There has never been a better time to think about getting children back outside to enjoy the great outdoors and Bents Garden & Home’s Explorer initiatives are great ways for children to do just that. 

Similar to Bents’ previous Ready Steady Dig school programme, Garden Explorers provides two hours of fun, learning and hands on activities designed to encourage children to love the outdoors and embrace the environment around them.  Explorers are taken on tours of Weeping Ash Garden and Bents’ on site nurseries before getting the chance to roll up their sleeves for a planting workshop and interactive question and answer session. 

Children will enjoy a nature themed scavenger hunt and leave with a nature themed activity pack.

Garden Explorers is also open to community groups such as rainbows and beaver groups on Monday evenings and primary schools can continue to make group bookings during term times on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with further details on times, dates and availability for all interested parties at bents.co.uk

Children can also become an Eco Explorer at Bents, learning about the outdoors with an interactive nature trail, designed to help familiarise children with local plants and animals and helping them develop a greater understanding of their natural surroundings

Aimed at children aged 4+, Eco Explorer requires an electronic device such as an ipad, iphone or android onto which a free app can be downloaded, which will guide children around Bents’ Open Skies Glass House, setting them challenges on their way

Says Matthew Bent, Managing Director at Bents Garden & Home:  “We often promote the health benefits of gardening and the reasons why grown-ups should roll their sleeves up and get outdoors, but the sooner we can get gardening into our lives the better! We’re a big believer in promoting the benefits of gardening to children of all ages and our new Explorer programmes are both perfect introductions to what could become a lifelong passion.

“Gardening doesn’t require acres of lawns and borders.  There’s lots that can be achieved in containers, pots and small veggie patches to no matter what size of garden don’t be afraid to give it a go with the little ones.”