Go on a Bug Hunt – a great way for the kids to get over any fears of bugs! This summer we have found ants, woodlice, butterflies, caterpillars, bees, wasps, hornets and worms just in our back garden! The kids are really excited to take our hunt to the beach and see what we can find there!
Press flowers – I used to love pressing flowers when I was a child, I had a proper flower-press but we have been experimenting with using thick books to press our own flowers at home and it works just as well. Just remember to put a piece of paper either side of the flower so it doesn’t ruin the book!
Make Daisy Chain jewellery – an oldie but a goodie! My kids love creating and wearing daisy chains.
Nature Art – Get gathering on those walks out (take a little bag) so you can bring home some sticks, stones, leaves etc to do some nature art. You could make paint from soil or crushed flowers. You can create anything, a stick dinosaur, a nature fairy set your imaginations wild!
Make a Nature Mandala – A mandala is a circular geometric pattern. The designs are found on wallpaper, in colouring books, all over! A little twist is, instead of drawing one, make one out of natural objects you can find. Use sticks and stones, petals and leaves, anything you can find really!
Seed Starter – Collect up some tins and egg cartons and get the kids planting some seeds. They will need to remember to water each day and can enjoy watching them grow. It’s a great way to teach them the gardening basics and a chance to venture into the ever-popular world of growing your own food.
Make a Nature Crown – First cut out the crown shape ideally with some thick paper (lining/wallpaper is perfect) then attach the flowers and leaves. There are various ways to do this depending on the sorts of items collected, glue on or secured with a ribbon. It’s easier to decorate on a flat piece of paper then once all secured use a stapler to fasten the crown into shape.
Nature Bracelets – Tie sone sticky tape around your wrist and add petals and grasses etc to it from the hedgerows as you walk.
Fairy Den – A lovely little project using bits found in the garden (or after a walk through the park/woods). It has to be cosy to tempt a fairy to want to move in! Think smaller version of the forest school dens dotted about Wharfedale & Craven!
Make bird feeders – Mix softened lard or suet with seeds or peanuts in a bowl. The RSPB recommends using mixtures that include flaked maize, sunflower seeds and peanut granules. You can either shape into balls and put a string through the middle or press into an old plant pot and string it up through the hole in the base. Don’t fancy getting sticky fingers? Simply string popcorn, berries, raisins, fruit, and anything else you think birds might like to eat on a sturdy piece of string and hang in the garden.
