Outdoor Activities
Keep your eyes peeled for these super summer signs. Lots of animals and minibeasts are active during summer. How many different signs can you find? Look out for minibeasts visiting flowers Use your different senses what can you see, hear and smell? Can you spot any other signs of summer? Do you notice more summer signs when the sun is out, or when it’s raining?
Make a super simple feeder to help your garden birds. This seed feeder is really easy to make, and your feathered friends will thank you for it when the weather gets colder. All you need is a loo roll inner, some peanut butter and some bird seed This is a great activity for Nature Detectives of all ages Keep your eyes peeled for birdy visitors, and identify them with our garden bird ID sheet
What colours will you choose for this slimy snail’s shell? Grab your pens and pencils and get colouring! Does he have a rainbow shell, or is he camouflaged? Snails hibernate, and you won’t spot them in winter unless the temperature is above 5 C The garden snail’s Latin name is Cornu aspersum Try using different bits of fabric or paper to create your snail Add leaves and grass to your picture to give your snail a home and some tasty food to eat. Have you spotted any snails in your garden?
Head out in the snow and make your own snow angels. Pull on your warmest woollies it’s time to play. Create a whole family ask your friends and grown-up to help you Can you think of any other ways to make angels? Try using sticks Don’t forget to practice! The first few can be your trial angels The snow needs to be quite deep, so look for a completely fresh, untouched patch.
Colour in these super snowdrops! These delicate little white flowers are one of the earliest signs that spring’s on its way. Spot patches of them in the woods, then get colouring! Create a 3D image use tissue paper, layers of paint, or add shadows Make a spring-like background using sticks and paint Don’t forget to add a green patch on the inner petals of each flower
Listen to the woods in summer what can you hear? Next time you’re in the woods, stand still and listen for the sounds of summer. Listen carefully can you hear insects and animals chirping and snuffling? Try coming back another day, or when it’s raining. Does the wood sound different? Write a poem using the sounds you hear Woods have a different song during the morning and at night, and in different seasons. Note down what you can hear each time you visit.
Listen up! How many different sounds can you hear in the woods? Nature is so noisy! Get your ear to the ground and listen to the woods. Find a quiet spot, stand still and listen carefully. What can you hear? Try and pinpoint different sounds insects, birds and trees How many noises can you make? Once you’ve heard everything on the sheet, try listening out for other woodland sounds. What do you think they could be?
Head outside and listen for busy birds and buzzing bees. Spring is a noisy time the woods are alive with the sounds of nature! Download the tick sheet and see how many you can hear. Ribbit ribbit! Listen out for friendly frogs. Rat-a-tat-tat! Can you hear a woodpecker pecking? What sound do raindro_ps make pitter patter or plop plop? Grown-ups: Buzz and quack with your little one. It’s a fun way for them to practice making different sounds and helps improve speech development.
Create a spectacular spider web picture. Here are some ideas to get you started: Colour in the background to help your web stand out Glue string along the web to create a collage Use silver pen to make a frosty web! Did you know? Different spiders spin different webs. You’ll probably recognise the orb web on this colouring sheet. It’s made by many species including the common garden spider. Other webs look like sheets, funnels, or a messy tangle of silky strands.
Keep your eyes peeled for these spine-tingling nature spots What can you see and hear in the woods this Halloween? Go exploring if you dare ! Look among the leaf litter can you spotter any creepy crawlies? What’s calling in the trees? Make up a story about the things you spot Head outside after dark for a super spooky adventure!
Set off on a spooky scavenger hunt what will you find? Keep your eyes peeled and start a creepy collection. Look for goblin eyes and spooky silhouettes What’s the scariest thing you can find? Can you make anything from what you’ve discovered? Make up a spine-tingling story or terrifying spell using the weird things you find.
Use our spotter sheet to identify bluebells, violets and wood anemones. Spring is a fantastic time to look for colourful flowers in the woods! Download our ID sheet and see how many you can find. Find out when different flowers are in bloom Look out for white, blue and yellow petals Can you spot bees and butterflies visiting flowers?
Keep your eyes peeled for fantastic fungi. Fungi can pop up at any time of year can you find these spring specimens? They grow on or around dead and decaying wood. Look carefully some fungi are tiny! Not all fungi are mushrooms some are bracket fungi and some are jelly-like Remember, never touch fungi some can be very poisonous! Fungi are hidden beneath the ground most of the time, but they usually appear above ground after rain.
Keep your eyes peeled for flowers, birds, bugs and leaves as spring bursts into life. Look out for signs of spring next time you’re out and about. Can you find flowers growing among the trees and grasses? Listen for birds singing What will you spot? Remember to use all your senses when you’re hunting for signs of spring!
Grab a collecting bag and hunt for spring treasures! Next time you’re in the woods, take this spring scavenger hunt with you and see what you can find. Search for flowers, twigs and leaves Track down different textures – smooth pebbles, soft feathers and silky petals Look on the woodland floor, in the trees and among the grass What other exciting spring treasures will you find?
Create a colourful squirrel. Grab your favourite colouring pens, pencils or paints and get crafty. Try making this cheeky squirrel from a collage of natural items Maybe you could turn each type of leaf a different colour? Can you find a real acorn for him to nibble on? What colours will you choose? Let your imagination run wild!
Transform into a super stag beetle! Do you love peace and quiet? Do you like spending time by yourself, doing your own thing? Do you love exploring the woods on a beautiful summer’s day? If so, you’re like a stag beetle! Print out and make up this marvellous mask to complete your transformation.
Grab your favourite colours and create a majestic stag. Colour in this stunning stag. What’s his name? Where does he live? Stick leaves and other natural items around your stag to create a forest Use crayons, pens, paints add texture with tissue paper and bits of magazines! Give your stag a leafy crown, or make one out of gold ribbon
Weave string through forked sticks to create a memento of your woodland wander. Keep your eyes peeled for forked sticks, and remember to keep a length of string or wool in your coat pocket! Use seeds, grasses and coloured leaves to create different themes Try using brightly coloured ribbons or wool The more unusual or interesting the items, the better How many woodland items did you weave into your sticks?
Storytelling is an art that begins in babyhood, perhaps as the baby gurgles away trying to keep its audience interested as they tell a story of sorts.
Can you ID all these summer flowers? Look out for summer flowers in fields, woods and parks next time you’re out and about. Some flowers might be easy to find, and some might need a bit more detective work! Do different flowers attract different insects? You might spot some flowers in your garden, while others grow in woods Flowers bloom at different times, so keep your eyes peeled!
What will you spot this summer? Next time you’re in the woods, keep your eyes peeled for leaves, minibeasts and flowers. Hunt among the trees and bushes Look up in the sky and on the ground How many different species can you find? Challenge your family and friends and see who can spot the most!
Head outdoors and track down summertime treasures. Keep your eyes peeled next time you’re out and about. Can you collect all these signs of summer? Look for daisies, buttercups and patterned petals Can you find a munched leaf and a nibbled cone? Hunt for fluffy dandelion clocks and blow the seeds away! Count five different types of grass Look out for green hazelnuts Can you track down a four-leaf clover? Remember to take a basket or bag with you to keep everything safe. What can you make with your treasures?
Take a deeeeeep breath! Can you smell the scents of summer? The woods are full of lots of different smells during summer. Sniff them out! Try and smell as many summer flowers as you can Does the wood smell different after it’s been raining? Which woodland scent is your favourite? Blindfold yourself or your friends and guess which smell is which. How many different ones can you identify?
Spot signs of animals and insects, and discover who’s been visiting the woods. Be a real Nature Detective and get sleuthing! Use all your senses while you’re out and about Remember to look in the trees as well as on the ground Sit still and listen: what can you hear? What else can you find? Explore under logs and leaf litter, listen out for birds singing, and keep your eyes peeled around ponds.