Life in 2025 can feel non-stop. Busy days, full calendars and constant screens leave very little space to pause. Yet research shows that spending time in natural environments is linked to stronger mental wellbeing and lower stress, with benefits increasing the more regularly we connect with nature.
Nature has a way of slowing everything down. It calms us, grounds us and reminds us to notice the small things. And that gentle pace is just as important for our children as it is for us.
For children, nature offers something really special. It creates space to explore feelings without pressure. Watching insects in the garden, listening to birds or splashing in puddles all help children process emotions in a natural, instinctive way.
Nature teaches patience, curiosity and resilience without needing words. It shows children that it’s okay to move at their own pace and that big feelings come and go, just like the seasons.
Nature-inspired books bring this connection into everyday moments, especially when getting outside isn’t always possible. Through simple stories, animal characters and gentle rhythms, children can explore nature and emotions together.
A story about a bee trying to fit in, a hedgehog looking for safety or a fox adapting to change often mirrors what children are feeling themselves. These stories don’t rush to fix things. They sit with the feeling and gently show that it’s okay.
Even very young children respond to animals, repetition and rhythm. Nature-inspired stories help build early empathy for wildlife and curiosity about the world around them.
Over time, these stories can help children:
Feel more connected to nature
Understand and name their emotions
Slow down and notice what’s around them
Develop kindness towards living things
Small moments like these really add up.
In busy, screen-heavy lives, nature-inspired books offer something grounding. They create calm bedtime moments, open gentle conversations and help children feel safe exploring big feelings.
That belief sits at the heart of The Unlikely Friends, a nature-inspired picture book series created to help young children connect with wildlife, emotions and the natural world through gentle rhyming stories.
Because sometimes, slowing down together is exactly what we all need.
