As we enter a new academic year, we reflect on two projects spanning 2023–2025 that explore how children's digital and making experiences can catalyse embodied, relational, and situated understandings of their natural and social environments. In this context, we consider digital technologies and tools as part of children’s broader ecologies. 

Our first project, “eco-detectives”, funded by the Royal Society as a partnership between UCL and the Europa School UK, engaged Year 5 children in problem-based learning in their school over two academic years. Children used the BBC micro:bit and a range of sensors to critically examine littering patterns in their school. From their learnings, children designed and engaged the whole school in a week-long campaign and game which reduced the levels of littering at their school. 

Key achievements include: 

• Involvement of 540 children across the whole school 

• A presentation by children, the lead teacher Stéphanie Harries, and UCL Andrea Gauthier at a Royal Society event with Parliamentary and stakeholder engagement 

• A sustained legacy as the school contextualises the same intervention this year to a new local sustainability problem in the school community – lost property 

Our second project “hybrid nature crafts”, partly funded by an AHRC Impact Acceleration award, has involved children aged 9-12 in the process of intentional crafting. The crafting process brings together slow crafting with attention to nature as children explore their local places and craft using found materials, new art-based techniques and circuitry. In collaboration with STEAM company Chibitronics, Europa School UK, One Planet Abingdon and Abingdon County Museum, the UCL team led by Mina Vasalou and Andrea Gauthier have run two sessions in the school and community context.  

Key achievements include: 

• Involving 15 young people and children over a week-long art programme 
• Materials for eight craft types (lesson plans and storyboards) available for schools and hobbyists, informed by children and experts in arts, circuits, and sustainability 

• Two public art exhibits, one at the Europa school and one at Abingdon County Museum 

Over the next year our focus will turn to disseminate and deepening our community relationships.