Fun in the fresh air
Don’t let the cooler weather and shorter days keep you cooped up indoors
THINKING of ideas for things to do always seems easier in the summer when the weather is kinder and there are tons of events going on.
But it’s only hedgehogs who need to hibernate in winter.
If you are short of ideas for family fun just look to the Woodland Trust because they’ve got loads of ways to get you and yours out in the fresh air.
The Woodland Trust is a UK charity which protects and campaigns on behalf of the country’s woodland – and wants people to go out and enjoy it too!
Many of its activities are categorised into age groups – 0-2, 3-5 and 6+ – so you can find something that’s perfect whatever your children’s ages.
FOR EXAMPLE:
0-2YRS: Find a pile of autumn leaves and kick up a storm; go on a mini beast hunt (How many different bugs can your mini Nature Detective find? Look under rocks and logs and spot slow-moving and fast-moving minibeasts) or go out and collect seeds and make a rattle.
3-5YRS: Find a tree stump and create your own woodland snare drum; collect leaves and use them to create a picture of a forest friend or play leaf catch (watch for brightly coloured autumn leaves falling from the trees, then try to catch them. See who can catch the most).
6+: Make your own woodland wind chime, build a hedgehog home or build a raft using twigs and leaves (twig rafts are really easy to make and you can float your raft on a puddle or pond and see how far it goes).
There are hundreds of activity sheets to download, as well as puzzles and colouring pages, even organised events.