14 February 2020

With half term on the horizon next week for most of us living in the UK with children, parents across the land are trying to think up cost-effective ways to keep the little ones entertained and exercised.

At Planted, we are no different. Several of our team have young children who need that little bit of extra guidance and attention compared to their teenage counterparts. We’re looking for things to do, too.

So here’s a suggestion for a happy, healthy and stress-relieving past-time (yes it is possible, even with kids); how about a spot of forest bathing this half term?

We’re definitely going to try it. Originally known as “Shinrin Yoko”, this ancient Japanese form of preventative medicine involves little more than immersing yourself in the natural world and removing your mind from trivial day-to-day matters which can sometimes get on top of us. In other words; go for a walk in the park.

We’re not yet sure why we seem happiest and healthiest when surrounded by nature, but the principles of biophilia suggest it is ingrained in human being’s DNA as the result of millions of years of co-evolving in close contact with plants and animals. It’s only in the past few centuries – a mere blink of an eye in human evolutionary terms – that we’ve moved into concrete-filled cities and away from a more natural state. The potential for mental health problems caused by city living, are well documented and widely acknowledged.

So, with phones left at home, waterproofs on and a rucksack of supplies, we’ll be heading up to the nearest wood this weekend for a few hours of “forest bathing” with our three-year-old daughter, Ella. No internet to distract or TV to sit idly in front of. Just a couple of hours of gentle walking, soaking in the sights, smells and sounds of nature.

Even if you’re not lucky enough to have a wood or a park on your doorstep, there’s clear evidence that engaging with nature on the smallest level, even if it’s just observing a tree on your busy street or listening to the sound of a bird sing, can lift your mental and physical wellbeing.

So, if you are at a loose end this half term, why not take a small step into the outdoors and appreciate the calming and beguiling beauty of the natural world that’s all around you.

And best of all? It won’t cost you a penny.

Written by Sam Peters, founding partner at Planted