Teaching kids creativity and care for nature – A greener life, a greener world

By Bridget Shirvell

In the sixth instalment of our series, Advice and ideas on raising kids in the climate crisis,the author of Parenting in a Climate Crisis, Bridget Shirvell, explains how potion play can connect children to nature.

Leaves crumble and crunch as my child mixes them in a bowl with water. She’s bundled up in a coat and hat, crunched over the bowl, and I can’t help but smile. There’s a special kind of magic that happens when kids are given a bowl, a stick, and permission to mix the world together. 

In a world where we spend less and less time outside, potion play —collecting bits of nature like leaves, petals, seeds, and stones to “brew” imaginary potions—isn’t just whimsical fun. It’s a form of learning that encourages both creativity and connection with the natural world.

In an era of blinking toys, algorithm-fed entertainment, and toys pre-programmed with sound effects, potion play is a small act of rebellion. It teaches kids that play doesn’t have to be purchased. The ingredients are already out there—waiting in the backyard, a park, or a patch of sidewalk moss. 

When children pick up fallen petals or scoop rainwater into a jar, they’re practising observation, curiosity, and care—skills that form the foundation for environmental stewardship later on.

Nature as the toybox

Autumn is a perfect time to start: the ground is scattered with fallen leaves in every colour, acorns, seed pods, pine needles, and dried flowers. Kids can collect these by experimenting with texture, scent, and colour. 

For instance, you could ask them to see what leaves crumble, and which ones stay firm, or how certain petals stain the water a pale pink while others float intact. These small discoveries are the beginning of scientific thinking—asking questions, testing hypotheses, and marvelling at results.

Of course, not everything outside should end up in the potion bowl. Part of the lesson of potion play that kids learn learn what’s safe to touch, pick, and collect. Encourage your child to gather items that have already fallen to the ground and to leave anything still growing. 

This teaches respect for living things and helps kids see themselves as part of nature, not separate from it.

Watching my kid and her friends mix leaves and petals makes me look closer, too. This season, it’s mushrooms—sprouting in sudden little families out of the old tree stump in our yard. It’s one more thing to point out to my kid, but it also reminds me how quickly nature shifts when we’re paying attention.

Sustainability in disguise

There’s another kind of magic hidden in potion play: it’s naturally sustainable—no plastic packaging. No batteries. No cleanup beyond a rinse of muddy hands, which I admit can be a lot. Using what’s already around them helps kids internalise the idea that joy and creativity don’t depend on consumption. 

You don’t need to buy a kit to connect with nature—you just need a jar, a spoon, and a little imagination.

I try to make it seasonal. In autumn, for instance, in addition to the fallen leaves, mushrooms, and bright berries, I can hand over some cinnamon sticks. In winter, ice cubes and evergreen needles turn the mix into “frozen forest brew.” Spring brings petals, mint leaves, and rainwater; summer might mean herbs, petals, and beach sand. 

A quiet kind of learning

As children mix and stir, they’re also developing patience, practising storytelling, and strengthening their senses. 

You can ask them to narrate elaborate recipes (“two dandelions for courage, one puddle for invisibility”) or assign powers to ingredients (“fern makes you run fast”). I love that instant when my kid declares her mixture ready and talks about it. Plus, that narrative building helps language skills and emotional processing.

And when play wraps up, there’s another lesson in cleanup. Pouring potions back into the earth closes the loop—an early introduction to the concept of return and renewal. Everything they borrowed goes back to nature.

Potion play reminds us that magic doesn’t come from what we buy. It stems from curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to examine the world around us closely. When we hand our kids a bowl and let them mix the world, we’re really teaching them how to care for it.

Bridget Shirvell is a freelance journalist and the author of Parenting in a Climate Crisis. A handbook that explores the challenges and opportunities of raising children in an era of climate change. Her work has been featured in various publications, including The New York Times, Grist, and Fast Company, where she combines personal insights with expert perspectives to inspire and inform readers. Bridget is passionate about raising awareness and sparking meaningful conversations around climate action and the future of the next generation. You can follow her Substack here.