New research from Natural England suggests that less than 10 per cent of children play in 'wild spaces'. Just a generation ago some 40 per cent of kids roamed around in woodlands, heaths and other open areas.
It's a sad fact that parents' understandable concerns about safety mean that most children are growing up with scant experience of the natural world. And if they don't have the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature firsthand, we can't expect them to value it. To put it bluntly, if they don't value nature our efforts to protect it may well prove worthless.
The natural environment won't be the only casualty.
According to Ofsted, 'When planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils' personal, social and emotional development.'
So, what's to be done?
The RSPB already helps hundreds of thousands of children to discover and enjoy the natural world, through school visits to reserves, Big Schools' Birdwatch, family days out and membership of Wildlife Explorers.
Just over five years ago, we helped to form the Real World Learning Campaign - working with the Field Studies Council, National Trust, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and PGL. This has made some progress.
Earlier this year, the Secretary of State for Education, Ed Balls MP, launched a new Quality Badge for Learning Outside the Classroom. Schools can use this to identify outdoor learning venues that meet independently assessed safety and quality standards. The RSPB's Top Lodge nature reserve was one of the first to be awarded this recognition. More are following close behind.
Badging schemes can only go so far. If schools have no money to take advantage of them and teachers don't know about them, their impact is going to be seriously limited. A view shared by Ofsted.
So, as well as supporting the new Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, the RSPB is calling for:
What do you want for your kids?
Running around in the fresh air, surrounded by green spaces and wildlife? Or stuck in front of a PC or television screen?
As the parent of a two year old, I know what matters most to me . And I can see what works best for Dan.
Nature's amazing - and it's there to be enjoyed by everyone.
For more information about the RSPB's education work, see here.
The Cottonwool Kids
Tilly Cotton rubbed cream into her legs and dried her hair with her new gold, turbo action hairdryer. Tilly was excited, it was her birthday next week and she would be eight.
Jamie Cotton slammed the car door. He had been to see his best friend who lived around the corner and had texted his Dad to come and fetch him.
Lucy Cotton had just started big school. She was lying on the sofa watching ‘Hollyoaks’ waiting for her brothers and sister to come in for tea.
Sammy Cotton was playing tennis on his wii. He was definitely getting better at his backhands and was going to win. He was ready to take on Jamie when he came back.
There was a stranger at the tea table that night. Her name was Natural England. She wore a long green cloak, had funny teeth and sharp bright eyes. She didn’t say much but she couldn’t help notice white tufts of wool growing out of the children’s ears and around their ankles. The white stuff even followed them to the sofa where they ate their tea.
She took out a little bottle of pink juice and left it on the table. The label said ‘Drink Me’ - ‘Two sips before bed time’. She crept out the back door.
At ten o’clock, Tilly, Jamie, Lucy and Sammy each had a little drink from the bottle. Immediately they felt very sleepy and found themselves hurtling down a rabbit hole getting mud and dirt on their pyjamas.
“We’re dying” shouted Tilly. They rubbed their eyes. “Where is this? Where are we?”
There was a whooshing noise. “I am the wind” said a voice. The cottonwool kids covered their ears.
It went dark and then a soft bright light appeared. “I am the moon” said a voice. They covered their eyes.
An animal with a funny smell walked towards them and grunted. “I am a pig” said the voice. They pinched their fingers over their noses.
A large brown shape appeared in front of them. “I am a tree” said the voice. They were full of fear and their faces were pale.
Then they saw a sign. Lucy read it out loud. ‘You are in the countryside and this is a Cartwheel Farm. Here you can climb a tree, run wild with wind, get dirty, build a den, gaze at the moon and have an adventure. You can paddle in the river, have a picnic by the pond, throw sticks like arrows, play and sing with all your heart. You can collect eggs for breakfast and watch the sow with her piglets. This is a place for children to relax and fill their souls with happy smiles and laughter’.
The cottonwool kids were still nervous, but then heard a whisper. “Go on” said a voice from deep inside, “Go now and be free”. Lucy grabbed hold of Sammy and they all took off.
“We’re flying” said Tilly.
Gina Woodcraft April 2009