Nature Babies - building neural pathways

Jill Ferguson, Communities and Wildlife Officer at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, describes the rationale behind Nature Babies, run as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Discover Rye Harbour project.

Nature Babies is the highlight of my week. Lots of happy babies developing awareness of the natural world around them. From 0 to 3, a child’s brain develops more than at any other time. Neural pathways, vital for future cognitive and emotional growth, are shaped by daily experiences. Therefore, the amount of time children spend developing positive feelings about nature can make a huge difference to how they feel in the longer term. I’m convinced that the social and sensory experiences provided by Nature Babies will influence how the babies go on to develop pro-environmental behaviours in later life.

For carers, Nature Babies is a way of socialising with others and providing mutual support. Through planned activities, I make sure that carers have time to play and explore the natural environment with their child, which will lead to a deeper level of learning and relationship building that can be extended in the home.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is a great place for Nature Babies. Its wild and windswept landscape generates an instant ‘wow’ factor and there are plenty of opportunities to have your neural pathways stimulated. I love the look on a baby’s face when it first tastes sand (I know it’s cruel, isn’t it?). Best of all is seeing the changes that take place over time. As well as physical changes, you can actually see babies’ brains getting bigger and bigger as millions of neural pathways are being formed. What’s more, you know that Nature Babies is stimulating an awareness of the natural world and their place in it so that these particular pathways stand a good chance of growing stronger and more connected over time.

Nature Babies and Nature Tots at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve run between beginning of March and end of October, with activities taking place weekly, every Wednesday. Nature Tots takes place between 10am and 12pm and Nature Babies is 1.30pm to 2.30pm. For further information contact the Rye Harbour Communities and Wildlife Team at [email protected] or to book click here