The Mission

To Re-thread and Re-embed humans back into deep meaningful relationship with self, community and ecology

Our Why.

It is easy to see the growing disconnect between people and the living world — a separation that shows up in our mental, emotional, and physical well‑being, leaving many of us feeling isolated, restless, and out of touch.

We believe the root cause of much of this lies in our severed relationship with the world that, for millennia, has nourished, cared for, and grounded us. We have built technological realities, compartmentalised our lives, and diminished our involvement with the natural environments that know our bodies, our rhythms, and our deepest belonging. We are humans built for connection — to the land, to each other, to movement and a sense of meaning in life.

Our mission at Roots of Play is to re-thread, re-entangle and re-embed humans with the world through an ecology of practices designed to bring people back into genuine relationship with their their bodies, their community, and the living systems they are part of. We are committed to creating a global culture of people who deeply recognise the importance of being in relationship with wider ecology — so they can fall back in love with the world, and ultimately fall more deeper in love with BEING.

Close-up of a person's feet standing on a tree branch, with lush green leaves in the background.

Pillars of the playful practice.

1.) Movement and Embodiment Education

The foundation of our approach at Roots of Play begins with a simple truth: our body is how we meet the world. It shapes how we perceive, respond, communicate and create. Every experience — from learning and problem‑solving to connection and expression — is influenced by the way we inhabit and move within our bodies.

For thousands of years, humans relied on movement as essential to life. Yet, much of this natural intelligence has been forgotten. We see movement as a vital nutrient — something body and mind need to thrive. Our mission is to restore this understanding and support people in remembering how to live well in their bodies, with the natural world as both teacher and playground.

A woman in a tan shirt and dark pants with long hair is extending her arm, while a man with long hair, wearing a dark green hoodie and blue pants, is leaning back and looking up at her in an outdoor setting with green trees in the background.
A woman with long curly hair lying on the ground and reaching up to hold a tree branch, while a man with long curly hair hangs from the branch with a smile.

2.) Mindfulness and Presence Practice

We believe the art of being present — fully awake to the moment — is both a foundation for learning and a source of joy. Through mindful attention, we rediscover the simple power of noticing: the breath in the body, the rhythm of movement, the quiet beauty of connection.

At Roots of Play, mindfulness and presence mean bringing awareness into movement and creative expression. With practical tools and presence‑based practices, we help participants cultivate grounded awareness that fosters safety, openness, and trust in themselves. From this foundation, all other practices can be approached with greater clarity and depth.

A woman standing outdoors in a natural setting with green plants and trees, wearing a gray sleeveless top, orange pants, and a gray beanie, with her eyes closed.
A person sitting in a forest surrounded by green foliage, wearing a gray jacket and holding a small object in their hand.

3.) Nature Connection and Remembering

To connect with the natural world is to enter into relationship — a living dialogue between self, community, and the land that holds us. Through foraging, crafting, nature‑based art, and time in wild and gentle places, we remember what it means to belong — not apart from nature, but as part of it.

Working with natural materials invites a direct, hands‑on relationship with the world around us. As we craft and create, we move from observing the environment to actively participating in it. This process nurtures connection and reciprocity, making our interactions with the world more meaningful, embodied, and alive.

A person wearing a blue bucket hat with a pattern of small dogs, sitting outdoors on grass, holding and examining someone's hand. The person's arm has a tattoo of a creature, and they are wearing a silver watch and a ring. The other person's hand is being gently held.
A woman in a white dress with long hair standing barefoot at the base of a large tree with a hollowed-out trunk in a lush green forest, reaching up with her right hand to touch the tree.

4.) Community Engagement and Belonging

Our work is rooted in the understanding that connection — with self, others, and the wider world — lies at the heart of human thriving. At our essence, we are social beings, meant to gather, support, and celebrate together. Through embodied practices, mindful collaboration, and moments of collective joy, we strengthen the threads that weave us into community.

Belonging is an ongoing practice: showing up for one another, co‑creating spaces of warmth and inclusion, and remembering we are part of something larger than ourselves. Our mission is to nurture a vibrant, connected community grounded in love, curiosity, and the joyful act of coming together.

People are gathered in a cozy living room, with some lying on the floor and one person playing a drum. The scene appears relaxed and intimate.
Group of young people sitting outdoors in a wooded area, engaging in conversation and listening attentively.

The Origins.

Two young women stand on a large tree branch, holding hands, smiling, and looking at each other, surrounded by tree leaves.

Charlie and Opal met in university in the Lake District in late 2022 and immediately connected over their shared love for the outdoors, tree climbing and adventure. They both enjoyed learning beyond their outdoor courses at alternative forms of Outdoor Learning and in late 2023, along with a few friends, created the name “Roots of Play” and started planning for their first season in 2024.

Charlie grew up in the Midlands. He spent countless hours exploring the forest and during lockdown, the woods and exploring became his salvation. Charlie embarked on a mission to learn from teachers from all over the globe to refine his craft and give others tools to navigate the world and to use nature to improve wellbeing, connection and remembering.

Opal grew up in South Africa and combined her love for climbing trees and exploring outdoors when she joined Scouts and was able to hone in her skills and learn the profound good that the outdoors could do. She moved to the UK in 2020 and studied Outdoor Leadership at University where she combined her practical skills with theory and was able to expand her knowledge of how the outdoors can be a catalyst for good mental health and physical connection to the world.

Opal and Charlie have put years of work in to learning and practicing skills aswell as crafting experiences that can be enjoyed by many. Together they hope to give you a new way to see the world around you and the tools to navigate it.

Influences of the practice

A man in a yellow T-shirt with a tree graphic and the words "Evolve Move Play" gesturing to his head with his fingers, outside with trees and a concrete wall in the background.

Rafe Kelley

@evolvemoveplay

A man with curly hair and a beard, and a woman with brown hair, both wearing checkered shirts, standing outdoors in a green, natural setting, making expressive gestures with their hands.

Aaron Cantor

@theschoolofphyscialintelligence

Close-up portrait of a man with a shaved head and beard, smiling softly, wearing a blue shirt, indoors.
A man with a beard and tattoos sitting inside a large tree trunk in a forest, looking upward.

Kyle Koch

@ecologyofconnection

Young man with dark hair and mustache crouching on a blue floor, wearing a black and gray athletic jacket, striped sneakers, and shorts.

Nil Teisner

@findingflow

Ben Meddar

@movewiththeseasons

A black and white portrait of a man with curly hair, one eye visible, making a gesture with his hands near his face, wearing a dark shirt.

Bruno Caverna

@formlessarts

A woman with long red hair smiling and flexing her biceps on a beach at sunset.

Audrey Nerat

@audrey.nerat

A shirtless man with dark hair and beard climbing a mossy tree branch in a forest.
An elderly woman with gray hair tied back, wearing a black top, appears to be in a discussion or deep thought indoors near a window with green foliage outside.

Nita Little

@nitalittleci

Profile of a smiling, bald man with a beard and light skin, wearing a blue shirt, against a background of green foliage.
A shirtless man crouching on a moss-covered tree branch in a lush green forest, looking directly at the camera.

Victor Fleites

@tarzanmovement

Ben Atkinson

@fullcircleexperiances

Leo Urban

@leo.primal

Meet The Team

Group of eight happy young people outdoors, smiling, wearing casual clothing with a logo, in front of trees and tents.
Learn About Us Here!