World Around Us
Colour in this spooky bat! Get inspired by nature and create this brilliant bat picture. Create a dark background using sweet wrappers and tissue paper. Or make a collage from old magazines Add lines of white or yellow to his wings and ears to show where they reflect the moonlight Did you know? The common pipistrelle bat can eat more than 3,000 insects in one night
Transform into a brilliant bat! Are you adventurous? Do you like exploring new places and trying lots of new things? Do you love hanging out with your friends? If so, you’re a bat! Print out and make up this marvellous mask to complete your transformation.
Use this spotter sheet to identify butterflies fluttering in the sunshine. Look out for these insects sipping nectar from flowers and basking in the sunshine. Look for butterfly eggs on the underside of leaves Butterfly caterpillars come in all colours, shapes and sizes, but please don’t Use this spotter sheet to identify butterflies fluttering in the sunshine. Look out for these insects sipping nectar from flowers and basking in the sunshine. Look for butterfly eggs on the underside of leaves Butterfly caterpillars come in all colours, shapes and sizes, but please don’t touch them The transformation stage that takes place when caterpillars become butterflies is called pupation Butterflies come in lots of bright colours. Spot them flitting between flowers throughout the spring, summer and autumn.
Get creative with your mini Nature Detective. Grab your favourite colouring crayons and make a masterpiece together. Choose greens, yellows, oranges and reds or whatever colour you fancy! Colour in lots of beech leaves and make your own forest Make a leaf collage using sweet wrappers, foil and coloured paper Paint the hands of very little Nature Detectives and let them splat their prints onto the leaf.
Find and identify these beetles when you’re out and about. Look out for beetles scurrying around and among deadwood, tree stumps, flowers and plants. There are lots of different types of beetle how many can you find? Did you know that ladybirds are beetles? Some beetles eat pollen, some eat tree sap and others eat other invertebrates!
Lots of activities exploring the forest ecosystem
Learn about the term Biodiversity
Start spotting birds
Attract more birds to your garden – make one of these fantastic bird feeders! Recycle an old juice or milk carton and get creative Use garden twine to secure your feeder somewhere the birds can reach it Remember to keep the bird feeder topped up with fresh food and replace it with a new one when it gets dirty How many different birds have visited your garden? Are there any who keep coming back?
Look out for these birds next time you’re out and about. How many different types of birds can you spot? Some might be on the ground, others might be in the trees, and some might even be flying through the air! Tempt birds to visit your garden by leaving out seeds, mealworms and fruit Some birds are really tiny, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled! Do you have a favourite bird?
Fun activity pretending to be birds to start your session
Colouring in sheet with blackberries
Grab your ingredients and bake this scrummy cobbler! Gather blackberries and create this tasty treat for your family and friends. Little brothers and sisters can help with this recipe Don’t forget to ask your grown-up to help the oven can get very hot Remember to share your cobbler when it’s ready and show off your cookery skills! Try other fruit for a seasonal twist raspberries and blueberries are tasty too!
Get creative with your little one and colour in this juicy blackberry. Make a finger painting with purple paint Use scraps of fabric to make a collage Squish real blackberries straight on the paper. (Wear an apron to protect your clothes – the juice stains clothes and hands!) Go blackberry-picking in late summer. How many fat, ripe berries can you spot together? Watch out for the spiky thorns – they’re sharp!
Get a blackberry boost with this tasty smoothie! Follow our simple recipe to make this super smoothie! Foraged blackberries are best, but remember to leave some for the birds Don’t forget to get rid of the pips! Try experimenting with different fruits and see what you can create Remember if you’re making a smoothie for more than one person, you’ll need extra ingredients.
Cover your friend’s eyes and guide them round the woods. Next time you’re in the woods, cover your friend’s eyes with a blindfold, and ask them to explore. Carefully guide your friends through the woods Do they notice the difference between open and closed patches of woodland? Can they hear, smell and feel more now their eyes are covered? Try moving through different parts of the woods, but make sure your friend doesn’t trip or fall!
Keep your eyes peeled for frothy blossom and furry catkins. You’ll find blossom almost everywhere you look during spring! Spot white, pink, cream and even green flowers peeking out from hedgerows and branches. And learn how to identify wild cherry, hawthorn, crab apple and more! Different trees bloom at different times Blossom looks like flowers, catkins are long and thin Some blossom comes out before leaves, some afterwards How many different types can you find?
Make a pretty spring picture using tissue paper. Blossom grows on many trees and hedges in spring. Can you spot any where you live? You can make your own blossom at home with this fun craft. Go on a walk and find an interesting stick. Glue it to some card. Scrunch up small pieces of white and pink tissue paper to make the blossom. Stick the tissue paper blossom alongside the twig. When you’ve finished, don’t forget to frame your picture and hang it on your wall!
Try this simple spring craft with babies and toddlers. This a great activity to do in spring when trees are covered in frothy blossom. Go for a walk and look for an interesting stick. Can you spot blossom growing on trees and hedges? Use white and pink paint to create realistic-looking blossom, or choose your child’s favourite colours! Help your little one dip their fingers into the paint and dab it onto the paper to make the blossom. This is a fantastic sensory experience! When you’ve finished, pop the picture in a frame and put it on your wall. It would also make a great gift for proud grandparents!
This is a fun sensory activity for babies and toddlers. In spring, some trees grow blossom. The soft, scented flowers are brilliant for stimulating your child’s senses. Just sit your little one under a tree covered in blossom. Then watch their delight as the branches move in the This is a fun sensory activity for babies and toddlers. In spring, some trees grow blossom. The soft, scented flowers are brilliant for stimulating your child’s senses. Just sit your little one under a tree covered in blossom. Then watch their delight as the branches move in the breeze and petals come floating down around them! Encourage your tiny explorer to feel the silky petals Breathe in the sweet scent of the blossom Watch out for bees buzzing round the tree, collecting nectar and pollen
Got your ingredients ready? Let’s get baking! Create tasty cupcakes for your family, friends or yourself! Decorate them with bright blue icing and sparkles Try making cupcakes inspired by other woodland flowers Head out on a woodland wander and get inspired. Show off all the colours of the season in your cakes. Yum!
Create a dazzling display of spring flowers! We have some beautiful bluebell woods in the UK. The iconic flowers appear in April and May, and they can turn the forest floor into a sea of blue! Make your own bluebell art with this mosaic activity: Collect scraps of blue, purple and green paper. Why not reuse old magazines and junk mail? Cut the paper into tiny pieces. Print off the mosaic activity sheet and stick them onto the outline. Did you know? Mosaic art was very popular in Roman times when it was used to show off a person’s wealth and importance.
Begin exploring bugs
Have a go at building a birds nest will it be strong and safe enough to hold pebble eggs? Birds nests need to be strong and sturdy enough to withstand wind, while still being cosy. Could you make a nest that’s up to the test? Experiment with different natural materials what works best? Is your nest stronger with mud, or is it better without it? Have a go at building your nest with one hand birds only have their beaks, after all!
Follow our step by step guide to building your own campfire! Building a campfire is an exciting adventure. And it’s the perfect place to tell spooky stories and toast marshmallows. Collect materials from the woodland floor look for dry sticks, grass and leaves Build your fire slowly – use small twigs first, then larger ones Stay safe Always ask the landowner’s permission before starting a campfire. The Woodland Trust does not allow fires in its woods. Ask a grown-up to help. Build your fire away from trees and bushes. Don’t make it too big. Remember to put your campfire out properly before you head home.