavyweights in the media with massive positive feedback. I have yet to have a proper read of it as my OH (who is a bit of a mountain guy it has to be said) has had his head in it, even planning some ‘den’ building activities already!
So head on over to project wild thing and take the pledge to get outside as much as you spend on screens! Then jump into the rafflecopter this week for my giveaway which is, I am thrilled to say is a SIGNED copy of the book Skimming Stones. You’ll notice on the rafflecopter that you can get 10 extra entries for liking the Rob’s facebook page and following him on twitter. So please make sure to do those ones!!
I used to love playing hopscotch with my sister in our garden! x
Helen Dickinson recently posted…#SilentSunday 17/03/2013
This is true – I remember being 6 and going off alone on my bike – am sure people would call that neglect these days. Book sounds fab. Beautiful pics as ever.
Making dens in the park and in our gardens….our parents used to let us sleep in them at night! Them were the safe days!
I live in a flat. so I like playing in playground.
I used to love just going up our local forest, having a walk/run and exploring all the nature. Making dens etc
Beach weekends at Brighton in our camper van!
Climbing the trees behind my next door neighbours house
making dens
I used to go to my cousins house in Stockport where we used to make dens in the garden with chairs and blankets etc. Really good memories. Sometimes we used to sleep out in them too.
Climbing trees!
The long summer days (it didn’t seem to rain as much back then…though probably just rose tinted glasses) and jumping across bales of hay (trying to avoid the farmer!!!)
Making Mud Pies in the garden
My Grandfather and Uncle were Chief Wardens at a Scout Camp called Drum Hill near Derby, when I was a child I had free run and used to play there all day in the woods…. 🙂
I had a wooden playhouse which made an excellent Den, spent a lot of time in my Den!
I had a wooden playhouse which made an excellent Den, spent a lot of time in my Den!
Crab fishing off the pier on the seaside. When I think of the drop into a fast flowing river now as an adult, there is absolutely no way I would want my children doing that! But I would like them to get outdoors more.
My favourite memory is when I was between the ages of 6 and 10. Every summer evening, and every summer weekend /holiday my friends and I used to roam the village, go to the playing fields, build dams in the brook. Our parents never worried about where we were and we just ran free. Wonderful times. 🙂
Taking our cocker spaniel for a run across the fields.
long bike rides in the country
I used to go to this place called hubbards hills when I was little, I remember it having stream you can play in and loads of outdoor area to run, we used to really enjoy it on sunny days.
My favorite memory is the hours and hours we used to play 40 40 In … the light would be fading and we would all still be playing….
I used to go cycling for hours on my own in the countryside and in the summer go to the ford, it always seemed to be so hot then!
Riding my bike down to the farm.
Building dens
Making ‘perfme’ and ‘birds nests’ in spring, we did it every year in our huge garden at home!
Making snow angels.
Building forts in the garden.
Pretending we were part of the Famous Five and going on adventures in the local wood.
Climbing trees in the Battersea Park!
picnics in the park
Walking home with my Dad under a starlit sky and listening to him tell me about the mythical people after whom the stars were named.
flattening down the very long grass in the field behind my house to make houses/rooms with pathways between them.
Picking Blackberries with my Nana :o)
Camping in the straw fields and fruit picking 🙂
The whole neighbourhood coming out for a game of rounders one balmy evening!
Playing football on the green
walking along the great orme
Long walks in the forest and building dens!
We live in the county side, loads of fields and we call it Tractor land. Being outside when we was younger was the BEST thing to do. We made dens and huge tents in massive high trees. xx
I used to love walking through the countryside and feeding the local hens!
I have loads but my favourite memory is going to ‘the tree house’ .. to get there, you had to ‘jump the stream’ which was just a little too wide to be comfortable with! Several times i didn’t quite make it & had to walk around with wet feet!
Collecting conkers with my mom, dad and brother
Playing in the fields till the sun went down
building camps down our local commons and walking and following are streams with in liners around our legs to try and keep our feet warm lol.
I was a very solitary child. I’d take myself off to the woods and just wander about, sit by the lake, listen to the birds, watch the squirrels, rabbits, whatever was there. Even now, I feel part of that environment and can be totally still, blending in, so that I see nature as it really is. I was never bored; there was always something to see. 🙂
Spending whole days in our local park with all of my friends…climbing and fishing and absolutely carefree 🙂 x.
Going out on my rollerskates and having too much fun to go home. My dad had to come looking for me, he was furious. My argument? It wasn’t that late cos the street lights weren’t on yet.
Horseriding
Playing conkers with my brothers – I was rubbish !! My mum used to bake them really hard for us and when one of those got wrapped around your knuckles boy did it hurt – but I still went the next time – Thanks for bringing the memorys back 🙂
Playing by the beach
having picnics and catching tiddlers in the river