By Kate Hodges
30th June 2021
EVENT Out Standing In Your Field
A simple wander barefoot through a summer meadow, insects buzzing, butterflies flitting, grass is a pleasure every child should indulge in. Why not use this Saturday’s National Meadows Day as a nudge to get you over the fence and into the long grass. Love the feeling of the earth under your toes? Find our guide to barefooting for beginners here, find a little more about shoe-free living here, and read about the benefits for babies here. Need field-spiration? Find a wonderful list of the country’s top fifty meadows here or find out how to make your own mini-meadow here.
EVENT Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice Plastic Free July is about to begin! Originating in Australia, this waste-reducing challenge has now been taken up by families across the globe. They’re choosing to refuse single-use plastics in order to cut pollution and conserve resources. Sign up to take on the challenge and you’ll get weekly emails with tips and tricks, stories from other participants and inspiration for greener living to take beyond these 31 days. To help you on your way, use this online zero waste shop finder to track down refill stores and more near you. Green Parent writer, Kathryn Hould took on the challenge, find how she fared in her first week, and her hints and tips here. And find our huge archive of plastic-free living stories, hacks and help here
FORAGE AND RECIPE Petal Powered Midsummer brings a banquet of edible flowers, leaves and seeds to forage (find some of the most bountiful here) . We’re on the hunt for Pineapple weed, or wild chamomile, which smells of pineapple and has a fruity flavour. The flower heads can be used to make herb tea, and the fresh flowers eaten raw in salads or cooked. Nibble on the leaves while you’re out walking. It’s said to be good for relaxation and as a digestive aid, and is believed to be helpful for treating colds and minor aches and pains. Try using it in tea, cookies, cordial or wildflower jam!
MAKE Wildling Art Harnessing the power of nature to create art can result in mind-blowing pieces. Be inspired by these incredible artists who fuse trees, send canvasses into forests for nature to create paintings, build honeycomb vases with bees, or work with crystals, horses and even lightning! Why not try painting with the rain, stencilling apples or making a mushroom stamp? Find lots more inspiration here
EVENT West End Joys Be quick! Booking has opened today for Kids Week (it’s a month really). Running from 1-31 August, children go FREE to selected West End shows (including Amélie The Musical, Cirque Beserk, The Lion King, Hairspray and The Tiger Who Came To Tea) when an adult buys a ticket. This year, more than any other, it’s vital to support our theatres and all who work in them! All details here
WHAT WE’RE READING ‘I knew how dangerous things could become’: the perils of childbirth as a Black woman - “When she was pregnant, Anna Malaika Tubbs was thrilled – then terrified, knowing the shockingly high death rate of Black women in childbirth. Could she find a way to stay safe?” Read more here
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING Based on Naoki Higashida’s ground-breaking memoir, in which a 13-year-old nonspeaking autistic boy brilliantly describes his perception of the world, The Reason I Jump offers a rich and highly relatable first-hand portrait of what autism feels like. Following five young people from around the world and using excerpts from the book as a narrative thread, it describes how distressing or intensely beautiful the world can be for someone with ASD. Watch the trailer here and find a screening near you here
