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Today our Year 2 classroom had a very special visitor: a real-life explorer. Within minutes of arriving, one hand shot up with the question everyone was thinking. “Is being an explorer actually a job?”
It’s a brilliant question. To a six- or seven-year-old, explorers belong in storybooks, alongside pirates and dragons. They wear pith helmets, carry compasses and discover lost cities. So meeting one in person, someone who has stood on glaciers, slept under desert stars and travelled to places most of us only see on a screen, was a little bit magical.
Yes, it absolutely is. But modern exploration looks a little different from the adventure stories.
Today’s explorers are often scientists, writers, photographers, filmmakers and educators all rolled into one. Some map caves no one has ever entered. Others study melting ice, track rare wildlife, or gather samples that help us understand our changing climate. Many share what they find through books, talks and school visits, just like the one we enjoyed today.
What unites them isn’t a uniform or a single career path. It’s a mindset: noticing things, asking questions, being brave enough to try, and resilient enough to keep going when plans go wrong.
The children didn’t just listen to stories; they got their hands on real expedition kit. They tried on outdoor gear, handled equipment that has travelled thousands of miles, and asked the kind of questions only seven-year-olds can. (How do you go to the toilet in the Arctic? We’ll leave that answer to them!)
They thought about what an explorer would pack, how to stay safe in an unfamiliar place, and why teamwork matters when you’re far from home. Most of all, they discovered that the qualities explorers rely on are ones they already have: curiosity, courage and a love of finding things out.
Our children are growing up in a world where almost anything can be looked up in seconds. That’s a wonderful thing, and digital skills will serve them well. But knowing about the world isn’t the same as experiencing it.
A video of a rock pool can’t teach you how a crab scuttles away from your shadow. A search result can’t give you the satisfaction of building a shelter that actually keeps the rain off. When children explore with their hands, eyes and feet, learning becomes memorable, because they’ve lived it.
Hands-on exploration builds skills that screens alone struggle to teach:
At Littlegarth, we believe every child is a natural explorer. Our beautiful grounds and outdoor learning give pupils the chance to investigate, get muddy and ask “why?” every single day. Visits like today’s help children see that curiosity isn’t just for the classroom. It can grow into a passion, and even a career.
We want our pupils to use technology confidently and wisely, but never to lose the joy of discovering something for themselves.
You don’t need a passport to have an adventure. Here are a few simple ideas to keep the explorer spirit going this weekend:
So, is being an explorer a real job? Our Year 2 children now know the answer is yes. More importantly, they know that being an explorer starts long before anyone pays you to do it. It starts with a question, a pair of wellies and the courage to go and find out.
A huge thank you to our visiting explorer for inspiring Year 2 today. Who knows where these young adventurers will go next?
