A World to Grow Up in | Friends of the Earth

Making dens, catching tadpoles, growing a sunflower – some of our best childhood memories are from exploring and adventuring in nature. It’s a big part of what makes a childhood.

The UK is now one of the most nature-depleted nations in the world. And this decline in nature is having a very real impact on children’s mental and physical health.

Over 1.6 million children under 12 live in neighbourhoods deprived of green space – that’s the population of Birmingham and Sheffield combined. And many of our natural places, like beaches and forests, are being polluted with plastic and sewage.

We want to bring back the magic of nature for every child and we need your help.

We’re working with community groups to transform built-up areas into havens for nature and play, and are strengthening national plans to restore nature so that it'll forever be a part of childhood.

Together, we can ensure every child has a world to grow up in.

Three young girls looking into a planting area one holding a hose of splashing water

Easy ways to connect children to nature

We know nature's good for children's physical and mental health. Here are some easy ways to connect them to nature.

Play nature bingo. Keep it simple with lists of differently shaped leaves, birds, bugs and different-coloured flowers.
Go on a mini beast hunt. Anywhere with old plant pots or logs will have wriggly creatures to find underneath.
Put up a bird feeder, and learn the names of the birds that visit.
Keep a nature diary. Visit the same patch of green every month or every season, draw pictures and make notes of what you spot as it changes through the year.
Get a planet protector pack! 24 pages of activities with seeds and stickers to keep them busy as a bee.

Neighbours coming together in Hackney to make their streets and front gardens greener

Planting Postcode Gardeners to green our streets

People want healthier and greener streets but they often lack the time or skills to maintain new planting.

That’s where a Postcode Gardener can help, employed to green up streets in one postcode area and bring neighbours together.

See the 3 local areas we've helped make greener. And help us plant more Postcode Gardeners to bring nature back, so that every child has a world to grow up in.

How Postcode Gardeners bring back nature

Birds in river which is heavily polluted, there's lots of rubbish and shallow water

Nature needs protecting

In the UK 3 out of 5 wild species are in decline and 15% are at risk of extinction.

Air pollutants vastly exceed recommended levels right across the country, and the dumping of untreated sewage, pesticides, plastics, pharmaceuticals and industrial waste in our seas and rivers is escalating.

And unless we act fast, the government will scrap some of the laws that protect our environment.

Find out what's at risk

Join us today to bring nature's magic back

Donate to create a world to grow up in

How you can help create a world to grow up in

Planting more Postcode Gardeners
to create greener streets

Published: 21 Mar 2023

Help us plant more Postcode Gardeners, to green up streets, help nature thrive and bring communities together.

Nature

General

An illustrated graphic contrasting two scenes, with a tear down the middle. One side shows idyllic farmland with a hedgehog, and a house with solar panels. The other side shows the Houses of Parliament by a sewage-ridden river and a sign saying "Warning: Environmental hazard"

The environment is at grave risk – which protections are under threat?

Published: 09 Feb 2023 | Last updated: 27 Jun 2023 | 4 minute read

Our rivers and seas are full of sewage but instead of cleaning them up, the UK government want to unravel the rules that protect the environment. If we want safeguard people and nature, we need to keep these legal protections in place. Find out what’s at risk.

Nature

Bees

Clean air

England

Health

Social justice