The Duchess of Cambridge has joined forces with CBBC’s Children’s show Blue Peter to get stuck in pond dipping( examining wildlife in a pond), planting and den building with local children. She is taking part in a special segment to be broadcast on Blue Peter on Thursday, June 13, to encourage kids and families to spend ’10to 15 minutes’ playing outside as often as possible.
The Duchess of Cambridge, a country girl at heart, has been a long-standing advocate of physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors with family, and the positive impact that nature and the environment can have on childhood development. The seven-minute segment will introduce Catherine as a “gold Blue Peter badge-holder”.
Both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received their gold Blue Peter badges in recognition of their work encouraging conversation about children’s mental health in December 2017 during Manchester visit to attend CGM Summit. Blue Peter Badge is a special award presented to the fans and viewers of Blue Peter that allows the entry into 200 Blue Peter Badge attractions throughout the country.
Duchess has recently co-designed a garden for Chelsea Flower Show ‘Back to Nature’ as an effort to reconnect the kids and families to nature.
In the special film that can be watched at 5.30 pm on Thursday 13th June, Duchess talked to the show presented Lindsey Russell about her love for the spending time outside and its benefits. When Russell asked Duchess whether getting outside with her family is something she does a lot, Duchess replied laughingly,
Yes, “rain or shine” they get “dragged outside. But it’s great, and I see it encourage creativity, confidence. Even a short amount of time 10 to 15 minutes outside makes a huge difference I think to both physical well-being but also to our mental well-being.”
In the clip, it looks like Duchess had a great day with children. Having fun with the kids, Duchess revealed that pond dipping was “massively up the street, and asked, “Have you ever seen any froggies?” She also praised a little girl for picking up a newt, “Are you going to pick it up? Wow! Well done, that’s amazing.”
Watch the segment here.
Duchess also collaborated with Blue Peter to launch a special competition that asks viewers to design a sculpture to go into The Duchess’s Back to Nature garden when it arrives at RHS Wisley in September. The competition is open from June 13 until June 25. Click here to read more about the competition.
Blue Peter is giving one lucky viewer the chance to create a decorative garden sculpture that will be built and installed at the Duchess of Cambridge’s Back to Nature Garden at RHS Wisley. Not only that, but they will also get to see the sculpture unveiled at the opening ceremony later in the year.
She received another Blue Peter badge in green and said “Yes it’s a real honour, thanks. Thank you so much.”
Catherine has also collaborated with RHS to create a set of five activity cards designed to inspire children to engage with gardens and nature. These step-by-step guides take inspiration from elements of the Duchess’ RHS Back to Nature Garden. Read More about them here. The five cards are:
Fairy Garden: Children can have a go at making a fun miniature garden using natural materials or found objects like their favourite toys.
Pebble Painting: Pebble Painting is fun and can brighten up garden terrace or pots. Children will use them as plant labels for crops, use for a treasure hunt or for simple counting practice.
Welly and Toy Planters: Upcycling the old toys or wellies – they can make really fun containers for planting up herbs and flowers! It’s a great way to recycle old items children do not need anymore.
Leaf Wand: In this activity, children will make their very own wand decorated with beautiful coloured leaves, feathers or fallen petals.
Bug Hotel: Making bugs feel right at home in the garden by building them a cosy bug hotel from reclaimed materials and natural objects, perfect for blending into the surroundings of the garden. All the activities are fun-filled and planned while keeping the Children at the centre of it. Duchess definitely used her experience as a mother to design these activities.
In the pictures and video, Duchess is wearing her new Troy London The Tracket Jacket and Middleton Maven suggested a new pair of Superga 2750 Cotu Classic Shoes.
The £50 shoes are described as, “Our Classic Superga 2750 Cotu shoe is Fashion’s trainer of choice. With an extra-strong, fully breathable, pure cotton upper, our timeless shape trainer is a lightweight, simple canvas tennis shoe with our vulcanised rubber sole. In production since 1911, this is the staple shoe with full versatility, and is the very definition of smart casual”.
She was also seen wearing her Kiki Lauren Yellow Gold Pavé Diamond Leaf Earrings and white ruffled collar top. Next, we will see Duchess on Monday at Order of Garter Service.