If you want to create something like this, you don’t need anything fancy suitable for any age, I love joining in!! 💖 All you need is: • A shallow tray or container • A layer of soil, compost or sand • A handful of leaves, petals, stones, twigs • Space outdoors if you can (but indoors works too) Scatter everything loosely. Don’t overthink it. Leave gaps. Leave mess. Leave room for them to decide what it becomes. That’s it. There’s something about being outside that softens the edges. Fresh air. Space. Natural light. The body settles before the mind even catches up. This tray is simple — soil, petals, leaves, stones. But what’s happening here goes far beyond “just play.” 🌿 Deep regulation The weight of soil. The repetitive digging. The slow scooping and sorting. That steady, grounding input helps a busy or overwhelmed nervous system organise itself. 🌼 Sensory tolerance & flexibility Soil is unpredictable. Petals tear. Things collapse. Children adjust. They rebuild. They try again. That gentle exposure builds resilience without pressure. 🪨 Fine motor strength & focus Pinching petals. Moving small stones. Controlling tiny movements. It strengthens hands and attention naturally. 🌱 Agency & control They decide what belongs. What gets buried. What gets rescued. In a world that often feels big and loud, this becomes a contained space where they lead. 🌍 Whole imaginary worlds Stones become houses. Leaves become forests. Petals become treasure, food, signals, magic. Through roleplay they rehearse real life — safety, power, connection, conflict, resolution. They process long before they can explain. And one of the most powerful parts? It’s timeless. It can be left out. They dip in and out. They return with a different mood, a new storyline, a new need. No script. No finished product. No adult directing the outcome. Just hands in earth. Imagination unfolding. A nervous system doing important work. It looks simple. It isn’t. 🌿

1 year till the big 40! This past year has been a roller coaster, settled into our new home, lost my best friend and built Grounded Roots, deeper courage, and a community I’m so proud of. 🌱 You guys have inadvertently helped me through grief and made this space a warm and inviting place! So Thankyou and wishing you a fantastic year ahead! 💕

I am rather poorly today so I have slowed down a bit... Been told off by some of you 😉 But I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you… truly. Every single one of you who shows up here — whether you post, comment, read quietly, or just sit and breathe in this space — you are what makes Grounded Roots Parenting feel safe, warm, and real. This community isn’t built on perfection or pretending we’ve got it all figured out. It’s built on honesty, growth, learning, and supporting one another through the messy and the meaningful. Watching connections form, seeing parents feel less alone, and witnessing the courage it takes to share your stories means more to me than I can properly put into words. You help shape this space just as much as I do. Your kindness, openness, humour, and willingness to keep growing is what gives these roots strength. Thank you for trusting me, for trusting each other, and for helping this little corner of the world become something genuinely special. 🌱 — Ellie ✌️ Peace & Love 💕

Lovely to have @Fria charlane Ampaso & @Matt Wilson join us !! Feel free to introduce yourself in a post — who you are, what drew you here, or anything you fancy sharing. (If you want to) Really happy to have you join us!! 💚