You and your family are invited to go green at Playhouse Disney’s Playing for the Planet event on Thursday 9th August. Following the launch of the Playing for the Planet guide, the UK’s first ever environmental guide for preschoolers, Playhouse Disney is offering you the chance to attend a FREE family day out packed with fun, interactive games and activities all designed to help you teach your children about the environment.

WHAT?

Playhouse Disney and the Woodland Trust are hosting a free event on Clapham Common for 'green' parents who want to teach their preschoolers about the environment. The day will showcase green games and activities from the Playing for the Planet guide and will be hosted by actor, presenter and Chief Scout, Peter Duncan, and TV presenter, Gaby Roslin.

Thursday 9th August 2007 from 11am – 3pm
At Clapham Common Bandstand,
Clapham Common, SW4

PLAYHOUSE DISNEY LAUNCHES UK’S FIRST EVER ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDE FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Seven out of ten parents feel more concerned about the future of the planet since having children

Three quarters of parents believe kids are never too young to start learning about the environment and that green issues should be on the pre-school curriculum 89% of parents rate “doing something regularly to help the environment” as important in their child’s upbringing.

Playhouse Disney is launching the first ever environmental guide for parents with preschool children. Playhouse Disney’s Playing for the Planet guide aims to help parents teach their children important environmental lessons via a series of fun interactive games and activities tailored specifically for preschoolers.

The guide was created following new research revealing that environmental awareness is fast becoming a key part of a child’s upbringing, with ‘recycling’ rating equally as important as ‘saying please and thank you’ or ‘not being selfish’ with many parents. The research also found that while 85% of parents believe that it falls to them to teach their children about green issues. More than half of parents (58%) believe they lack the information to take further measures to help their family become more environmentally friendly at home.

To help address this lack of information, Playhouse Disney brought together a team of experts to create a range of educational games and activities that enable parents to teach their child valuable lessons on recycling and conservation. The team comprised of Playhouse Disney programming & creative specialists, actor, presenter & Chief Scout, Peter Duncan, conservation experts, The Woodland Trust and parenting & child behaviour expert, Eileen Hayes.

A host of celebrity parents have also lent their support to Playhouse Disney’s campaign. Gaby Roslin, Ian Kelsey, Angela Griffin and Gaby Logan have provided their own suggestions on ways to make preschool children more environmentally aware.

Rob Gilby, Playhouse Disney Managing Director says, "Our research suggests that parents are crying out for ideas to teach young children about the environment. We’ve applied the same principles to developing the Playing for the Planet guide as we do to our shows on Playhouse Disney so all the content is educational, yet interactive and entertaining in a way that really engages kids. We hope it will be a genuinely useful resource for parents and help more families do their part for the environment".

Peter Duncan will be a familiar face for many parents through his work as a children’s presenter and more recently as Chief Scout. He tapped into his years of experience as both an entertainer and a parent to help develop the interactive games in the Playing for the Planet guide:

“I am pleased to be a part of the Playing for the Planet guide, not just because it’s the first ever preschool handbook about the environment, but because it’s something I believe in. As a parent, I understand that we are all committed to the welfare and the future of our children. It begins with providing an environment in which they can play safely and have fun while discovering their surroundings. As they grow we can help them to explore the world, answering their questions and passing on the knowledge that will help them develop into responsible and aware members of society. Through the games I’ve developed, parents can really have fun with their children while playing for the planet!"

Mother of two, Gaby Roslin adds, "I think it’s so important for young children to learn lessons about the environment early so they can make a difference for generations to come. I know so many parents who will love these fun and accessible ways to encourage good habits."

Eileen Hayes, parenting & child behaviour expert, believes that taking simple measures to teach children about global issues is the most effective method. "Preschoolers won’t understand complicated messages about carbon footprints so it’s important that you consider your child’s development stage. Involving your child’s favourite cartoon programme is a great way to introduce simple environmental lessons and the Playing for the Planet guide is a wonderful introduction into environmental issues whilst still being fun for your child."

For more information on Playing for the Planet, or to download the guide, go to www.playhousedisney.co.uk