Think outside the box
Woodland Trust has great ideas to help get kids away from the TV and into the open air
AND they’re off…the summer holidays have started and the Woodland Trust has got loads of holiday adventures to get you and your kids active outdoors and away from their screens.
The charity runs its Nature Detectives family scheme, with loads of fab and fun ideas to get busy and out in nature, like…
CREATE A FAIRY GARDEN
USE your imagination to design a fantastic fairy garden. You’ll need: a plastic box or old washing-up bowl; soil; stones, sticks, moss, leaves, etc, and some small flowering plants.
Fill your container with earth (put some stones in the bottom for drainage). Use leafy twigs to make trees. Build a fence or seat with sticks. You could even make a pond by sinking a plastic container and filling it with water.
SET A WOODLAND CHALLENGE
HAVE a competition with your family and friends. Set up challenges to complete on a day out in the woods, deciding how many points each is worth.
Possible challenges include:
■ Climb a tree (make sure there’s an adult around though!)
■ Balance along a fallen tree trunk.
■ Find three types of flower.
■ Cross a stream without getting your feet wet.
■ Find wild animal evidence – tracks, a fox or rabbit hole, some fur caught on a bush, or even some poo!
Woodland Trust has many more ideas. Log onto woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods for further suggestions and information.