To help you get the children up and active this summer, Westonbirt Arboretum are hosting a special ‘Tree Champions’ programme, with a special family activity trail and series of arts and craft events. And, in order to keep the kids outdoors all the way through the summer, Kids Go Free to the Arboretum from 26 July to 2 September 2019!
The importance of getting young people spending time in the great outdoors has never been greater. Modern lifestyles mean that we are spending more and more time indoors and are increasingly reliant on technology, so both children and adults are less active.
Martyn Reeves, Active Forest Coordinator at Westonbirt Arboretum, said:‘We all know the benefits of being active for children and young people – regular exercise improves fitness, provides opportunities to socialise, improves concentration and encourages growth and development, to name just a few. What a lot of people aren’t aware of are the increased benefits of exercising in green spaces. There is an increasing body of research to suggest that this boosts mental health, self-esteem, and connection to nature. One study in Cornwall showed that just a weekly dose of natural environments such as oceans, forests etc. on patients suffering from depression found a 69% increase in mental wellbeing in just three months!
Here at Westonbirt we want to make outdoor exercise fun and something that kids want to do; if it becomes a regular and fun part of their childhood they are more likely to be active as adults, and reap the benefits of exercise throughout their lives. To help us achieve this goal, this summer we have developed a very special trail focused on getting children and families active on their visits to us.’
From July to August, visitors will be able to compete against family members on the Tree Champion trail through the Arboretum – discovering some record-breaking trees, their surprising feats and records along the way! See if you can run as far as a single seed travels, have a go at tree gymnastics, or take on the tree ring hula hoop challenge.
Alternatively, visitors can give their creative skills a work out at one of the arts and craft family events – with different activities each week, there’s something to keep everyone entertained throughout the summer:
· Seed Champions, Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August. Discover record breaking seeds as you create your very own seed bombs and berry juice art!
· Growing Champions, Monday 5 to Friday 9 August. Discover the giants and have fun playing with microscopes!
· Team Champions, Monday 12 to Friday 16 August: Investigate the remarkable ways trees work together and have a go at making a group mandala.
· Going for Green, Monday 19 to Friday 23 August: Explore the champion leaves that make trees grow and have a go at some leaf rubbing art.
· Good for Age Champions, Monday 26 to Friday 30 August: See the trees that grow old gracefully and the youngsters in a hurry!
