The Peterborough Wild Play Project
‘Wild Play’ is a project for children and young people. It aims to develop a network of 'safe, wilder green areas' in the Peterborough District and engaging with people around these areas in ‘Wild’ play. This 3 year project, funded by BIG lottery through Peterborough City Council will run until March 2011.
In recent years outdoor play in wild areas has fallen due to the fear of risks that may be encountered. The Wild Play project aims to help reduce this fear. The project will teach children and young people the main principles of keeping safe and the most important thing; encouraging and providing opportunities to have fun and play in the natural environment.
The main aims of the project are to increase positive behaviour on nature reserves and encourage a new generation of voices to speak up for wildlife.
Through the project children and young people will:
- Learn how to stay safe on nature reserves
- Discover and learn about wildlife
- Discover how to help wildlife
- Build confidence to play on nature reserves
- Improve well-being, physical & mental health
- Go on adventures, get messy & have fun
The Trust is running informal fun events with activities such as adventure play, shelter building, orienteering, survival skills, storytelling, art and games through to relaxation. Participants learn the principles of keeping safe and being given opportunities to play in fantastic wildlife havens. Through outreach work, participants, particularly those from hard to reach groups, are encouraged to attend special Wild Play events and to develop ideas for play events. These young people and their families discover safer wilder areas in which they can play and discover the fantastic wildlife many of the areas support, from butterflies and birds to newts and pond mini-beasts.
For more information please click here to get in touch with Fay Rumball (Wild Play Officer at Peterborough).
