Primary •
Primary
Can you match the seeds to the trees? You’ll see loads of seeds during autumn. Play our game and match them to their trees and leaves. How many did you get right? How many of these seeds can you spot while you’re out and about? Did you find any other seeds in the woods? Try collecting the seeds you find and match them to those in the game.
Spot these tracks on your travels – do you know which animal they belong to? Be a real Nature Detective! Keep your eyes peeled for prints while you’re out and about Look out for footprints in soft ground It’s best to spot tracks in snow or after a rain shower Have you spotted any other tracks? Where did you find them
Join the dots and find the mystery picture Grab your favourite pencil get puzzling. When you’ve finished, check out the mystery picture! Are you up to the challenge? Make sure you join dots of the same colour, and follow the numbers! Do you know which tree or plant the leaves and seeds have come from? How quickly can you discover the answer to the puzzle? If you’ve puzzled out the mega match-up, have a go at one of our other puzzles or games.
Julia Robertson takes a class outside to show them how to study maths outdoors
Can you find all the birds in the grid? From swifts and swallows to cuckoos and ospreys, many birds migrate to the UK for the summer. It’s a good place to raise chicks because there’s lots of natural food around. Download the wordsearch and see how many migratory birds you can find.
10 Covid-19 friendly lesson plans from Outdoor Symposium Aug 2020
Use this spotter sheet to help you identify flying insects. Look to the skies and see how many of these winged minibeasts you can see. Some insects buzz, some flutter and some hover how many of each can you find? Look in different habitats like woods, meadows and by rivers and ponds Can you spot any insects resting on leaves in the sunshine? Be careful when hunting minibeasts they can be delicate, so if you pick one up to get a closer look, be gentle.
Follow minibeasts and see where they go! Keep your eyes peeled for minibeasts buzzing among the flowers and scuttling through the undergrowth. Where do they go? Follow bees, butterflies and ants Do the minibeasts go anywhere you didn’t expect? Try and find out how many flowers a bee visits before it buzzes off for home How long can you follow a minibeast before you lose sight of it?
Build a den for your toys so they can join in the fun! Get creative with sticks, leaves and other natural bits and bobs, and make a mini woodland hideaway. Make sure you build your den in a sheltered spot, so it’s away from the wind Will your den be tall or small? Which sticks are best for the walls? Experiment with grass and fallen leaves which makes the comfiest floor? Little brothers and sisters will love helping you with this activity, so try making enough dens for everyone.
Make your own mini woodland using bits and bobs from the forest floor. Ever wondered what it would be like to be a giant wandering through the woods? Well now’s your chance! All you need is a flat, smooth patch of ground, and then you can get creative! What will you use for trees, bushes and ponds? Think about their shape, colour and texture Do any animals or magical creatures live in your wood? What are they? Your woodland can be as big or as tiny as you like all you need is your imagination and a few bits and pieces!
When you’re off adventuring, use this spotter sheet to hunt for minibeasts. There’s no better time to head out on a marvellous minibeast hunt! Look for creepy crawlies under logs and stones Spot insects in the air Do they come out in the sunshine or after rain? Be a real Nature Detective! Next time you go to the woods or play in your garden, try and find these minibeasts. Where do they like to hide? How many did you discover?
Design and build your own minibeast mansion! All animals need somewhere to sleep and to hide from predators, and minibeasts are no different. Think about what might want to live in your mansion some minibeasts prefer dark, damp places and others like bright sunshine Gather sticks, moss, leaves, bark and other woodland items together Get building! Make sure there are lots of places for the creatures to hide Your mansion can be as big or small as you like, but build it on different levels using different materials so the minibeasts have lots of places to hide.
Create a home for creepy crawlies Find a sheltered spot and build a marvellous minibeast palace. Use twigs, leaves and grass to make it cosy Different minibeasts like different places to hide twig towers are great Minibeasts will hibernate, munch through and lay their eggs in the palace Next time you go to the woods, check to see if any creepy crawlies have moved in!
Can you find the creepy crawlies hiding in the tree canopy? You’ll need your best detective skills for this activity! Download the colourful puzzle sheet and see if you can find all 10 minibeasts hiding among the leaves. Think you’ve found them all? Check your answers. When you’ve finished, head outside and look at a real tree. What can you spot crawling over bark and lurking underneath leaves?
Explore minibeasts in your school grounds
Find and identify these moth caterpillars. Moths start life as caterpillars. Take this ID sheet with you next time you’re out and about, and see how many moth caterpillars you can find. Some moth caterpillars are covered in hairs, but others are smooth As they grow, caterpillars go through different stages called instars Caterpillars are fussy eaters they’ll only munch on their favourite plants Don’t touch the caterpillars you find. They re very delicate and their hairs can make your skin itch.
Fun mud activities
Follow Nadiya Hussain’s recipe and create these festive treats! Nadiya Hussain, star of the Great British Bake Off, has shared one of her favourite festive recipes with us her ginger fir tree biscuits! Download the recipe and get stuck in they re really simple to make and super tasty. Her book, Bake Me A Festive Story (Hodder Children’s Books), is filled with loads more scrummy Christmassy recipes ready for you to try. So grab your ingredients, pull on your pinny and get baking!
Collect colourful treasures and make a bangle. Try this creative craft on a trip to the woods. It’s a brilliant way to explore autumn’s bright colours and exciting textures, but you can do it at any time of year. Fasten a strip of card around your wrist. Add some double-sided sticky tape. Explore the forest floor and look for interesting items to add to your bracelet. This is a great way to encourage youngsters to look closer at the natural world. What does each item look like? How does it fell? Does it smell?
Resource for NIFSA Survival Thematic
Children within Key Stage 2 stage will investigate, explore and learn about the environment
by utilising and working in a Forest School setting. This may be within their grounds or
forest area nearby. They will meet the objectives of the Northern Ireland Curriculum whilst
also developing the aims and values of NIFSA.
The children will use the forest to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills across
a range of learning areas. The theme allows the teacher a wide variety of opportunities
to connect the learning from the Forest School setting to other opportunities within the
classroom and to make relevant connections across the curriculum
How many moths can you identify? Look out for different types of moth fluttering through the twilight and use this sheet to ID them. Some moths like the poplar hawk-moth have a wing span of up to 9cm! Lots of moths come to light, while you’ll find others sipping nectar from flowers Make your own sugar solution and tempt moths to visit your garden
Head into the twilight and hunt for nocturnal animals. Grab your torch and head outside at night to see how many different animals you can spot. Listen carefully can you hear anything snuffling through the undergrowth? How many different creatures can you see? Don’t forget to look out for minibeasts! Lots of animals come out at night, so keep your eyes peeled!
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?