Rewilding Kids

Some of the most powerful medicines for our children are free, simple, and right beneath our feet. A child digging in the dirt, toes muddy, red berry juice on their fingertips, laughter echoing under a canopy of trees—that’s not mess. That’s biology in action.

Eat the Rainbow: Feeding the Gut, Calming the Brain
Encouraging children to "eat the rainbow"—a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables—has deep, lasting effects on their health. Each colour brings unique phytonutrients that support different parts of the body.

• Red foods like tomatoes and strawberries are rich in lycopene and anthocyanins, which support heart and skin health. Greens like spinach and kale offer lutein and folate—vital for eyes and brain. Orange and yellow vegetables are packed with beta-carotene, supporting immunity and vision. Purple and blue foods like berries and aubergines contain powerful antioxidants that protect the brain.

These colours nourish the body and feed the microbiome - the rich internal ecosystem that regulates inflammation, mood, immunity, and cravings. The colours we eat literally become signals—vibrations—communicating in real time with the microbes in our gut and with our immune system, 80% of which is also in our gut.

Start early, with the intention to make every plate your child eats brim with nature’s colour: fresh fruit, yes, but focus especially on vegetables and other plant foods. Over time, your child won’t just eat vegetables—they’ll want to eat vegetables, because the beneficial microbes in their gut will begin to guide their cravings. 

• Barefoot Growth
  “Put your shoes on!” It’s a phrase many of us say without thinking. But walking barefoot—especially outdoors—isn’t primitive or risky. It’s one of the most powerful ways to support physical, sensory, and emotional development in children.

Barefoot walking activates pressure points on the soles of the feet and enhances proprioception—the body’s sense of itself in space—which is essential for balance, posture, and coordination. It also stimulates neural pathways linking movement, mood, and learning. Even in winter, encourage barefoot time in a park, a garden, or on the beach. They won’t get sick—in fact, they’ll benefit deeply from the grounding.

Direct contact with the earth allows the body to absorb free electrons from the ground. This gentle, natural exchange has been shown to reduce inflammation, support circadian rhythms, improve sleep, and calm the nervous system. 

The natural world isn’t something to fear or shield children from—it’s something to step into, literally.

• Bringing Nature Back to Childhood
  Letting children dig in soil, climb trees, and explore wild spaces is fundamental and fun! These activities expose them to thousands of natural microbes that help train the immune system, diversify the microbiome, and support gut-brain communication.

We’ve grown used to sterility: antibacterial soaps, hand sanitisers, mouthwash. The message we send is that “clean” equals “safe.” But when we sterilise every surface, we risk disrupting the ecosystems on our skin, in our mouths, and throughout our bodies.

Yes, wash hands with soap and water when needed—but skip the harsh sanitisers unless absolutely necessary. Don’t fear the dirt. Our microbes are often our greatest allies. When we live in balance, they support us—and we support them.

If we teach children to fear nature—to always wear shoes, avoid mess, and control every variable—we may unintentionally block the resilience-building processes that support immunity, vitality, detoxification, and emotional regulation.

Grit, Grace, and Growing Up Grounded
A barefoot, rainbow-eating child with dirty hands and a joyful heart is not falling behind—they’re growing ahead. They’re building grit, balance, immunity, and deep inner calm.

Call to Action
If you're curious about how these practices can be integrated into your family, your school settings—or want to learn more about how barefoot time, colourful diets, and sensory nature play support nervous system regulation and gut-brain health—reach out.

As a family nurse practitioner and public health specialist, I’m committed to children’s health. I want all children to have access to pockets of nature—around them and within them—so they can grow not with nature as an enemy, but as an ally and carer.