05 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
According to a UNICEF report, children in the UK and USA are among the least happy in the world. Research shows that children are happiest when playing in nature. Determined to get his children into the great outdoors and off their screens, filmmaker David Bond appointed himself marketing director for Mother Nature. He had to compete with the likes of Apple, Disney and Mattel for his kids’ attention.
Project Wild Thing is the story of David’s attempt to fix his kids’ disconnection from the outdoors, gradually reintroducing them to the wild, and is free to watch on iPlayer until 4 September. Here are our favourite wild activities to enjoy with your family in the sunshine.
1. BUILD A WILD DEN
Use sticks and branches to build the frame of your den, then cover it with leaves or blankets.
2. ROLL DOWN A HILL
Rolling down hills never gets old – and all you need is a grassy slope and a bit of recklessness.
3. HOST A NATURE COCKTAIL PARTY
Seek out an area with lots of plants, and find the ones that smell best. Break them between your fingers and pop them into an old container, and let your friends have a smell.
4. TELL THE TIME USING THE SUN
Place a stick in the ground so it stands upright in a sunny spot that you can return to throughout the day. Every hour, place a numbered rock where the stick’s shadow is, and you’ll have made a natural sundial.
5. MAKE SEASHELL ART
Head to the beach, collect a few different seashells (make sure nobody is living inside them) and driftwood. Take them home and thread them into necklaces or use to decorate photo frames or boxes.