Play England is a registered charity, no. 1150216, and is hosted by the National Children’s Bureau.

What the kids say‘I don’t like tomatoes or onions or peppers – but I like this!’

‘It’s yum!’

‘Can I have just pasta and cheese?’

Exploring Nature Play

Difficulty: Easy (supervision is needed for cooking over a fire).Age range: Any age (some children may need support from an adult). How many can do it? Any number. Where can you do it? Outdoors.Why we like it? Makes a tummy warming lunch and the children love cooking on a fire!

IngredientsBonfire with embers suitable for cooking, BBQ tongs or heavy duty gloves for handling hot pans, mixing bowls (at least two), wooden spoons, selection of seasonal vegetables, garlic, tinned tomatoes or passatta, stock cube and water, oil, pasta, grated cheese, pinch of salt, dutch oven or other heavy duty large saucepan.

Method1. Chop all your vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly – those that take

longer to cook need to be cut smaller.2. Fry the onions and garlic in the pan.3. Add all your other vegetables.4. Fry gently.5. When the vegetables start to brown and soften, add your tomatoes.6. Add enough stock or water to loosen up the sauce.7. Put the lid on and allow to simmer.8. In a another pan bring lots of slightly salted water to the boil and carefully

add the pasta, give it a good stir and bring to the boil after approximately two minutes. This can be removed from the heat and placed in a safe place to continue cooking in the heat of the water – stir occasionally.

9. Remove the lid from the pasta sauce and allow to bubble and thicken.10. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir. 11. Serve with grated cheese.

Top tips1. Enjoy a nature walk through your local woodlands and collect some wood for

your fire. Check Play England’s play map to see if your woodland is on there and if it isn’t, why not add it at www.playengland.org.uk/map.

2. If you have someone who can help you to forage you can collect herbs to go into your sauce.

3. Try some other vegetables such as aubergines or cauliflower! 4. See if your local allotment can offer you left over vegetables.5. Make sure everyone helps with washing up!

Activity recipe: Making very veggie pasta