RSPCA study finds wildlife education makes children less afraid

Young children become less afraid of spiders after spending time in woodlands learning about wildlife, according to a new study by the RSPCA.

A group of 154 children aged six to nine were questioned on their feelings about spiders before and after an educational trip to Mallydams Wood in Hastings, East Sussex.

After spending time in the education and wildlife centre, set among 55 acres of woodland, and learning about the mini-beast code of conduct, the children saw the spiders as less fearsome.

Centre manager Bel Deering said: "We saw a marked difference in how the children reacted to these fascinating little creatures after spending some time with us. They learned to look at them in a completely new way.

"Whilst they sat around campfires or other spots in our woods, it was common for the spiders, earwigs and other mini-beasts to come along and join in the fun.

"Initial reactions were often to flinch or even swipe at them, but after a while our visitors started to pay attention and enjoy watching how they behaved."

The spider survey formed part of a three-year Mallydams project called "Wild Things", which aimed to improve understanding of wildlife. Ending in August, the project worked with almost 6,500 people from youth offending teams, young families and disadvantaged groups in the area.

Children taking part in the study listed some of the things they had learned, such as the importance of being quiet, not disturbing homes, not leaving litter and understanding that some wildlife species are under threat.

Bel said: "Catching children young can make a real difference to attitudes – not just towards spiders but to wildlife and the outdoors as a whole. It can decrease their fears and increase their enjoyment in many areas of the natural world as well as improving the welfare of the animals themselves."

Funding for the project came from Access to Nature Grant (part of the National Lottery), and has now come to an end, though the RSPCA says it hopes to continue the project if more funding is secured.

Bel added: "Wouldn’t it be great if people could follow this example and learn to love the spider this Halloween?"

Image courtesy of RSPCA