One Family to Full Classes: How Marion Vincent Built Growing Minds Around Nature, Connection and Simplicity
There is a lot of pressure on parents to create bigger, better and more expensive experiences for their children.
Days out. New toys. Paid attractions. Carefully planned activities.
But some of the most meaningful moments do not need to cost very much at all.
Sometimes they begin with a stick, a bucket, a few apples and the space to slow down.
That is one of the strongest lessons from Marion “Maz” Vincent’s journey with Growing Minds, a nature-based programme in Somerset helping families connect with their children, their surroundings and each other.
Maz launched the business during the COVID pandemic with one family.
Six years later, her classes regularly fill, her seasonal experiences bring families back year after year and her work is helping people discover the green spaces already waiting on their doorstep.
Turning Decades of Experience Into Something New
Maz spent around 35 years working in childcare and family support.
She began as a nursery nurse, progressed into management and later moved into family-support roles, children’s centres and community services across West Somerset.
Over time, repeated restructuring and the uncertainty of reapplying for her job began to take their toll.
“I was burnt out.”
Maz had considered starting something of her own for years, but she knew the timing had to feel right.
By 2019, the idea had moved beyond a thought in her head.
She created the branding, insurance, plans and activities for Growing Minds and prepared to launch in spring 2020.
Then the pandemic arrived.
Rather than give up, Maz adapted. She kept families connected through online group chats, sunflower planting and simple nature activities until outdoor gatherings were allowed.
Her first physical session welcomed one family.
That family was enough to begin.
Why Nature Changes the Experience
The nature-based side of Growing Minds did not appear from nowhere.
During her children’s-centre career, Maz delivered PEEP sessions focused on parents as early educators and partners in their children’s learning.
One day, she took the group outside.
The change was immediate.
Parents relaxed. Children became happier and conversations flowed more naturally.
From there, the work expanded into parks and allotments.
Maz’s own childhood also played a huge role.
She grew up on a farm, surrounded by hedgerows, fields and the freedom to explore.
“It wasn’t just an activity. It was a lifestyle.”
Growing Minds brings those experiences together.
The sessions are planned and themed, but they are also grounded in the belief that families benefit from simply being outside, moving at a slower pace and noticing what is around them.
You Don’t Need More Stuff
Maz is passionate about showing parents that meaningful play does not require a huge budget.
“A stick is your greatest tool.”
It can become a wand, a potion stirrer, a mobile or whatever a child imagines it to be.
During one session, Maz brought a length of old drainpipe, buckets and access to a small orchard.
The children collected tiny apples and spent the session rolling them through the pipe, collecting them and starting again.
They were completely absorbed.
The activity cost almost nothing, but it sparked excitement, movement and creativity.
Growing Minds also uses:
- Pine cones, shells and leaves
- Egg boxes and lollipop sticks
- Clay and natural materials
- Buckets, tubes and treasure baskets
- Household objects that can be reused in play
Maz wants parents to leave with ideas they can recreate at home, rather than feeling they need to keep buying new resources.
“That’s actually my greatest joy.”
When families send photographs showing how they have continued or adapted an activity after the session, Maz knows the impact has travelled home with them.
Helping Families Notice What Is Already There
Another important part of Growing Minds is introducing families to local green spaces they may never have explored.
Maz uses parks, nature reserves and community spaces across Somerset, often in places people have passed without really noticing.
Families regularly tell her they had no idea those spaces existed.
“It’s opening their eyes to what’s on their doorstep.”
That accessibility matters.
Nature-based learning is sometimes associated with remote woodland settings or specialist provision, but Maz shows families that it can happen almost anywhere.
During a recent session delivered through a community hub, she worried there would not be enough nature in the middle of town.
Once the group slowed down, they noticed flowers growing along the kerb and bees landing on lavender.
Nothing in the environment had changed.
The families had simply begun looking at it differently.
Creating Experiences Families Remember
Growing Minds is built around simple local exploration, but Maz also creates larger seasonal events.
Her annual Love a Lamb experience takes families onto a working farm, where children can meet animals, sit on tractors and see the different stages of lambing.
Some have even witnessed a lamb being born.
The event attracts families who may not attend regular sessions and gives them access to a genuine farming experience rather than a staged attraction.
Other themes include:
- Woodland Wonders
- Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms
- Mud Pies, Skies and Potions
- Nature Detectives
Children might create clay sunshines, build bumblebees from natural materials, paint pebbles or search for signs of wildlife.
The activities are creative, but the deeper purpose remains connection.
“It’s all about really slowing down, connecting with your child, connecting with each other.”
Growing Without Losing the Heart of It
Maz is now considering how Growing Minds could reach more families.
She wants to rebuild her dads’ group, continue adapting her offers around changing budgets and explore online education for parents.
The idea of moving online feels uncomfortable because her work has always been so rooted in people being physically together.
“I know I can do it, but I’m just scared.”
She is also exploring how the Growing Minds approach could support schools.
Maz believes many schools have outdoor spaces that are not being used to their full potential, particularly as wellbeing becomes a greater priority.
With decades of experience behind her, she has a methodology that could reach far beyond her current classes.
The challenge will be finding ways to grow without losing the warmth, attention and quality that make Growing Minds distinctive.
“I don’t want them to just be a number.”
Watch the Full Interview
Maz Vincent’s story is a brilliant reminder that impact does not always come from creating something bigger or more expensive.
Sometimes it comes from helping families pause, notice what is already around them and rediscover how much children can learn through simple play.
Maz is a finalist in two categories in The Class Business Awards 2026.
👉 Watch Maz’s full interview here.
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, bringing finalists, judges and sponsors together for practical ideas, honest conversations and brilliant sector connection.
Then, from 6:00pm, it is time to get dressed up, celebrate properly and recognise the people creating extraordinary experiences for children, families and communities at The Class Business Awards & Afterparty. Book your tickets here.
