All children deserve opportunities to play in safe outdoor spaces and all families should have the right to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of being outdoors no matter where they live.

What is Wellies in the Woods?

Wellies in the Woods is a free resource to help creative play in the outdoors for toddlers and young children. The sessions engage children under five and their families with nature, strengthening their bond with the outdoor world and helping them to foster a deeper care and appreciation for the planet. By bringing beloved storybooks to life in the great outdoors and delivering low-to-no-cost activities in green spaces, we create a safe space where families can connect, learn, and grow together. Our experiential learning sessions are designed to inspire, educate, and empower, leaving a lasting impression on young minds and hearts.

Why should you support Wellies in the Woods?

Children and families are facing a play postcode lottery, with some parts of the UK having such a lack of safe outdoor places for our children to play there is the equivalent of over 900 children per playground in their local area.

Our mission through Wellies in the Woods is to provide opportunities for families in some of the most deprived areas of the country who would otherwise be excluded from the benefits of guided outdoor play to enjoy safe outdoor spaces where they can connect, learn, and grow together.

Through supporting children and their families to enjoy the natural environment on their doorsteps, we are helping them to foster a deeper appreciation of the benefits of accessing nature together as families. This contributes towards the Government’s Nature Recovery Network target of improving access to outdoor spaces.

A strong, lasting connection with nature for young people doesn’t come from a one-time experience or solely from learning about nature in school. Regular interaction with nature from a young age, emotional engagement, and personal reflection on its value are key to deepening this connection.

Studies show that when young people connect with nature through learning, not only do they experience positive personal outcomes, becoming happier, healthier, and more successful but it helps them to feel connected and equipped to protect nature, contributing to the restoration and preservation of our landscapes.

The statistics

A study of Wildlife Trusts children’s outdoor learning events, 2019 shows that opportunities to learn outdoors were successful in promoting children’s sense of nature connectedness, promoting a stronger desire to engage with nature in future.

The State of Play, Back to Basics report has declared that “Play is in danger of becoming a `lost art’ for British families, with 21% of parents admitting they no longer remember how to play and struggle to engage their children in creative and imaginative activities that will help their development”.

The Kindred2 School Readiness Survey 2023, found that an increasing number of families have been unable to access the right early years support in the wake of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. 30% of five year-olds are falling behind their expected reading levels and 20% are behind on their communication and language skills.

The RSPB 'Every Child Outdoors' report cites that benefits of playing outside include 'positive impacts on education, physical health, emotional wellbeing and personal and social skills, including the development of responsible citizens'.

How do we deliver the change? 

Sessions are led by national charity Groundwork, in collaboration with staff at local family centres, providing early years practitioners support workers with the tools and confidence they need to deliver their own outdoor learning sessions with families in the future. In doing so we will be ensuring even more children can benefit from the health, skills and educational advantages outdoor play supports and encourage future care for the environment.

Each 8 week course of Wellies in the Woods with 15 places for children (10-12 families) costs £3k to run. This includes staff time, training sessions for family centre staff, resources for outdoor play sessions including books and outdoor clothing, marketing materials, follow up time with families and management time to report and evaluate on the project, as well as a small budget to cover any travel expenses for families not otherwise able to attend.

An overall funding total of £120k would allow delivery of 10 courses in 4 locations nationwide. 

Where does Wellies in the Woods take place?

Wellies in the Woods is run in conjunction with family centres in urban areas, often on Groundwork-managed sites, such as community hubs and local green spaces. Groundwork operates nationally and four examples of locations that are setup to be used for Wellies in the Woods are:

• Trafford Ecology Park, Manchester, M17 1TU
• Jubilee Park, Tipton, DY4 0RJ
• The Little Walled Garden, St Martins Road Allotments, Bilborough, NG8 3AR
• Pully Play Area – Kings Hedges, Cambridge, CB4 2XH

What do the beneficiaries say?

"My son and I loved Wellies in the Woods! It was so nice to get to know our new neighbourhood and meet some other moms and their children.  Having this planned activity motivated us to go outside despite the chilly temperatures and we had fun! It has given me some ideas of things to do in our own garden without having to buy anything. We can’t wait to sign up for another session soon!"

“We have definitely learnt how to play and enjoy being in nature. I said to [my child] this morning, ‘We’re going to the forest today’. She said, ‘ARE WE!? I love the forest!’. She had her coat on ready - she couldn’t wait to get here.”

“In winter, most weeks I would think there is no way I am going out there - it’s too cold or wet – these sessions make sure that we do go outside more and it improves our wellbeing.”

Positive outcomes for all groups involved

• Positive outcomes amongst children participating in Wellies in the Woods include improved wellbeing; increased confidence, awareness of nature and the natural environment, improved language and communication, and learning outcomes.
• Outcomes for parents and carers include improved wellbeing, increased confidence to engage in outdoor play, increased awareness of nature and the natural environment, and leading in play activities more.
• For the whole family, outcomes include increased time spent outdoors, increased physical activity, more quality play time together, and reduced isolation.
• Evidence also indicates that early year’s centres may have a better understanding of the benefits of outdoor play, and that they have more confidence and resources to continue outdoor play sessions.

How are we reaching families most in need?

To improve accessibility, we want to understand the barriers that different groups may face to taking part in Wellies in the Woods and adapt marketing and activities accordingly so more families can benefit from the project. Dedicating more resource to a more effective engagement approach to families referred by other organisations, and covering the cost of transport for some families, will help us to ensure that Wellies in the Woods continues to reach families most in need.

Help us inspire the next generation with a love for nature, and provide families across the UK with outdoor play and learning opportunities through Wellies in the Woods.

We need your help to deliver more sessions in communities at need. Your support will ensure that:

• Families connect with nature, inspiring a lasting respect for the environment
• Children engage in social play, increasing confidence among other children
• Parents are given opportunities to engage in play with their children, and are better equipped to take their children to play in outdoor spaces
• Young children's literacy and numeracy are developed prior to them starting school, preparing them for formal education
• Early years' staff are trained to run Wellies in the Woods sessions

About Groundwork

Groundwork is a federation of charities with a collective mission to take practical action to create a fair and green future in which people, places, and nature thrive. We support communities and businesses to build capacity and resilience in order to tackle hardship, achieve a just transition to net-zero and help nature recover in a way that reduces inequality and leads to healthier, happier lives for all: www.groundwork.org.uk