The Princess of Wales has launched a new campaign encouraging families to spend more time outdoors, drawing on lessons she says can help shape children’s emotional and social development.
Catherine unveiled the initiative through her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, describing nature as a powerful tool for supporting young children while also highlighting its importance in an increasingly digital world.
“Nature is such an extraordinary environment for us all and, in this tech-driven, digital age, spending quality time outdoors has never been more important,” she said on instagram.
The project marks the latest stage of the princess’s long-running focus on early childhood development, a cause she has previously described as her life’s work.
It also reflects a message Catherine has increasingly embraced following her cancer diagnosis and treatment, having repeatedly spoken about the role nature played during her recovery.
The future queen has previously described the natural world as her “sanctuary” and has released a series of videos celebrating the changing seasons and the benefits of spending time outdoors.
Now, those beliefs are being incorporated into a new research project examining how nature can help children develop emotional resilience, creativity and stronger social connections.
“This project is about exploring how nature, creativity and relationships can best support the healthy development of babies and young children,” she said.
“We believe that taking a whole-child approach is important, and nature becomes a wonderful place to explore how we can successfully nurture the social and emotional skills that underpin lifelong health and wellbeing.”
The princess said she hoped the initiative would help make nature more accessible to families across the UK.
“My hope is that through this practical, nature-based research, we can build supportive environments that help make nature more accessible, benefiting babies, young children and their families across the UK.”
The project will explore how outdoor experiences can be integrated into early childhood development programs and could involve sites managed by the Duchy of Cornwall.
Catherine has spent years championing the importance of children’s early years, including a research-focused visit to Italy earlier this year to examine education models centred on relationships and play-based learning.
The latest initiative also aligns with her ongoing concerns about the impact of technology on family life, with the princess previously warning of an “epidemic of disconnection” caused by excessive screen time.