Research reveals the London boroughs with the most non-evergreen trees – and how children benefit from getting outside and exploring nature

With the half-term holidays coming up, analysis of over 880,000 trees in the capital was conducted by early years childcare providers Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries, to find out where young families in London could enjoy spectacular autumnal colours and valuable sensory experiences.

Redbridge comes out on top with 81,594 deciduous trees. It’s followed by Enfield (77,589), Bromley (69,186), Southwark (67,195) and Barnet (45,854).

Based on the top 5 ranking boroughs, the London parks to head to for the best autumn walks include: Wanstead Park in Redbridge, Trent Country Park in Enfield, Hayes Common in Bromley, Dulwich Park in Southwark and King George’s Fields in Barnet.

While many of the best areas for leaf spotting are on the edge of the city, central areas still have plenty of autumnal trees. As well as Southwark, Islington features in the top 10 and has the most maple trees, which offer some of the most vibrant autumn colours.

Autumn leaf activities for kids
Children often want to get creative with things they find outdoors, so it makes sense that they should enjoy crafts with autumn leaves. Here are some ideas for simple activities to delight children:

Leaf collage: create a collage for the fridge with some card, UVA glue and leaves

Leaf wreath: cut the middle out of a paper plate and attach leaves around the outside

Leaf print: paint one side of a leaf, press it down onto some paper and then peel the leaf off to leave the imprint

Leaf rubbing: place leaves on a flat surface, under some paper, before rubbing the side of a crayon over the paper

Nature nurtures: benefits of the great outdoors for kids
Being surrounded by nature is beneficial for family members of all ages. As well as giving us some fresh air, getting outside lets us disconnect from technology and relax our eyes: constantly focusing right in front of us can overstimulate the eyes.

Time spent outside is particularly important for young children. Activities done in the natural world have been shown to increase their creativity, cognitive function and ability to socialise.

Mid-to-late-October is the best window to catch falling leaves in the UK, coinciding perfectly with the half-term break.

Joy Wood, early years expert at Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries with 30 years childcare experience under her belt, says:

“As the weather gets colder, the temptation can be to stay inside and cosy up in front of the TV. But there are so many benefits to getting outside and exploring, especially for young children.

“They love discovering new spaces and how the natural world changes, which brings out their curiosity. Plus, outdoor play is more physically active and they have the space to really let loose outside.

“Luckily, even in a big city like London, there are still plenty of places to access nature. You’re never far away from a park, where families can spend quality time together as they soak up the stunning colours of Autumn.”