Nature Rangers FAQs

Nature Rangers is a fun-packed nature and wellbeing monthly subscription box for children aged 7-11.

It uses the nature on our doorsteps to nurture your child’s mind. The activities included encourage children to learn and explore the natural world while learning how to ground their minds using established techniques.

As you are signing up to a monthly donation to Action for Children when you subscribe, that means you also support vulnerable children with every box you get.

Already got the box? We’d love to hear your ideas and feedback! Simply complete this short survey

You sign up to donate monthly to Action for Children via Direct Debit or Paypal. The minimum monthly donation to get the boxes is £12, but you can choose to donate as much as you want.

With your first six donations you will receive a Nature Rangers box through your letterbox. After month six your donation to Action for Children will continue, but you can change the amount or cancel it at any time.

You can also cancel or change your donation during the first six months, but you won't continue to receive the boxes if you cancel your regular donation or change it to be less than £12.

Please be advised that Nature Rangers is a new product we are piloting. If the pilot is unsuccessful we may end the pilot. In this instance your Direct Debit will be cancelled and no further payment will be taken. You will only be charged for the boxes you have received.

There are 6 boxes in total, which should cover the Spring to Autumn period. You’ll receive your first box about two weeks after signing up and then one box per month, around the third week of every month.

Please be advised that Nature Rangers is a new product we are piloting. If the pilot is unsuccessful we may end the pilot. In this instance your Direct Debit will be cancelled and no further payment will be taken. You will only be charged for the boxes you have received.

You can pay via Direct Debit or Paypal. Unfortunately we can't take regular payments on Credit or Debit cards or via Payroll Giving. If this is a problem for you, we would love to hear your feedback.

On the date you choose, the money will be collected from your account. You can choose between the 1st, 5th, 15th and 25th of each month.

We’re considering to implement gift subscriptions in the future, so if this is of interest to you, please click here - we would love to understand the demand for it!

We don’t at the moment but we’re always looking for ways to improve Nature Rangers, so if this is of interest to you, please click here as we would love to understand the demand for it!

We can’t Gift Aid your first six donations, but after month six we can – and we really appreciate it! So if you’re eligible for Gift Aid, please select this option when signing up.

Nature Rangers is designed for children aged 7 to 11.

With an emphasis on independent play, the activities are designed to need minimal adult help. But every child is different, so some may need more support than others.

Each activity undergoes an audit for Special Educational Needs (SEN) accessibility. The design focuses on connecting to nature and having fun - there is no 'perfect way' to complete the activity.

So please feel free to adapt activities for your child’s needs; however you do it is the right way.

We're currently only shipping within the United Kingdom.

The Nature Rangers boxes are designed to fit through an average letterbox. The size is 21cm x 26cm x 2.5cm.

The boxes are delivered by Whist via Royal Mail. As the box was made to fit through your letterbox, you don't need to be home, but in the unlikely event it isn't delivered we will re-arrange delivery.

In the unlikely event that your parcel isn’t delivered to you, please contact us and we can arrange delivery of a replacement.

Yes, your monthly donation will then continue, but you can cancel it at any time.

After month six, your monthly donation will be treated as a donation to Action for Children. We hope you’ll be able to keep supporting our work and making a difference for the children who need us the most.

And if you opt in to receiving emails, you'll be able to keep learning how your monthly gift supports our work to help vulnerable children in the UK.

If you’d like to make any changes to your Nature Rangers subscription, please contact our Supporter Services team by calling 0300 123 2112 or emailing [email protected].

Yes, you can cancel anytime. Simply contact our Supporter Services team 10 days before your payment is due.

You can cancel by calling 0300 123 2112 or emailing [email protected].

Alternatively, you can cancel directly with your bank. Please do this as soon as you can before your payment is due to be taken.

We’d love to hear your ideas and feedback!

If you’ve signed up and received Nature Rangers boxes already you can complete this short survey.

If you are yet to sign up please email us.

Each pack contains six activities, usually including a seasonal recipe, two ‘making’ activities, a species finder card, a sensory walk, and a story writing activity. We’ll also include special items you might need for making or exploring.

Already got the box? We’d love to hear your ideas and feedback! Simply complete this short survey

Most activities are designed for minimal adult supervision. But for activities involving cooking, using scissors, using twine* or leaving the home, we strongly advise adult support. We also strongly recommend adult supervision when using the magnifying glass in direct sunlight to minimise the risk of burning.

*Please note: Twine can be flammable. Please keep away from naked flame and sources of heat. Risk of strangulation.

Already got the box? We’d love to hear your feedback! Simply complete this short survey

Action for Children create safe and happy childhoods for vulnerable children across the UK. Mental health and wellbeing is a core part of how we do that. Our work gives children and young people the tools they need to grow a deep understanding of their own minds and how to look after them. And as a provider of childcare with a Forest School ethos, we know how hands-on outdoor learning can benefit those growing minds too.

Our team at Action for Children collaborated closely with parents to explore the many benefits of outdoor activities for families and children.

Drawing inspiration from Forest School methods, we curated a collection of engaging activities aimed at fostering learning and a deeper connection with nature.

And as we continued to talk to families, we realised that the outdoors plays a big role in children's mental well-being. Nature Rangers was carefully crafted with both parents and children. Over 250 parents generously shared their thoughts and feedback on the design, activities, and overall approach.

Nature Rangers has been meticulously developed in collaboration with three qualified teachers. With their expertise all activities have been reviewed and adapted to make them as fun, appropriate, informative, and supportive as possible.

Additionally, working alongside Action for Children's youth practitioners, these activities have been expertly moulded to make the most of the power of nature’s seasons, and their ability to help foster mental resilience and give us calming techniques.

Throughout the process, the core principles of the Forest School methodology have been our guide, ensuring that Nature Rangers uses the nature on our doorsteps to nurture children’s minds.

Forest School is an educational approach centred on outdoor learning and immersion in nature. The idea is to foster curiosity, creativity, and independence for children through hands-on activities.

With trained practitioners guiding them, children explore, learn how to take risks, and develop a profound connection to the natural world. The belief is that this promotes holistic development, resilience, and lifelong environmental appreciation.

Action for Children, including its Spring Nurseries and other services, uses Forest School practices to develop toddlers' connection to nature by helping children explore in outdoor learning environments.

Nature Rangers extends this approach by including Forest School principles with mindfulness techniques, alongside fun activities for 7-11-year-olds.

Our supplier has advised that the compass is suitable for children aged 3 years and older. The ‘8+ YEARS’ wording on the compass packaging is a suitability age that our suppliers print on their products for their American warehouse. This is because in certain states they're required to include this information.

If you have any questions or want to see the EC declaration of conformity for the compass please email us.

It is marked clearly on the front of the magnifying glass box that this item is not intended to be used as a toy and as such doesn’t require a CE mark. We also strongly recommend adult supervision when using the magnifying glass in direct sunlight to minimise the risk of burning.

Grounding techniques are exercises to refocus the mind on the present moment and distract from anxious feelings.

All activities are designed to help a child refocus their energy into completing activities in nature.

An example could be observing five things, touching four things, listening to three things, smelling two things, and tasting one thing.

Nature Rangers is currently only available in English.

Everything in the Nature Rangers box is produced and sourced as sustainably as possible. The box is fully recyclable (please remove stickers first). The activity cards and letters are printed on recycled paper and card which can be recycled at home. The activity stickers within the box are compostable and biodegrable.

To reduce waste we have also tried to provide just the right amount of craft materials your child needs to complete the activities.

Action for Children takes its commitment to the environment seriously. We develop content on a three-month cycle to reduce print waste and give us an opportunity to incorporate feedback from the Nature Rangers completing the activities.

At Action for Children, we’re always looking to be more sustainable. And we know that needs to work alongside our procurement approach.

We’ve recently started collaborating with one of our corporate partners, Turner & Townsend, to explore how we can improve our sustainability. And we’ve hired a Sustainability Manager, responsible for driving positive change in this area.

With Nature Rangers, our dedication to environmental responsibility is clear – from the concept of the subscription to the paper we print on.

• We've made sure that everything within the subscription is environmentally friendly, from production methods to eco-conscious design and development processes.
• And to reduce waste and integrate feedback from our Nature Rangers community effectively, we produce the boxes every three months.

Want more information? Email Olivia Tomkinson at [email protected].

For more information about our print and fulfilment company and their eco-credentials, please visit: https://www.linney.com/sustainability

We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.

Today, we run 372 services in local communities across the UK, in schools, and online.

In our nurseries and children's centres, staff make sure children get the best start in life. Our foster and modern residential services find children and young people safe and loving homes.

We step in to protect children from neglect and abuse and help those who care for others or are at risk of homelessness. Innovative projects like The Blues Programme give young people the help they need to look after their mental health.

We're also here for parents, through projects like Parent Talk, our online support service.

Your donations help us to support vulnerable children, young people and their families in the UK.

85p of every £1* we spend goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families. We make sure that every penny you donate goes where it will have the greatest impact on children’s lives. Donations from this campaign will be unrestricted and used by Action for Children for its general charitable purposes. That means they’re not spent on one project or one specific area of the UK, but where the need is greatest.

*Figure based on audited 2022/23 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries.

Donating a small amount every month by Direct Debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running.