A new report on children’s shocking lack of knowledge about the natural world has set some parents buzzing with indignation. Marie Turbill reports.
THE great outdoors is not so great for our young people.
According to a new survey they’ve abandoned Mother Nature, with many youngsters lacking the basic knowledge needed to identify everyday animals, insects and plants.
The study of five to 10-year-olds found four out of 10 of them can’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp, whilst others confuse a centipede with a worm or even - despite author Eric Carle’s best efforts - the caterpillar.
It’s not just creepy crawlies that dumbfound our kids. Nearly a third have no idea what a mouse looks like while one in ten doesn’t even know what a budgie is.
As for identifying plants, forget it.
With the future of our planet resting precariously in our children’s hands it is a worrying trend.
Stuart Goldie, manager of Teesside’s own eco experience, Nature’s World, agrees.
“Learning about nature gives children an appreciation of how all creatures are part of the bigger system,” he says.
“If they are going to grow up to respect the environment they need to understand how important it is to do things that will attract wildlife to our gardens and open spaces.
“It is all about the balance of nature and creating an environment that is good and healthy for lots of different creatures to thrive and survive.”
Nature’s World offers a range of activities and trails to teach visitors more about the natural world. When introduced to nature Stuart says children often do take a keen interest - and, strangely, their minibeast safari is a particular favourite. One young fan is Thomas Chantrell. At just three years old, he is a regular visitor to the Tees Valley attraction where he likes nothing better than to search for bugs.
“It is me that is scared!” says his grandmother, Sue Bidwell, of Middlesbrough, who runs the park’s tea rooms.
Despite his young age, Thomas is already something of an eco expert.
“He loves being out anywhere with nature, we go to the woods and the park,” says Gran.
“It is a good thing to teach them when they are young. To him it’s a game and it’s all good fun.”
The survey was conducted by Airbus as part of their commitment to the CBD (United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity).
Fascinated by animals
CIARAN, Stacey and Ella Walton know a budgie from a blackbird. In fact, they are so fascinated by animals that mum, Sharline Wilson, takes them to watch feeding time at John’s Place 4 Pets in Middlesbrough, where shop owner Russell Mills runs a free Munch & Crunch to give kids an opportunity to meet exotic breeds.
“My kids love animals, and this is an opportunity for them to learn more,” says Sharline, whose children are aged five, three and two. “We already keep budgies and they help by giving them food and water.”
But now Stacey has her eye on a snake.
Mum says she’ll consider it when she’s older. Until then Stacey can learn about the reptiles in Russell’s pet classroom. Even at their young age, Sharline is fairly sure her brood would recognise a mouse, bee and a wasp. As for budgies they have them sussed with eight of their own at home.
Russell sees a lot of youngsters with a passion for animals. He says they just need to be given the encouragement and opportunity to learn more. “Some kids only see cartoon mice so they wouldn’t necessarily associate that with a real one.”
That’s one of the reasons he set up Munch & Crunch. “An interest in animals and pets helps children develop social skills and caring. All pets bring with them an element of responsibility. Learning about their needs and habitat can trigger an interest in wildlife and biodiversity.”
What do your kids know?
JO HAND lives in Redcar with her husband Steve and they try hard to educate their two children - Annabel, 12, and Marcus, seven - about the natural world.
“We go on nature walks with the children and point things out to them, such as insects, animals and even fish. My husband points out things like grasshoppers and talks about them, and about the important job bees do.
“We recently bought a USB attachable microscope and the children look at insects through that, too. Nature is so important.”
PAULA ELLIOTT, of Wynyard, is married to Lee and is mum to Rachael, nine, and Lucy, six, who often drags her into pet shops.
“Both girls are animal lovers. They have a guinea pig so they recognise them and because we live by fields they have seen mice. They are aware of the differences between bees and wasps. In terms of other insects everything is either a bug or a spider.
“I have never been an animal lover but they love it and school encourages them. They have been to Nature’s World and local farms.”
VICTORIA JOHNSON lives in Middlesbrough with her husband, Sean, and daughter, Grace, four, who already has a handle on the environment.
“Grace isn’t so good with small insects, it tends to be things like flies and wasps and moths and butterflies that she confuses, but she is fine with bigger animals. It is important for a child to understand the world around them. Grace would go to the park gathering leaves with the child minder, seeing how it looks in different seasons.
“In terms of plants she would know the difference between things that you grow to eat and things that are decorative but I don’t think she would recognise different flowers.”
ANTHONY VICKERS lives in Acklam, with wife Tracey, and their two children, William, 10, and Elizabeth, six, who is an avid animal spotter.
“Elizabeth loves animals, that is her thing. She has got a little animal scrapbook so she knows lots of animals. She would know the difference between a beetle, a spider and a fly, by the number of legs. She would know a bee from a wasp and I think she would recognise a mouse.
“She spends a lot of time in the garden and will pick worms up. I don’t think she would know the names of plants but she helps me to grow spuds, onions and tomatoes and knows that things grow and we need to cultivate them.”