Get OWT!

Get OWT! has been created to help toddlers and their carers experience the benefits of nature through fun and creative activities. The hope and prayer is that this resource will be customised to suit various settings and situations accordingly, ensuring families can experience Family Ministry values in an engaging way.

The planning and preparation documents have been created to help you develop and deliver an effective and engaging programme as well as providing the space and tools needed to help you take into account the things you will need to consider before launch.

For more detailed information, advice and guidance read the Set-up Guide; but here are some FAQs that Captains Nick and Shelley (creators of Get OWT!) have shared their answers to.

What does a session roughly look like?

We make all the Get OWT! packs and take them to the event shelter for people to pick up. Families are asked to book in advance using Eventbrite to ensure we have a pack ready for them, though we prepare a few spares for those who forget to book. Families sign in, in their bubble, and then go and use the resources in the meadow or woodland area.

Activities that take place at the Event Shelter are booked to ensure people are not mixing bubbles. With booking in, there are enough resources for everyone. No sharing is necessary!

What if we don’t have a nice outside area to use?

You can make your venue work for you – nature is everywhere, even in a very urban area. You might need to undertake a ‘reccy’ to find out what spaces will be suitable.

We contacted our local authority to ask for permission to use the meadow and woodland. You might need to find out if you can attach resources to lamp posts, fences and gates etc. Private landowners often encourage people to explore the outdoors, so don’t be put off if the space you’d like to use is privately owned. Contact the owner and see if permission can be granted to use the space.

You can encourage people to collect their packs from the car park, which you could convert into an ‘urban garden’ or from the foyer of your building.

What happens if it rains or is very cold?

Our mantra is, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing.’

We have journeyed with our families and they know we will be there unless the rain is torrential or the wind is dangerous or the temperature is very, very cold. Generally, families want to get out once a day and so we have trusted them to make the decision for themselves.

We will only cancel in exceptional circumstances and in line with local Covid guidelines.

Where do you find the resources you use?

We get inspiration from children’s stories, our own children, nature and creation. If you’re stuck for ideas, don’t worry, as there are lots of resources online and several good books outlining good outdoor activities. We often ask the families to suggest themes for the sessions and some parents, especially the creative ones, are happy to come up with ideas linked with the themes. We find this empowers the families we work with and helps keep them included.

You will need to photocopy the resources and source some items, but if you want to follow our programme, you will find material on this page.

What about Bible stories, singing and praying?

Our mission is that people are emotionally, socially and spiritually uplifted during Get OWT! God is the creator, and during the session families are directed to think about a variety of things in response to the activity. We pray that God will meet them in creation and in the wonder they experience. The Salvation Army’s publications (Kids Alive! and the War Cry) are put in packs or made available from the Event Shelter. These contain good stories and spiritual reflections.

We are currently putting together additional material for those seeking to make their Get OWT! sessions more overtly religious. These sessions will give leaders the option to include Bible readings, prayers and songs.