16th October 2026

• A new project from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and the Duchy of Cornwall will explore how nature can support social and emotional development in babies and young children – the basis of lifelong wellbeing.

• Work will bring together evidence, expertise and practical experience from around the UK and the world, to better understand how nature-rich environments can help nurture confident, curious, creative and emotionally healthy children.

• Polling shows 84% of parents agree that spending time in nature helps their child's wellbeing and development while only 33% report their child spends time in nature every day. 62% want their child to spend more time in nature overall, and 56% want more nature-based experiences through childcare and education.

Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales visited Cornwall yesterday to learn more about the potential of nature-based learning in the earliest years of life and to announce a new project from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, working with The Duchy of Cornwall as a founding partner.

The Princess of Wales has commissioned The Centre for Early Childhood, working alongside expert partners, to explore how nature-rich environments, alongside nurturing relationships, can help babies and young children build core social and emotional skills that are the basis for lifelong wellbeing.

Human connection and relationships form the bedrock of a healthy, thriving society. While we are shaped by people, experiences and environments throughout our lives, particularly profound and enduring foundations for lifelong flourishing develop during our earliest years.

The Centre's Shaping Us Framework and Foundations for Life Guide provide the evidence-based science of early childhood development, with an emphasis on the most important social and emotional skills which shape who we are, how we manage our emotions and thoughts, how we communicate with and relate to others, and how we explore the world.

This new project will take this developmental science and explore how it can be applied more ambitiously and effectively through nature-based settings.

The announcement comes as new polling, commissioned by the Centre, shows that 84% of parents agree that spending time in nature helps their child's wellbeing and development, while only 33% report their child spends time in nature every day. 62% want their child to spend more time in nature overall and 56% want more nature-based experiences through childcare and education.

The new work builds on The Princess's longstanding interest in the connection between nature, creativity, relationships and human development, themes which have become central to Her Royal Highness's work through The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

Over recent years, The Princess has increasingly highlighted the role that nature can play in helping individuals and communities flourish. Through projects such as the Mother Nature series, and in her reflections following her visit to Italy, Her Royal Highness has spoken about the importance of creating the conditions in which people, and particularly children, can thrive.

This project will bring together academics, early years practitioners, charities and environmental organisations to better understand how children's access to nature can support healthy social and emotional development during the early years.

"We are delighted to be working alongside The Princess of Wales and The Centre for Early Childhood on this important piece of work. The Duchy is committed to creating thriving places and communities for future generations. By bringing together expertise in early childhood development and the natural environment, we have an exciting opportunity to explore how children can benefit from stronger connections with nature during their earliest years.

"We look forward to supporting this work in Cornwall and helping shape learning that could benefit children, families and communities for years to come."

"A growing body of evidence shows that regular contact with nature can support children's development in many ways, helping to foster curiosity, creativity, emotional wellbeing and social connection. Childhood provides a particularly important opportunity to develop these connections."

"Bringing together expertise from early childhood development and environmental science presents an exciting opportunity to better understand how the benefits of a relational nature-based approach can be embedded in children's everyday experiences from the very start of life."

"The Princess has long championed the importance of the earliest years and the environments in which children grow, play and learn as a golden opportunity to create a healthier, happier society for future generations.

"Through her work over a number of years, Her Royal Highness has explored how relationships, creativity and our connection to the natural world help create the conditions for people to flourish. Through visits and engagements in the UK and internationally, including in Scandinavia and more recently Italy, The Princess has worked with leading experts and practitioners to better understand how these ideas can support children's development during the earliest years of life."

"There is a real opportunity here to shape the future of early years development, and this project will bring together evidence, expertise and practical experience from around the UK and the world, to better understand how nature-rich environments can help nurture confident, curious, creative and emotionally healthy children."