Why the Simplest Things Can Have the Biggest Impact

There is a kind of happiness that lives quietly outside.
Not loud. Not complicated. Just the calm feeling that comes when we step away from the noise and reconnect with the natural world.

We are living in the most technologically advanced, connected, and resource-rich moment in human history, yet we look like the unhappiest generation that has ever lived. The UK is now facing the largest recorded mental-health challenge it has ever seen. The causes are complex, but growing evidence suggests we could be overlooking simple, preventative habits quietly in front of us that can support mental wellbeing over time.

The Power of Time Outside in Nature

Time outdoors continues to show strong links with improved wellbeing for both adults and children. 88% of children report feeling happier when they spend time in nature, yet around one in three children do not regularly play outdoors after school. If outdoor experiences are so strongly connected to happiness and development, an important question follows. How can we create more opportunities for children to spend meaningful time outside through play, everyday activities, and the routines that shape childhood?

Nature as Everyday Therapy

Short interactions with the natural environment, such as noticing wildlife, touching natural textures, or spending a few minutes intentionally observing outdoor surroundings, have been shown to reduce stress and improve mood (Green Social Prescribing and nature wellbeing research). This leads me to wonder whether wellbeing support always needs to come from complex systems, expensive therapies, and long waiting lists, or whether it could also begin with small, repeatable moments of connection with the natural world that gradually shape how young people feel over time. While I am not suggesting that nature will solve every challenge we face, could we be doing more to understand how regular time outdoors might support long-term wellbeing as part of the wider solution?

How The Unlikely Friends Supports More Time Outside

Habits are difficult to change, especially when modern childhood is filled with competing forms of entertainment, screens, and structured indoor activities that quickly become familiar routines. Simply telling children to spend more time outside is unlikely to be enough. This is where The Unlikely Friends mission begins. It starts with fun, character-led stories that introduce relatable challenges and gently invite children to take part in small nature-based missions alongside the characters. Outdoor activities become part of an adventure. Planting flowers is no longer just planting flowers. It becomes helping Buster and the zoomy bees thrive. These story-led missions help children feel involved, motivated, and excited to spend more time exploring the world around them while feeling part of something meaningful.

The Unlikely Friends Beyond the Stories

The stories are only the starting point. The wider mission is to create simple activities, nature-led products, and shared missions that inspire families to spend more time outdoors together. Buster’s planting pledge is the first step, encouraging children to create small pollinator-friendly spaces and become part of a growing community of young planters. Future missions will include building wildlife tunnels to support Humphrey the hedgehog’s nightly mile, creating quiet hiding spaces for Fino the fox, and adding small water spots where Freddy the frog can return each season. Together, these small actions create opportunities for conversation, shared progress, and a collective sense of purpose while gently supporting local wildlife.

“As a mum, I love the idea of building something that is a force for good. A joyful, welcoming space that celebrates the outdoors, inspires conservation, and, in doing so, helps build happier childhoods.”

If you are going to make one small change this year, spend more time outside.
You can now do that with a little help from Buster and his unlikely friends.
Buster the Clumsy Honeybee is the first step in this journey and is available now.

References

Children’s People and Nature Survey for England (Natural England)
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-childrens-people-and-nature-survey-for-england

Natural England Outdoor Play and Access Findings
https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk

Green Social Prescribing and Nature Wellbeing Evidence
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-social-prescribing