Country Trust’s “Plant Your Pants” campaign returns

Sustain member The Country Trust is calling on families, schools, and communities across the UK to join a nationwide movement with a mission that’s as fun as it is vital: getting children’s hands in the soil.

Back for another year, the delightfully down-to-earth Plant Your Pants campaign is built around one simple idea: bury a pair of 100% cotton pants in the ground, wait eight weeks, and see what’s left – which may just be the elastic waistband! It’s playful, memorable, and gets children outside, connected with nature in the most hands-on way.

Recent findings from a Childwise survey commissioned by The Country Trust reveal that around a third of UK children have no opportunity to engage with soil—whether through gardening, digging, or outdoor play—either at home or in school. This growing disconnect from the environment raises concerns about the long-term impacts on children’s development and wellbeing.

Jill Attenborough, CEO of The Country Trust said:

 “Getting hands in the soil isn’t just a fun activity—it’s a vital part of a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to feel the earth between their fingers, and our work in food, farming and nature education strives to make these moments of connection fun, engaging, and accessible to all. Plant Your Pants is a brilliant way for children to begin building a fundamental relationship with soil—one pair of pants at a time.”

Getting involved is easy—and free!

• Sign up: www.countrytrust.org.uk/plantyourpants

• Find a patch of earth or a plant pot—your garden, a balcony, even a field

• Grab a pair of 100% cotton underwear (or cotton cloth)

• Rally a group of kids ready to help you plant your pants

• Mark your calendars: Members of the public can plant pants at a time that suits them. For schools, the last recommended date to bury pants is 20th May (allowing for approximately 8 weeks for the pants to be in the ground before the summer holidays).

Once registered, participants will get immediate access to the Plant Your Pants Knowledge Hub, including:

• A downloadable Teachers’ Pack

• Creative, age-appropriate activity guides

• Fun and inspiring videos to bring the experience to life

The Country Trust invites parents, allotmenteers, teachers, youth workers, farmers, and community leaders to join in planting pants and support children to sow the seeds of a lifelong connection to nature. Because when children get their hands in the soil, they grow in every way that matters.