Now that half term is here why not wrap up warm and get outdoors. This week's activities will inspire children and parents to use all their senses to connect with nature.
Ages 3 - 6
There are lots of lovely ideas for engaging with nature in this LEAF Education resource, take part in the Boris the Badger Nature Competition as well for the chance of winning a signed copy of the children's book Boris the Lost Badger written by Brian Hainsworth.
Try these activities, designed to activate hearing and increase engagement with the environment through Attentive Listening.
Find a multitude of resources here that are designed by PECT to enhance your children’s Understanding of the World around them and enable them to discover more about the environment. PECT endorse bringing families together to enjoy, appreciate and protect the environment and by doing so having a positive effect on their physical and mental health.
Ages 7 - 11
Mice, Skittles and Wands are all readily whittled by little hands with a good quality potato peeler and a sturdy stick of green wood.
Check out the National Trust's list of Fifty Outdoor Adventures to connect children with nature, from climbing trees and making dens to hunting for bugs and birdwatching, the list contains a wealth of ideas to get children back into the wild. Children can log their adventures online via a dedicated website or work their way through the free 50 things scrapbook.
Have fun making some seed bombs to help feed the birds and animals in your garden but also feed your senses by using this Let Nature Feed Your Senses resource.
Ages 11 - 16
This resource aims to encourage new approaches to Drawing using the things that you might have to hand in an outdoor setting.
Many people enjoy seeing wildlife in their grounds, or local area. Most of the time though we only see those that are active during the day, like birds on a feeder. Use this resource from Learning through Landscapes to make a simple soil/sand trap that will allow you to capture the footprints of those unseen visitors and those that visit at night!
Use this outdoor educational tool produced by the Camp Hill Estate to allow children to experience nature, develop life skills and bond with one another in the joys of the outdoors.
For more home education resources, go to the Countryside Classroom Home Education Hub. We will also be posting a blog highlighting a range of resources on the themes of Careers in the Countryside, Cultivating and Propagating, Cooking and Baking, Crafting and drawing. All resources were originally written for school use, but are equally suitable for education at home, while following government guidelines on social distancing.
Do share what you are doing with us, and other home educators, at #CountrysideClassroom.
