The Eden Project is on the hunt for families across the UK who love getting involved in the great outdoors and playing in nature to help raise awareness of ways nature can make a difference in local communities.

Whether your little ones love playing in the garden, have a great game idea for ways to explore their local park or love sharing their tips on how to recycle things to protect the planet, you could be in with a chance of winning a fully immersive eco experience for the whole family. 

If selected, successful Eco Heroes will be invited to “play and stay” at the Eden Project, becoming some of the first to explore the new Nature’s Playground, one of the largest outdoor play areas in the South West, with 500m² of nature-inspired fun – before spending the night onsite at one of the YHA cabins to sleep beneath the stars. 

Eco Heroes will be invited to share the ways they enjoy playing in nature with Eden Project staff, to help the attraction review their children’s Summer of Play activity programmes and enhance play opportunities at Nature’s Playground. 

The national call-out is open to families across the UK with children aged 16 and under. Applications open from Friday 25th August – Sunday 3rd September 2023.

To apply, families are invited to share two things; how their little Eco Heroes like to play in nature, and their biggest tips on how people can be kinder to the environment. 

Emma Evans, the chief marketing officer at the Eden Project said: “We believe outdoor play is vital for children’s development, fostering their creativity, physical fitness and connection to the natural world.

“Having the freedom and space to play has such a positive impact on children’s development, both physically and mentally. Combine that with being outdoors and in nature, with time away from screens, and the benefits are exponential.

“We know that being active outside in the fresh air is a brilliant way for children to develop mentally, physically and emotionally, stretching their imaginations and engaging with the world around them, all while having fun and creating rich memories.”

Sam Kendall, the Head of Education at The Eden Project, said: “We know that playing in and engaging with nature has so many benefits for children and families. 

"But in today’s fast-paced modern world, sometimes it’s easy to forget to slow down and enjoy all the exciting things nature has to offer.

“So, we’re searching for families across the UK who love the great outdoors just as much as we do, to help us celebrate all the fun ways children can play and explore nature.

“The Eden Project Eco Heroes will enjoy a unique ‘play and stay’ experience at our Cornwall destination, as well as share their opinions about the best things nature has to offer and how we can all spend more time enjoying our natural world.

“We hope that through our search, we can find Eco Heroes that champion nature play in their own communities and can help to inspire others to get involved too.”