Praise for Mintlaw Academy's garden
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A THERAPUTIC garden at Mintlaw Academy has been cited as an example of best practice in educating children in and about nature.
The University of Aberdeen is carrying out extensive research into why nature matters in childhood, and humans' inherent affinity with the natural world.
Professor Donald Gray of the university said: "Imaginative play in the natural world is very important; if you give a child a car, they'll play with it as a car but give them a stick and it could be a wand, drum sticks or a paint brush. It also has a huge impact on health and wellbeing, and is proven to support a decrease in stress and an increase in physical health.
"Even taking exercise outdoors has been shown to be more beneficial to us than that taken elsewhere.
"Children's experiences in nature also appear to help them develop a resilience to mental ill health in adulthood and support a healthy environmental identity and understanding of the natural world."
Aberdeenshire Council has done its own research into the activities supporting outdoor learning, and learning in and about nature in schools.
Common examples include gardening, taking lessons outdoors, recycling and litter initiatives, and outings supported by the council's ranger service.
Mintlaw Academy was cited as an example of best practice, having developed an extensive therapeutic garden after starting with a couple of tubs in a small courtyard area. The garden has been developed with a team of teachers, pupils, local businesses and members of the community, who have created a space with therapeutic features such as various paths leading to different areas, a shelter, sensory flowers and plants, bird feeders and artwork by pupils.
The garden is a long-term project that will evolve over time and will include eco features such as solar panels, water features and areas cultivated purposefully to attract wildlife.
