Cultivating a greener future for British Science Week

Preparing children for an ever-changing world means nurturing curiosity, responsibility, and hope from the earliest possible start. By engaging young minds in outdoor learning experiences, children move beyond theory and begin to see themselves as active participants in the natural world.

Our Forest School and outdoor learning programmes are designed to encourage this growth at a child’s own pace. Immersed in inspiring garden spaces, children develop resilience, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility as they explore the wonders of nature firsthand.

This British Science Week, we are celebrating by aligning our outdoor learning experiences to Impact Month at N. Here are three brilliant, science-based activities that you can do as a family:

Planting seeds (2Y+)

The purpose of this activity is to teach children that plants grow, some of the things they need to grow, and how they can help them to grow.

Equipment:

Packet of seeds or seed sticks

Watering can

Magnifying glass

Small trowel

Activity:

Help your child to plant the seeds or seed sticks according to the packet’s instructions. You don’t need a garden to grow plants - a pot on a windowsill or terrace is also great. Using a camera, take photos from the beginning of the planting of the seeds to be able to document the plant’s growth. You can continue to take photos as the plant grows and then look back over the life cycle when it is complete.

How can we look after our oceans? (4Y+)

Building on the pillar of Global Responsibility in the N Curriculum, this activity promotes the effects of climate change and gets children thinking about ways to tackle it.

Equipment:

A water tray or clear Pyrex dish

Mixing bowl

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp olive oil

A selection of small objects such as sea animals, shells

Activity:

Set up the water tray or clear Pyrex dish with clear water and drop the small objects in. Allow your child to explore what the clean ‘ocean’ looks like - ask your child if they can see the objects clearly. In the mixing bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and olive oil, and allow your child to drip the mixture into the ‘ocean’. You can ask your child what has happened to the water and discuss how ships pollute the oceans.

Colour-changing flowers (2-3Y)

This activity encourages children to think about how flowers drink water and what they need to grow and survive.

Equipment:

White flowers - tulips or roses work well (be wary of thorns)

4-5 jars for the water

4-5 different food colourings

Water

Scissors

Activity:

Half fill each jar with clean tap water. In the jars, squeeze a few drops of food colouring so that you have jars of different colours. Diagonally cut the stems of the white flowers and place one flower in each jar. Leave the flowers for one hour and check back - after this time, the colour should appear on the petals and will deepen over time. You can take photos of the before and after to spark questions such as “I wonder what will happen when…?” or “If we add this, what do you think it will do?”.