The children at our Wavertree Nursery have been enjoying visits to the famous Strawberry Field in Liverpool this month. The new location for Kids Planet gives the children the opportunity to engage in nature, in a peaceful place in the middle of their city.
Kids Planet Wavertree room leader Chelsea Roberts, said:
“Last week and today we got the opportunity to take a trip to the famous strawberry fields. The children were super excited to first of all ride on a bus with their nursery friends; some children don’t get to experience riding on a bus so this was a lovely opportunity to develop our cultural capital. When we arrived the children were able to explore the open space freely and we watched how they all interacted with the environment in different ways. We plan to use the centre on a regular basis making the most of the natural environment as this is something our current nursery garden has little of.
It was lovely to see the children fully embracing the mud and we are hoping with more frequent trips the children who are a little worried about getting dirty they will be able to develop their tactile sensors. The children used sticks, ribbons and natural resources to create ‘fairy wands’ and ‘crowns’. They ran around the natural environment looking for fairies and spooky ghosts! We have been ending the session with a lovely story forest related whilst we eat our picnic. We are looking forward to many more adventures each week.”
Nature-based learning
Rhiannon Scott, Outdoor Lead at Kids Planet, who runs the sessions, describes the outdoor learning as ‘the perfect way to give the gift of nature back to children’.
“Children are spending less and less time outdoors, as a society we are becoming disconnected from nature and it’s vital for us to find ways to get children back outside. Many of us have fond memories of time spent climbing trees, making mud pies, building dens but sadly children are often not getting these experiences. These sessions will stay with children for a long time, teaching them valuable life skills, the benefits to their health and wellbeing as well are their learning and development are endless,” she said.
Alongside many benefits, including having lots of fun, nature-based learning helps:
* Promote team work
* Improve social skills
* Enhance fine motor skills
* Promote independence
* Assist language and communication skills
* Build resilience
The history of Strawberry Fields
Strawberry Field is steeped in history, with the once mansion becoming a Salvation Army Children’s Home in 1936. It is now an exhibition centre and training hub, as well as a place of support for vulnerable young people, helping people get jobs and becoming a site for spirituality and inspiration.
The iconic site has also been immortalised by John Lennon and The Beatles. The gardens are where John Lennon once played, as his Aunty and Uncle lived close by. He would jump over the fence and play with the other children who were in the children’s home, and it’s where he discovered his love of music.
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