Young people and nature

Playing outside is a fundamental part of childhood. It helps children to grow up healthily; it makes them familiar with the natural environment around them - and it’s great fun too!

But this simple childhood pleasure is diminishing. As screen time increases and our busy lives put a squeeze on family time, the opportunities for children to experience unstructured outside play are being lost. Experts view this as a worrying trend because outside play, as well as providing fresh air and exercise, is one of the essential ingredients for our children’s wellbeing, education, and social development. 

There’s a broader benefit too; if our children are to become the guardians of the natural world as adults, we need to get them playing in that world as children. We can all remember the carefree summer days of our childhood, because outdoor play in a natural environment provides moments of discovery that create lifetime connections. 

At Forest Holidays, these moments of discovery happen every day. Children have the freedom to explore and be inspired, while adults reaffirm their connection with the natural world. Young people's voices are now being heard on the world stage and their passion for the environment is compelling. We believe that providing more children with the chance to spend time in nature is vital to ensure the concerns of this generation don't go unheard. We are a small part of a much bigger picture, but we delight in being able to provide this opportunity to go ‘out to play.’ This simple pleasure has far-reaching benefits.

Thousands of children every year who experience a Forest Holiday are given the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor freedom that most of us took for granted when we were children. They are exploring nature and learning about the forest and its wildlife. Many guests tell us that their children carry their new-found enthusiasm for nature back home with them.

We enjoy a relaxed opportunity to encourage children to care about nature, and have a dedicated Forest Ranger who is an expert in the local wildlife, at each location. Our Forest Rangers bring the forest to life for children, who uncover animal tracks, build dens, search for mini-beasts and learn about the forest and its wildlife. For adults too, there is a powerful reconnection with the natural world.

Many of our Forest Rangers are active in the local community too, visiting schools, providing forestry workshops and forest schools. By teaching children to build bug hotels and care for animal habitats, our Forest Rangers inspire the next generation to love and look after our natural environment.

Forest Holidays also works closely with other outdoor organisations, including Forestry England, UK National Parks and the National Forest, to promote outdoor learning and discovery opportunities across the UK, for adults and children.

"Seeing a goshawk is a real glimpse of wildness. In the forest, we’ve got peregrines, sparrowhawks and buzzards but on rare occasions I spot a goshawk. It always quickens the heart. There’s something quite primal if you catch sight of one gliding with intent – there’s a reason it’s called the phantom of the woods."
Forest of Dean, Forest Ranger, Gerry