SEND Nature Programme - Breaking Barriers, Building Trust, and Letting Children Lead

The launch of our SEND Nature Programme marked a powerful and deeply moving new chapter for Time to Connect CIC in partnership with Forest Frontiers and supported by Bolton CVS.

Delivered with the same ethos that underpins all our work - connection before correction, curiosity before control - the first session offered a glimpse into what becomes possible when children with additional needs are truly met where they are.

As Julie reflected afterwards:

“Honestly, I got so much from that group.”

And that feeling was shared by everyone present.

Designing the space before the session even began

From the outset, it was clear that this programme needed to be designed differently.

Rather than asking children to fit into a pre-set structure, the environment itself was carefully prepared to reduce anxiety and increase safety.

A visual boundary was put in place, clearly showing children where they could and couldn’t go. As each family arrived, Julie and the team took time to walk the space individually with them - explaining the boundaries gently, calmly, and without rushing.

“We didn’t get them to sit down as a group,” Julie explained,“because that’s something children with additional needs often struggle with.”

Instead, the session flowed naturally into open exploration.

No forced circle time.No expectation to engage all at once.Just permission to explore.

Letting curiosity lead the way

Once the children felt safe, the forest came alive with possibility.

Different activities were available across the site, allowing children to gravitate toward what felt right for them:

• Clay making

• Dinosaur books and storytelling

• Exploring the forest floor

• Playing hide and seek

• Walking to the stream

• Climbing trees

• Floating sticks and watching where the water carried them

Each child chose their own path - and that choice mattered.

“By the end,” Julie shared,“the children had connected with each other. They were seeking each other out for those experiences.”

For many SEND children, peer connection doesn’t come easily. Seeing those connections form organically - without adult prompting - was one of the most powerful outcomes of the session.

Understanding sensory needs in real time

One of the most important elements of the session was how sensory differences were noticed, respected, and supported in the moment.

Some children loved tactile experiences - mud, water, bark, leaves. Others found those sensations overwhelming.

When clay making caused distress for a few children who didn’t like being dirty, the response was immediate and thoughtful.

“We put handwashing facilities right there,” Julie explained,“so the children could wash their hands straight away and not get overwhelmed.”

This simple adjustment meant children could rejoin the activity on their own terms, without pressure or shame.

It was a clear example of how inclusion doesn’t require elaborate interventions — just attunement and flexibility.

A stick, a snake, and a story that grew

One of the most beautiful moments of the session came from something incredibly simple.

A little boy picked up a stick - and that stick became everything.

“He loved it,” Julie said.“He talked about the stick, and I asked him, ‘What could it look like?’”

The answer came quickly:

A snake.

Together, they imagined what kind of snake it might be. After looking at pictures, they decided it looked like a cobra.

That was just the beginning.

They then searched the forest for leaves that could become snake skin - dry leaves, beach leaves, textured leaves - noticing how each one felt.

The stick was transformed from an object into a story, a sensory exploration, and a creative project. The child took it home to continue decorating - extending the learning far beyond the session itself.

This moment captured the heart of the SEND Nature Programme:

• Child-led learning

• Imagination as communication

• Adults joining the child’s world rather than redirecting it

Risk, confidence, and freedom to explore

Across the site, children climbed trees, jumped into the stream, and tested their physical abilities - all with careful supervision but no unnecessary restriction.

“They didn’t find it intimidating,” Julie reflected.“They found it fun.”

Risk-taking, when managed thoughtfully, is essential for confidence - especially for children who are often told what not to do.

Floating sticks down the stream became a shared experiment: How far will it go? What happens if we try another one?

Learning unfolded naturally through play.

When gloves become a bridge, not a barrier

Another powerful moment came from a child who didn’t want to touch anything at all.

Rather than insisting or withdrawing the opportunity, Julie offered a simple solution - her own gloves.

“You can dirty my gloves,” she told the child.“It’s okay.”

That invitation changed everything.

The gloves became a bridge, allowing the child to take risks, explore, and engage - without overwhelming their sensory boundaries.

The gloves themselves became special. So special, in fact, that the child didn’t want to give them back.

“They were furry pink gloves,” Julie laughed,“and she absolutely adored them.”

Her mum later shared that she planned to buy a pair just like them.

It was a reminder that confidence often begins with feeling safe, not pushed.

Connection between children — not just activities

Perhaps the most significant outcome of the session was how the children began to connect with each other.

Hide and seek became a shared game. Exploration became collaborative. Children sought one another out.

“Honestly,” Julie said,“by the end they were looking for each other to do things with.”

For children with SEND, these moments of peer connection are not guaranteed - and when they happen, they matter deeply.

What made this session work

This first SEND Nature session succeeded because:

• The environment was prepared thoughtfully

• Children were not rushed or over-directed

• Sensory needs were respected without limiting access

• Risk was allowed, not avoided

• Adults followed children’s interests

• Flexibility replaced rigid structure

It wasn’t about ticking outcomes. It was about building trust.

Looking ahead

Next week, the group will experience a sound bath, alongside Valentine’s-themed crafts - introducing calm, rhythm, and creative expression in new ways.

But the foundations have already been laid.

“It was a really good success,” Julie said.“Lots of learning.”

This first session showed what becomes possible when we design programmes with children, not for them - and when we allow nature to do what it does best.

Create space. Invite connection. And let children show us the way.