7 Ways to Fit Just 10 Minutes of Nature into Your Day as a Family

It may feel like an effort but saving some stale bread to feed the ducks on the way home, or lobbing their wellies into the back of the car for a splash through the puddles to release any pent-up energy will do you, and them, the world of good.

A fun way to get the kids into the garden is to make a list of things you can see – whether it’s something in the trees, a shiny garden tool or a creepy crawly, it’ll encourage them to explore. And if you’re short on outdoor space or it’s raining, it can always be things you can see from the window.

Stirring their imagination with pretty pictures of butterflies, exotic birds, ladybirds, squirrels, trees and flowers will make the kids that more interested in what’s going on outside, and a great building block to identifying bird species and their squawks.

While most of us aren’t lucky enough to have a fish pond at the bottom of the garden, an aquarium or fish tank will bring stress-free pleasure to all the family. Easy on the eye and easy to maintain, appreciating tropical fish and supporting natural plant growth in an underwater landscape can teach kids a lot too.