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BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast

How natural play impacts kids' immune systems, with Marja Roslund

BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast

Immediate Media

Nature, Science, Leisure, Home & Garden

4.4647 Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 32 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two-year study reveals the startling impact that playing in nature has on children's immune systems, and their likelihood of developing allergies and diseases such as asthma and diabetes. Researcher Marja Roslund talks about the dramatic changes they measured in children's ability to fight off illnesses and the reduction in harmful bacteria found in their gut, after they rewilded the children's daycare centres, bringing in soil, plants and even a section of forest floor. She also explains the causal link between the explosion in allergies and conditions such as asthma and diabetes, and the changes we can make to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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Shopify.com.uk slash garden. Go to shopify.com.uk slash garden. That's shopify.com.com.

1:54.7

com.com slash garden. Hello and welcome to the award-winning BBC Gardner's World magazine podcast, brought to you by the team here at the magazine.

2:08.0

Join us as we chat all things gardening with the nation's favourite experts.

2:16.2

Incidents of allergies and immune-mediated diseases such as asthma and type 2 diabetes are exploding

2:22.9

especially among children could this be partly due to the increasing lack of nature in our everyday lives

2:28.9

a study in Finland has been rewilding children's nurseries, bringing the forest floor in and replacing sand pits with mud pits, and finding astonishing impacts on the children's immune systems, gut health and overall well-being.

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