Nursery •
Nursery
Grab your favourite colours and create this owl. Is your owl a barn owl or tawny owl? Make his wings using feathers, and use sequins for his bright eyes and beak Create a glittering night sky from dark blue and black tissue paper, and silvery sequins Did you know? A group of owls is called a parliament
Create a pretty butterfly using your favourite colouring pencils and crayons. Use reds, browns and blues to make it bright and beautiful Add lots of detail to the butterfly’s wings Can you make both wings look the same? Did you know peacock butterflies hibernate in winter? They wake up in spring, so look out for them fluttering about in the sunshine. Can you flap your arms like a butterfly?
Too cold to play outside? Colour in instead! Create a prickly pine cone using pencils, crayons and paint. Draw a bird or red squirrel nibbling at the pine cone Line the edges of the scales with a silver pen they’ll look like they re covered in sparkly frost Go hunting for real pine cones how many different types can you find?
Use pine cones to create an arty masterpiece! Who says you can only paint with a brush? Add pine cones to paint and ta-da! you’ve got an amazing picture! Use seasonal colours like orange and red for autumn, and blue and silver for winter Don’t throw the used pine cones away they make super decorations This is messy fun how many different pictures can you create?
Can ye find these pirate treasures hidden in the woods? Keep your eyes peeled look on the forest floor and among the bushes Can you find any other pirate treasure? Think up a pirate name like Peg Legged Pete, or Scallywag Susan Remember X marks the spot
Grab your net and bucket, and pull on your wellies it’s time to go pond dipping! Check out our handy tips and checklists so you’re fully prepared search through the watery depths… To be a successful pond dipper, you’ll need the right equipment follow our handy guide Be a real scientist and predict then record your finds did you spot everything you were looking for? Follow our top tips and get dipping! What creatures did you find lurking in the deep? Use our super spotter sheet to help you identify them and see what else you can discover.
Colour recognition in nurseries
Help little bird lovers create a friendly robin. Use paints, crayons, fingers or brushes Make a collage with fluffy feathers Stick twigs on your picture and build your robin a new nest Have a look at our other bird colouring sheets and create a whole bunch of feathered friends!
Collect leaves and sticks and make your own musical rattle! This is a super simple activity that’s a whole lot of fun! Only choose the crunchiest, driest sticks! Do big leaves or small leaves work best? Make other natural instruments and set up your own woodland orchestra!
Scavenger hunt for early years
Gather sweet- or rich-smelling items and create a woodland perfume. Take a deeeeeeeep breath next time you’re in the woods. What can you smell? Collect your favourite scents and pop them into an empty yoghurt pot Do they smell strong, sweet, earthy? Smells can come from all sorts of places sticks, flowers, leaves Does early spring have a different smell to late spring?
Follow these simple steps and find out how to plant seeds. Growing anything from a seed is exciting, but it can be tricky. Just follow our top tips and watch your seeds flourish! Gather seeds during autumn look for acorns, conkers and helicopters beneath trees Once you have your seed, all you need is a bit of compost and a yoghurt pot You can grow all sorts from seeds have a go at wildflowers too!
Collect different textures and create a sensory box for your mini Nature Detective. Babies and toddlers are fascinated by textures and smells. What will you add to your box? Make a memento of your woodland journey Add items that your little one makes a beeline for leaves, feathers and sticks are great! Remember to choose lots of textures
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 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.