Young children have a wonderful, uncomplicated relationship with the natural world. They notice the worm on the path, the frost on the grass, the first shoots pushing up in a vegetable patch. They don’t need to be persuaded to care about nature. They already do. And that gives nurseries a quiet but genuine opportunity: to nurture that instinct, and to model the small, everyday habits that add up to a kinder relationship with the planet. At MiChild, we think that is a responsibility worth taking seriously.
We’re honest about where we are on this journey. We’re not claiming to have it all worked out, and we don’t think grand gestures are what matter most in early years. What matters is the accumulation of small, consistent choices, made every day, in a way that children can see, understand and join in with. Small changes, made well and made often, genuinely do make a big difference.
A lot of it starts outdoors, which is where our children spend so much of their time. Children at MiChild have the opportunity to explore and access the outdoor environments throughout the day, whenever it is safe to do so, whatever the weather, with their wetsuits and wellies at the ready so that rain, wind or cold never stands in the way of exploration. Being outside so much isn’t just good for children. It builds a real, first-hand connection to the natural world, and it is far easier to care for something you know well. Our outdoor spaces are designed to feed that connection: children explore nature, observe wildlife, and get their hands in the soil.
Growing food is one of the clearest examples of a small change with a big effect. In our nurseries, children tend vegetable patches and grow their own food, and there is something powerful about a child planting a seed, watering it, watching it grow, and then eating what they’ve grown. It teaches patience and care, it demystifies where food comes from, and it plants an early understanding that the things we eat are connected to the earth we look after. It is sustainability learned through the hands, not the head.
We’re building these habits into the fabric of nursery life through the Green Flag sustainability agenda, of which we have just qualified for Green Flag accreditation across all 14 nurseries. In practice, that means teaching children about mindful energy use, and about water conservation using water butts to collect rainwater for the garden. These are simple ideas, pitched at a child’s level, but they carry a lesson that lasts: that resources are precious, that waste is worth avoiding, and that everyone, even the smallest person, can play their part.
Food is another area where thoughtful choices matter. All of our meals are freshly prepared on site every day, and we work with a single-source supplier. Cooking fresh, on site, is not only better for children, it also supports a more considered approach to the food we serve and the waste we create. Mealtimes at MiChild are treated as a learning experience in their own right, and that gives us a natural opportunity to talk with children about food, where it comes from, and why we don’t waste it.
What ties all of this together is that we’re not trying to lecture children about the planet. We’re trying to give them everyday experiences that make caring for it feel normal, and even joyful. A child who has grown a carrot, saved rainwater for the runner beans, and pulled their wellies on to splash outside in the rain is a child who is quietly learning that the natural world is theirs to enjoy and theirs to look after. Those lessons don’t stay at the nursery, either. They go home in the small questions and habits children bring to their families.
That is how nurseries can be kinder to the planet: not through one big campaign, but through dozens of small, honest changes woven into ordinary days. We’re proud of the steps we’ve taken, clear-eyed about the road still ahead, and certain of one thing. The children in our care are the ones who will inherit the world we’re teaching them to love. Helping them start to look after it is one of the most worthwhile small things we can do.
Adam brings extensive leadership experience in early years to his role at MiChild. Since taking ownership in February 2022, his focus has been clear: build a nursery group where quality, safety and genuine family values drive every decision. Adam is a hands-on leader who is actively involved across all 14 settings, ensuring that the standards families expect are the standards they receive, every single day.
