Home Education & Nature: The Perfect Blend
Flexible resources designed for home educators – physical boxes, & digital packs
“As a home ed mum, I like how the resources work with our rhythm.”
— Maddy, home educator of an 8-year-old "
Inspire your 4–8-year-old with meaningful, nature-based learning. Our physical, online and outdoor resources are made for home educators raising curious, eco-conscious kids.
Are you home educating a young child and longing to balance screen time with green time?
Do you have a curious but screen-focussed child who resists going outdoors?
Would you love to see them light up with joy while learning in nature?
At Buttercup, we help you bring learning to life—with low-prep, nature-based activities that blend physical, online, and outdoor experiences.
Our resources are designed for home educators who want flexible tools that spark curiosity, creativity, and care for the planet.
Because children are naturally curious—and with the right prompts, they’ll rediscover wonder in every tree, puddle, worm and wildflower.
Let’s rewild childhood together, one nature walk, science spark and muddy adventure at a time..
Nature-based activities
with learning woven in
Our seasonal nature-based activities support child-led exploration, encourage outdoor play, and nurture curiosity, without pressure, screens, or rigid plans.
Everything we create is flexible, open-ended and rooted in real-world wonder—ideal for families following their own learning rhythm.
Our boxes
Delivered to your door—hands-on, unplugged learning designed for the season
A seasonal subscription box to inspire a love of the great outdoors. Our resources are sensory-friendly and ideal for neurodivergent learners who thrive with movement, choice and nature.
“We’ve had every box this year and they just keep getting better, so much thought goes into them.”
— Rachel, home ed mum of three
Our Digital Products
Perfect for printing at home or using on the go. no delivery needed.
Experience Nature Curious as a digital subscription or a past box as a digital product. Engage kids in exploring our British wildlife through our digital resources.
“We loved the download version! Easy to print and use in our own time—perfect for our unschooling days.”
— Samira, home educator
Buttercup Learning
RAISING CURIOUS, CONNECTED PLANET PROTECTORS
Everything we make is low-carbon, plastic-free, and made with care, for the planet and for families who value learning that feels natural and gentle.
Nature through your letterbox
Spark your child’s curiosity
We deliver our activity box, expertly designed for each season, to your door. Receive 4 boxes a year bursting with nature-based activities for children.
Resources
our free resources FOR ALL
We’ve worked as hard on our free resources as we have on our great value nature-packed paid ones.
— Aimee, home educator of two
Meet Rachel, the heart behind Buttercup Learning
I’m Rachel Mills—mum, educator, animation producer and nature-lover on a mission to get children outside and curious about nature.
As a parent of a neurodivergent child and a university lecturer in animation, I understand the challenges of screen-time balance, the pressure to “teach well,” and the magic that happens when children explore the outdoors freely.
Why I Started Buttercup
Buttercup Learning was born out of my desire to make outdoor learning easier and more meaningful for families like mine. I wanted to create flexible, eco-friendly resources that spark curiosity without overwhelming parents or relying on screens.
Our Nature Curious Boxes and digital products blend science, art, storytelling and sensory discovery—with just enough structure to support you, and plenty of freedom to follow your child’s interests.
A Personal Note
My daughter is autistic with a PDA profile, and supporting her education has been one of the most important—and eye-opening—journeys of my life. Traditional classroom settings often haven’t met her needs, and we’re currently working toward flexischooling to give her more space to learn in ways that feel safe, supported, and meaningful.
Like many neurodivergent children, she thrives when learning is interest-led, sensory-aware, and connected to real life. Buttercup was shaped by this experience—by the need for learning that adapts to the child, not the other way around.
She dreams of becoming a marine biologist and saving animals from plastic pollution. That spark—that sense of purpose—is what I hope every child can experience through nature-based learning.
Our Mission
At Buttercup Learning, we’re raising a generation of planet protectors—one muddy adventure, nature fact, and seasonal story at a time.
We believe learning doesn’t need to be rigid or overwhelming. It can be calm, creative, and connected to what truly matters.
Our happy customers
Real feedback from home educators and nature-curious parents using our boxes and digital resources.
Beautiful poster, high-quality print and paper, and it created lots of lovely conversations about the different bees.
Lovely images. Suitable for young children. The animation brings a new dimension to learning making it fun for all. Excellent!
I like the poster because it tells you the different bee types.
Buttercup are doing the vital thing of bringing together technology and respect/understanding of our natural environment. All of this in a fun and captivating way for young minds to learn.
“Receiving these parcels is always an exciting day and the beautiful packaging makes it an extra treat. The topics are fab and there’s so many different activities each time that there’s always plenty to do.”
As a home educating mum, I’m always on the lookout for hands-on, engaging resources that don’t require hours of prep. The Plant and Animal Partnerships Box from Buttercup was a huge hit with my 8-year-old! He was fascinated by the ant and aphid mutualism, and the oak gall matching activity sparked loads of curiosity. He even wanted to take our magnifying glass out on a walk the next day. I love how the activities link so naturally to science, nature study, and even storytelling. The puppets were a lovely creative touch, and the scavenger colouring sheet helped us build in some gentle literacy too. Everything felt really thoughtful and it worked beautifully for our rhythm at home. I like that it’s neurodivergent-friendly. We’ll definitely be signing up for the next box!
What’s Inside This Season’s Box?
Peek inside the animal & plant partnerships box
balancing their love of digital with outdoor adventures.
Transform your screen zombie into a wild, fun-loving explorer who cherishes every moment spent outdoors!
- 100% sustainable education
- 100% plastic free
- 100% beautiful
— Louise, home educating parent of 2
The Nature Curious Club
Join our community of home educators and nature-curious families
When you subscribe, you also get access to our Nature Curious Club—an online space to share ideas, ask questions, and connect with others bringing learning outdoors.
Think of it as your seasonal home ed nature co-op, without leaving the house.
Free resources and learning
from the buttercup world
Curious About Nature Podcast
Buttercup founder Rachel Mills hosts the Curious About Nature podcast, featuring guests from teachers to beekeepers to tent sharers, discussing topics like outdoor learning, mindfulness in nature, and the circular economy.
The Buttercup
Blog
Discover tips for sustainable living, ways to boost children’s mental health, instructions for scavenger hunts and nature play, interviews with eco heroes and all sorts of other activities, advice and inspiration.
The Nature Family Facebook Group
A warm, welcoming space for home educators and nature-loving families to share ideas, swap stories, and support each other on their outdoor learning journey.
Whether you’re new to outdoor learning or seasoned nature explorers, our Nature Family group is here to help you take positive eco-action and explore nature at your own pace and in your own way.
“The free resources alone are worth signing up for—thank you for making it so accessible.”
— Jo, parent and Forest School leader
Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
Join our fortnightly Nature Family newsletter for seasonal ideas, free downloads, outdoor prompts, and parenting support—no fluff, just useful nature learning inspiration.
Supporting
