Get Outside and Bond: Simple Ideas to Try

Some children can't find the words across a table. Put them in a stream with a net, or halfway up a tree, and the connection often comes with barely a word said.

Nature calms the body, and a bit of daring builds confidence and grit, which helps both the anxious child who avoids every risk and the thrill-seeker who can't settle. You'll get plenty to try: awe walks, den building, puddle hunts, tactile walks, stone painting and more. They work with children in the early years right up to young adults, including those with SEND or a history of trauma, and there's a handout of activities to take away.

The ideas come from an occupational therapist and mum who uses the outdoors in her therapy work and with her own family.