The truth is we all know about the benefits of being outdoors, connecting with nature and cultivating crops and ornamental plants. We’ve all seen the headlines at least if we haven’t had direct experience of therapeutic horticulture.
The purpose of Irresistible Outdoors is to help children engage with and learn about our garden and to explore every individual’s personal connection to the natural world; gardening can be a coping strategy, a fulfilling hobby or a rewarding career (or all 3).
In-school sessions are developed in discussion with teachers, supporting and enhancing the key stage learning journeys and enabling satisfaction of the national curriculum in areas such as science (Citizen Science and recordable data), design and technology (bug houses, plant design), maths (planning and investigations) etc. Topics covered this year include mindfulness, grow-your-own, environmental impact, taxonomy, biodiversity, life cycles, citizen science, planting, cultivating, wildlife and more…
One-to-one therapeutic sessions are child-led, ranging from sensory experiences to focussed cultivation techniques. Gardens provide an introduction to mindful activities that give peace to a busy or anxious mind. The activities we undertake focus on supporting the emotional development of pupils.
Monthly family sessions are an opportunity to learn new skills together and inspire further adventures at home. Each session has a theme, from wildlife to grow-your-own to mindful and sensory activities. We use PECS, the Picture Exchange Communication System and basic Makaton. The sessions are all about inclusivity, feeling safe and supported and the building of new friendships with a common interest.
Please get in touch if you would like any further information about any of my sessions.
Recent feedback: -
“The children involved in the Irresistible Outdoors sessions have gained a huge amount from their sessions. They have developed an understanding of the outdoors and the hard work it takes to develop and maintain an area. They have developed their determination and care for their environment and surroundings; they demonstrate this by taking care of the areas they have developed, watering them in their own breaktimes, without adult prompting. The impact on the wider school has been through improved grounds and specific areas that children use for play.” Headteacher
“The programme has enhanced our irresistible curriculum providing focused activities led by a skilled practitioner. The children have been enabled to engage with the outdoor environment across the year. The activities provided have been highly practical and accessible.” Headteacher
“The group had a fabulous day! They were very engaged and receptive to all the ideas and activities.” Teacher
Further Reading: The Science in Support
For children requiring emotional support and coping strategies for stress, anxiety and other mental health issues:
The biophilia hypothesis (BET) suggests that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularized the hypothesis in his book, Biophilia. He defines biophilia as "the urge to affiliate with other forms of life". For children who struggle to form emotional connections with other children this ‘urge’ can be harnessed to support the development of their ability to nurture and respect others.
For children struggling to concentrate on indoor studies throughout the day, short breaks engaged in outdoor tasks and activities can restore ability to concentrate:
Attention restoration theory (ART) asserts that people can concentrate better after spending time in nature, or even looking at scenes of nature where a person can engage in "effortless attention", such as clouds moving across the sky, leaves rustling in a breeze or water bubbling over rocks in a stream. The theory was developed by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in the 1980s in their book “The experience of nature: A psychological perspective”, and has since been found by others to hold true in medical outcomes as well as intellectual task attention
For children inside the classroom, a green view can reduce stress and improve productivity:
Evidence-based design (EBD) was popularized by the seminal study by Ulrich (1984) that showed the impact of a window view on patient recovery. Studies have since examined the relationships between design of the physical environment of hospitals and the impact upon stress of facility users, safety and productivity, resource waste, and sustainability.
