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18 Ice play activity ideas – STEM and sensory – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Ice play is a great activity for children of all ages. It is so quick and simple to make and you can easily add extra sensory elements using scented herbs, flavoured oils, colouring and textured natural materials. You can find 16 fun and easy ice play ideas below, from sensory and crafts to STEM activities and…
22 Blackberry activity ideas + recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Blackberries are full of flavour, smell and colour which makes them perfect for sensory exploration and play. You can find lots of fun and simple blackberry activity ideas below, from taste safe paint, non toxic slime and edible blackberry play dough to water play, botanical dyes and Tataki Zome. As well as lots of tasty…
The Big Butterfly Count 2024 – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
The Big Butterfly Count is the world’s largest survey of butterflies and this year it starts on Friday 12th July and runs until Sunday the 4th August. Anyone in the UK can take part. It only takes 15 mins and is free, fun and easy to do. All you need to do is download a…
15 Badger activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Badgers are one of the most iconic animals you can find in the UK however they are also one of the most elusive. They are mostly active at night just after dusk or before dawn and they spend most of the day sleeping in large underground burrows called setts. Badgers play a special role in…
18 Ladybird activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 3500 species of ladybird in the world, 46 of which can be found in the UK. Ladybirds (also known as ladybugs) belong to a family of beetles called Coccinellidae and they play a vital role in the environment by pollinating plants, controlling populations of insects, protecting crops from aphid infestations and providing…
19 Fly activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 100,000 species of true flies in the world and they play a vital role in the environment by pollinating plants, breaking down organic waste matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil. providing a vital source of food for other wildlife as well as controlling populations of pests. True flies are flying insects…
13 Ragwort activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Ragwort is a a beautiful wild flowering plant that provide a vital source of food, shelter and egg laying spaces for over 200 species of wildlife., including bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies, beetles, bugs and fungi. Of these there are 30 species that are entirely dependent on ragwort as a food source and a further third…
23 Mushroom and fungi activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
The fungi kingdom is a fantastically weird and wonderful family of diverse organisms, that includes over 144,000 species of mushrooms, moulds yeasts, rusts, smuts, ergots and mildews. Fungi play a vital role in the environment by breaking down organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil and providing food, water and shelter for animals, plants…
19 Fox activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Foxes play an important role in urban and rural environments by controlling populations of pest animals (like rats and mice), dispersing seeds via their scat (fox poo) and minimising the spread of diseases by scavenging on carrion. Foxes are mostly nocturnal which means they are more active at night, but it isn't unusual to see…
15 Mice, vole and shrew activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Mice, voles and shrews are all small mammals that play an important role in the environment, providing a vital source of food for a wide variety of other wildlife including, owls, kestrels, weasels, stoats, foxes and badgers, as well as controlling populations of pest insects, dispersing seed, returning nutrients to the soil and decomposing and…
10 Elder tree activity ideas and recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Elder trees provide a vital source of food and shelter for many species of wildlife. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators feed on the pollen and nectar of elderflowers, the caterpillars of many moths feed on the leaves and small mammals and birds feed on the elderberries. Trees in general are such an important and vital…
18 Pollination and pollinator activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Over a third of the food we eat comes from plants that rely on pollination, as do medicines like morphine and aspirin and materials like cotton,. Pollination is a process that plants use to transfer male cells from one plant to the female cells of another plant so that fertilisation can take place. Fertilization is…
10 Hawthorn activity ideas + recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Hawthorn trees provide a vital source of food and shelter for a wide variety of animals. The dense leaves and thorny branches provide safe nesting spaces for birds like thrushes, blackbirds and bullfinches. as well as providing safe egg laying spaces and food for over 300 species of insect and other invertebrates, including butterflies, moths, beetles,…
21 Habitat activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
A habitat is a place where plants, animals and other organisms live. The word habitat originally comes from the Latin word habitare, which meant "to live or dwell" and it is used to refer to any environmental factors or physical resources in an area that allow any plants, animals or other organisms to survive, thrive…
11 Ivy activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Ivy is a much overlooked, flowering, wild plant that provides an important source of food and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife all year round. Over 140 species of insect and 17 species of bird feed on the pollen, nectar, leaves, berries and seeds of ivy, with many other species of animal (including mammals)…
25 Strawberry activity ideas and recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Did you know that strawberry plants are a member of the rose family? Ancient Roman’s used to eat wild strawberries as they believed they had medicinal properties and in the 14th century the French began gathering wild strawberry plants from forests to plant in their garden. The garden strawberries that we know and eat now…
15 Deer activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Deer are large grazing and browsing mammals that feed on leaves, shoots, grass, sedge, moss, lichen, fruits, berries, nuts, twigs and bark. Healthy, normal populations of native deer benefit the environment by dispersing seeds and recycling nutrients into the soil via their scat (deer poo), as well as maintaining semi open habitats that benefit wildflowers…
20 Hazel tree activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Hazel trees provide a vital source of food and shelter for a wide variety of animals, plants and other organisms, including 21 species of fungi and several rare species of lichen, liverwort and moss. Over 250 species of animal also feed on the seeds, leaves, flowers, wood and bark of hazel trees. Trees in general are…
9 Wild marjoram activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Wild marjoram (also known as oregano) is a wonderfully fragrant and versatile edible herb that you can easily grow in your garden, in a pot or on a window sill. Not only does it taste and smell great it’s also a fantastic plant to grow for pollinators like bees, beetles, butterflies and hoverflies, thanks to…
12 Mole activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Moles are small burrowing mammals that spend almost all of their lives underground digging tunnels and searching for food. They play a special role in the environment by aerating soil, mixing and dispersing nutrients underground as well as improving soil drainage. They also provide an important source of food for other wildlife like tawny owls,…
14 Ribwort plantain activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Ribwort plantain (also known as narrowleaf or English plantain) is a beautiful and often overlooked wild flowering plant that provides an important source of food for a variety of wildlife. Pollinating insects like bees, beetles and hoverflies feed on the pollen and nectar, rabbits and caterpillars (from of several species of butterfly and moth) eat the leaves…
12 Slow worm activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Slow worms (also called blind worms and deaf adders) are quick moving, legless lizards that provide an important source of food for a wide variety of wildlife. Golden brown and grey or copper in colour they are often mistaken for snakes due to their body shape and movement. However slow worms are much smaller than…
33 Rose activity ideas + recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
We are lucky to have some beautiful roses in the garden that produce the most gorgeous pink flowers. Did you know there are over 300 species of rose in the world and fossils of roses have been found that date back to 35 million years ago?! Roses can live for a surprisingly long time, the…
25 World Bee day activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
To celebrate World bee day on the 20th May here are 25+ fun and simple activities that children and adults of all ages will enjoy. Did you know there are over 20,000 species of bee in the world, 90% of which are solitary bees! You may also be surprised to find that there are only…
16 Mint activity ideas + recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Mint is a wonderfully fragrant and versatile edible herb that you can easily grow in your garden, in pots or on a window sill. Not only does it taste and smell great it’s also a fantastic plant to grow for wildlife, many species of birds, beetle, moth, slugs, snails and spider rely on mint as…
14 Chive activity ideas + recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Chives are a wonderfully fragrant and edible herb that belong to the Allium family. Did you know there are actually over 920 species of Allium plants which also include onions, leeks and wild garlic? Chives produce hollow tapering leaves and beautiful pom pom purple flowers that are nectar rich and provide a valuable source of…
30 Days Wild 2024 Sign Up + 200 Nature activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
30 days wild is a fantastic initiative from the Wildlife Trusts in which they encourage people to engage with nature and the outdoors for the 30 days of June. Anyone can take part and if you sign up you can also get a fun, free activity pack here. (There are packs for family's, care homes,…
29 Rainbow activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Sunlight which appears to us mostly as white light is actually made up of a spectrum of different colours which you can see when rainbows form. Rainbows appear in the sky when sunlight shining from behind us, hits the water droplets in the air in front of us at a 42 degree angle. When sunlight…
No Mow May with Plantlife – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
No Mow May is a wonderful nature conservation initiative from Plantlife, all you have to do to take part is to not mow the lawn or any grass during May. As wildlife habitats are in decline with a loss of over 90% of wildflower rich meadows in the UK since the 1930's, it is more…
16 Buttercup activity ideas + fun facts – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Buttercups are bright and cheerful wildflowers that provide an important source of food for pollinators and other wildlife. With over 1700 species of Buttercup world wide these beautiful and prolific little wildflowers have developed many clever tricks to help them to thrive and survive in a competitive world. Buttercups are unique in having shiny petals…
20 Gardening activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Did you know that gardening and growing your own food is good for your physical and mental health? Many studies have also shown that spending time outdoors in nature helps lower levels of anxiety, stress and depression in both adults and children. It's especially useful for helping children to calm themselves down and regulate their…
14 Bluebell activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Did you know over half of the worlds population of bluebells can be found growing in the UK? These beautiful, spring flowers provide an important early source of food for a variety of wildlife including pollinating insects like butterflies, beetles, bees and hoverflies. Some species of bee will even bite holes through the bottoms of…
20 Ways to Make a home for wildlife – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
As wildlife habitats are in decline it’s more important than ever to make space for wildlife in our gardens or around our homes. You can find a whole range of simple and easy ideas for making a home for wildlife in your garden below. Even if you don't have a garden you can make use…
30+ Easter crafts, games and activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
30 fun and easy Easter crafts, games, recipes and activity ideas, that children of all ages can explore and enjoy. From science and sensory to arts and crafts. And the best bit is that most of them are made using recycled materials you can find around the house or garden. 1. Jelly filled egg shells…
12 Daisy activity ideas and recipes + fun facts – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Daisies are beautiful wildflowers that provide an important source of food for wildlife. Pollinating insects like bees, butterflies, beetles feed on the pollen and nectar, earwigs and other minibeasts eat the petals and snails, slugs and mammals like rabbits and deer eat the whole daisy plant. Some species of bird even feed on the seeds. Daisies…
17 Daffodil activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 26,000 cultivated varieties of daffodil but only one species that is truly native to the UK. You might be surprised to find that Daffodils are NOT good plants to grow for wildlife, most commercial varieties are so hybridized (cross-bred) that they are sterile, produce very little pollen or nectar or have lost…
Three-cornered leek recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Three-cornered leeks (or Allium triuetrum) are an edible wild plant that belongs to the Allium family of plants, which also includes onion, garlic, leek and chives. The whole of the plant is edible which means you can eat the leaves, buds, flowers roots and bulbs. Three-cornered leeks are actually an invasive species in the UK,…
12 Nettle activities and recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Did you know stinging nettles provide an important source of food for wildlife! The caterpillars of several species of butterfly and moth rely on the plants for food, ladybirds lay their eggs on the leaves, bees and other pollinators feed on the nectar from the flowers and some species of bird even feed on the…
15 Dandelion activity ideas and recipes – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Dandelions are beautiful wildflowers that provide an important source of food for pollinators. They flower early in the year long before any other plants. Bees, butterflies, and many other insects feed on the pollen and nectar, and caterpillars of butterflies and moths feed on the plants. Some species of bird even feed on the seeds.…
17 Daffodil activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 26,000 cultivated species of daffodil but only one that is truly native to the UK. You might be surprised to find that Daffodils are NOT good plants to grow for wildlife, most commercial varieties are so hybridized (cross-bred) that they are sterile, produce very little pollen or nectar or have lost some…