To help more kids in the UK connect with nature, baby feeding expert HiPP Organic has launched a storybook with a seeded cover that can be planted in the ground to grow plants that help preserve the eco-system.
‘Where The Little Things Are’ aims to help parents and kids learn about nature together first-hand. It encourages the whole family to embrace their green fingers by planting the cover which will grow into Black Knapweed, Meadow Buttercup, Musk Mallow, Ox-Eye Daisy, Red Campion and Yarrow plants – ideal habitats for bees, butterflies and insects. These plants help protect the environment of some of the very characters featured in the book, as well as other wildlife that plays a vital role in making the HiPP Organic food so tasty.
Where The Little Things Are outlines the roles of the three creatures, Izzy Bee (Bumble Bee), Spikey Mikey (Hedgehog) and Wiggly Wendy (Earthworm). The book was created after HiPP research discovered there were varying levels of understanding of the role these creatures play in nature, with 70% of parents describing their children as having a basic understanding of the role a bumble bee plays but only 24% understanding the role of a hedgehog.
Whilst the majority of kids might not know the role of certain creatures in nature, they did however have a wide understanding of environmental issues, with 57% of parents interviewed believing their kids to be more knowledgeable than they were on environmental concerns and over half (52%) saying they had been taught something new about the environment by their kids.
Kids are so passionate about the environment that the 57% of parents who admitted their children knew more about sustainable living than they do have even been reprimanded by their children for unsustainable practises, including using too much water (30%), using too much plastic (32%) and recycling incorrectly (30%).
However, since lockdown, almost half (47%) of parents say they have a newfound appreciation for protecting the environment and the great outdoors, with more than three quarters (82%) claiming this newfound passion has caused them to think more about their personal impact on environmental issues such as recycling and air pollution.
