Forest schools encourage young children to spend time outdoors and learn more about the environment

Sustainability and eco-friendly design are crucial to early years settings as we educate the youngest members of the community on the importance of protecting the planet for future generations.

And nursery operator, Grandir UK, is leading the way with a commitment to the promoting sustainability across all its sites, including the creation of forest schools and education programmes which embody eco action.

Its Sow and Grow module, for example, encourages children to spend time outdoors, learn how to grow various plants and produce, and experience the wonder of nature while at the nurseries.

Last month Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool in Redhill, Surrey, achieved the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, a seven-step framework that empowers young people to make a real difference in their school, local community, and beyond.

To gain the accolade, children took part in many eco committee meetings and shared their input into how they would like to implement eco-friendly action.

The staff and children also put in time and effort to create a nursery garden which ensures that education is centred around taking care of nature and the environment.

And growing plants and produce in their garden provides a calming activity that can bring benefits to the children’s mental health. It also teaches them responsibility and the importance of looking after something on a regular basis, and the act of digging, watering, and planting can help develop fine motor skills to help them prepare for school.

Growing plants and produce provides a calming activity that can bring benefits to children’s mental health

Why be eco friendly?

A spokesperson for Grandir UK said: “An eco-friendly nursery school is a school that reduces its environmental impact and promotes sustainability.

“Encouraging young children to care for the environment can influence the way future generations will live on our planet.

“Nurseries that are modelled on social, environmental, and financial sustainability are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and this is because parents are keen to educate their children from an early age on the importance of sustainability and help them develop a respect for all life – human, animal, or plant.”

Grandir UK’s Its Sow and Grow module helps children learn how to grow plants and produce, and experience the wonder of nature while at its nurseries

How green are you?

Grandir UK has put together a list of things to take into consideration when trying to understand how green and sustainable a nursery is:

• Is the nursery teaching children about eco-friendly activities, protecting our environment and sustainability including topics such as renewable energy, fossil fuels, endangered species, global warming, and climate education?
• Is the nursery reducing its impact on the planet’s resources by reducing plastic waste, consumption of energy, air pollution, water, paper, and toxic chemicals?
• Is the nursery recycling and reusing items?
• Is the nursery educating not only the children, but parents and the wider community about sustainability?

Outdoor green space and environmental awards, such as Green Flag accreditation, will also help parents to choose nurseries that will help their children learn the importance of caring for the environment.

The spokesperson said: “A more-sustainable planet is possible if the next generation is educated.

“Young children can grow up with an understanding of how to look after the planet and can, in turn, influence their parents and others.

“And children and parents can learn a lot about sustainability from nurseries.

“Nurseries can influence their staff, parents, and children, too. “Nurseries are caring for a future generation and whatever actions nursery providers take can leave a footprint that impacts on the world children grow up into. That’s why sustainability matters.”

Young children can grow up with an understanding of how to look after the planet and can, in turn, influence their parents and others