How it owl started…

Whilst children at Outdoor Owls are of a young age, this truly is the time in life when we can make the biggest impact.

We are on a mission to rethink the early years to not just get children ready for school but for life! Whilst create Owlstanding childhood memories on the way!

Hi, we are Helene and Charlie and we are probably not your usual nursery owners. We don’t have a background in Early Years or teaching but have learned a lot along our journey. We used to work together in a tech company as COO and Head of People, respectively. In 2019 something happened that inspired us to throw our energy into the Early Years. Helene got pregnant with her partner (not Charlie!) and being a Danish native, where outdoor education is the norm, she struggled to imagine her child getting exciting childhood memories in a teeny-tiny indoor nursery room in London.

‘All my best childhood memories took place in nature, rolling down a hill, climbing trees, making dens, and going on bug hunts. I really wanted this for my own child to get and have amazing days while I work guilt free”

Meanwhile, Charlie also had a bit of an epiphany. Following his background studies in Psychology he wanted to make more of an impact in the world and when it matters most - in the early years of life. Whilst being fascinated about ‘what makes a good life’, he could see that in the workplace graduates weren’t necessarily equipped with a full array of skills needed not only for the workplace but for a healthy and happy life.

“Personal, social and emotional skills are most important today and these get shaped primarily in the Early Years. People need this along with greater resilience to succeed in the 21st century”.

Together, the more we looked into the science and interviewed researchers in the Early Years it was clear that current practice in the UK is out of date. Instead of introducing formal learning too early, children need to play! To allow time for rich play where their curiosity is stimulated and supported by passionate teachers. There is no better classroom for a child than being in nature. And besides it’s healthier too!

So in what appeared like a moment of insanity we decided to leave comfortable careers, and got our wellies on setting up our first outdoor nursery in Richmond in January 2020. We started things out of our own pockets and began really small with just 3 children a day and we both got stuck in on the ground. Only two months into opening the pandemic hit but luckily our pioneering families were already raving about the benefits to their children so once we reopened our first nursery was full!

And owl you see is built with love, sweat, and tears - from the curriculum to our camps and even the website you are looking at - and of course with a little help from friends and family.

Thanks for trusting us with your most precious little ones! Together with the best team, we promise to do our best to give them owlstanding childhood memories.

Let’s think outside, no box needed!

Helene & Charlie
Founders Outdoor Owls