Tips for Foraging with Kids
Looking for something to do on your next family walk? Why not try out foraging with our top tips?
Foraging with the family is super fun and it is a great way to teach young explorers about the natural world. One of the best things to do in the summer is go foraging for things that you can cook or bake with. We love showing children the concept that they can collect things and then make something from what they have picked - we think it tastes extra tasty that way too!
Edible nature is easy enough to find so head out on a family walk in the country or woodlands this summer. Here are a few of our foraging tips:
1) Get educated
There are thousands of online guides that will give you descriptions and diagrams of what is safe and what isn't safe to forage for. If you don't want to grab printouts and you plan on making foraging a more frequent thing, grab a book or a guide on the topic. There are hundreds out there and they are often pocket sized so you can take them out and about with you. We recommend foraging for plants and fruit you are already familiar with such as blackberries, apples, elderflower or nettles.
2) Plan the route
Plan your route upfront - you could get your child to help with this. Make sure to pick a child-friendly trail that will be easy enough for little legs. We recommend foraging in the areas near your home to start off with. Make sure not to forage along busy roads or areas that may have been sprayed with herbicides.
3) Safety first
Make it clear that there is one big rule in foraging: never pick anything without a grown up. Keep hold of your foraging guide and if you or your explorers find something, even something as obvious as blackberries, don't touch them until you have checked the guide and made sure that it is the right thing. Safety is first! Remember to leave some fruit behind to ensure an abundant crop again next year and also leave some for the animals and birds.
4) Make it fun
Make your foraging adventure even more exciting by setting challenges for your children, for example who will be the first to find some blackberries or dandelions. When you get home, try baking from the seasonal fruit you have found to make something yummy for the whole family to enjoy. Here's our tasty recipe for blackberry and apple pie you may like to try.
