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17 Sunflower activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Sunflowers (also called Helianthus) are beautiful flowers that provide an important source of food for a variety of wildlife. Pollinating insects like bees, butterflies, moths and beetles feed on the pollen and nectar, and many species of bird, mammals and invertebrates feed on the seeds, leaves and stems. There are over 70 species of sunflower in…
16 Wildflower activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Wildflowers are flowering plants that grow and spread naturally in the wild. There are over 16000 species of wildflower in the UK and they play an important role in the environment by providing food, shelter and egg laying spaces for a wide variety of wildlife as well as producing oxygen, absorbing carbon, adding nutrients and…
13 Root activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Roots are the organs that plants and trees use to absorb water and nutrients as well as anchoring them to surfaces for stability and support. Roots also play an important role in the wider environment by preventing soil erosion, forming symbiotic relationships with other organisms, filtering water and helping to break down harmful microbes and…
12 Wind activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Wind is the movement of air across the surface of the earth. We really on wind to transport heat and moisture around the planet, bringing rain to drier areas like desserts and warmth to colder regions. Wind also helps to pollinate plants, disperse seeds and provide clean air and renewable sources of energy. The movement…
26 Fungi and mushroom 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…
10 Shield bug activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Shield bugs (also known as stink bugs) and dock bugs are shield shaped insects that play an important role in the environment by pollinating flowers, controlling populations of pest insects, protecting crops and providing food for a wide variety of other animals. There are over 7000 species of Shieldbug in the world 46 of which…
22 Wasp activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 33,000 species of wasp in the world and they play a vital role in the environment controlling pest populations of insects, protecting crops, pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, breaking down biomass in the soil and providing a important source of food for other animals and even some humans. Wasps come in a surprising…
20 Hazel 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…
17 Owl activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 250 species of owl in the world and they play a vital role in the environment by controlling pest populations of insects as well as protecting crops, clearing up carrion (which helps prevent the spread of disease), dispersing seeds and providing a source of food for other animals. Most owls are nocturnal…
24 Wildlife at night activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Just as the rest of the world is going to sleep the creatures of the night begin to emerge. This is a wonderful time to observe and discover the hidden world of nocturnal wildlife you never normally see. Nocturnal animals are animals that are more active at night and usually asleep during the day, they…
11 Teasel activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Teasel is a tall, spiky wild flowering plant that provides food, shelter and egg laying spaces for several species of bird and small mammal as well as a wide variety of pollinating insects like, bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and beetles. The deep plant roots also help to prevent soil erosion. Teasel plants have long stems covered in spikes, spiny…
20 Grass activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Grass is an amazing and much over looked plant that provides food, shelter and homes for a wide variety of wildlife as well as producing oxygen, absorbing carbon, preventing soil erosion, filtering water and breaking down harmful microbes and pollutants. Grasses have adapted to survive in a wide variety of climates and different environments worldwide…
11 Wild marjoram activity ideas + recipes – 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…
8 Horsetail activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Horsetail is a flowerless, 'living fossil' plant with long stems and wiry, thin leaves that reproduces via spores. There are over 20 species of Horsetail in the world, 8 of which can be found in the UK and they all play an important role in the environment, by providing food and shelter to a wide…
14 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…
11 Grasshopper activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Grasshoppers are ancient, plant eating insects that play an important role in the environment by recycling nutrients back into the soil. reducing the spread of invasive plants and providing an important source of food for other wildlife like birds, bats, spiders, mice, frogs, lizards, and snakes. Some species of grasshoppers like locusts can be detrimental to…
10 Sea anemone activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Sea anemones are beautiful, marine predators that use stinging tentacles to paralyse and catch their prey. They play an important role in marine and coral reef environments by recycling nutrients like nitrogen, sheltering small sea animals from predators and providing a source of food to other marine animals like sea turtles, sea stars, sea slugs…
10 Holly activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Holly is an evergreen tree with distinctive spikey green leaves and bright red berries. It also plays an important role in the environment by providing food and shelter for hundreds of species of animal, as well as other organisms like lichen and fungi. A wide variety of animals feed on the berries, seeds, leaves, flowers, bark…
17 Nature therapy and mindfulness activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Being able to connect with nature is so important for our physical and mental well being. Many studies have shown that spending time outdoors in nature helps lower levels of anxiety, stress and depression in both adults and children. Nature can be therapeutic in so many ways, it helps stimulate the senses, brightens your mood…
10 Stag beetle activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
European stag beetles are one of Europe's largest and most impressive beetles. Male stag beetles can grow anywhere from 5-8cms long and they have impressive stag like mandibles (jaws) that they use for mating courtship and for wrestling other male stag beetles with. Female European stag beetles are smaller then the males (3-5cm) with shorter,…
16 Earthworm activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Earthworms play an unseen but absolutely vital role in our environment and eco systems. They decompose organic matter by feeding on it and recycling the nutrients back into the soil as food for plants and other organisms. Worm poo (or castings) can contain up to 5 times more nitrogen, 7 times more phosphorus, and 1000…
Geocaching – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Geocaching is a fun and easy outdoor activity for all ages that also gives you a great excuse to explore new areas and places. It is basically a treasure hunting activity where you look for hidden caches of objects using online clues and your GPS coordinates. The clues and geocache locations are accessed via a…
Corn/Maize activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
You might be surprised to find that corn (also known as maize) is an entirely human invention! Corn plants don't occur naturally in the wild, they were actually created and cultivated by native farmers in Southern Mexico over 9000 years ago. They took the seeds of a small wild grass called Teosinte and then spent…
23 Life cycle activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
A life cycle is the cycle different stages a living thing goes through from birth to death. They normally show the growth and changes of a particular animal, plant or organism, from the first stages of its life, through to its development as an adult, ending in reproduction and the conception of the the next…
9 Tick activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are over 900 species of tick in the world, 20 of which can be found in the UK. Ticks have existed on planet Earth for over 145 million years, with fossilised tick remains found in amber dating back to the Early Cretatous period. These tiny parasitic arachnids survive by feeding on the blood of…
14 Slug activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Did you know that slugs play a vital role in our environment and ecosystems? They feed on decaying organic matter which helps with decomposition and releases nutrients back into the soil as food for plants. They also provide an important source of food for an extraordinary array of wildlife, from mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes and…
11 Squirrel activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Squirrels are small, quick, climbing mammals that play an important role in the environment, dispersing seeds and beneficial fungi, returning nutrients to the soil, regenerating forests, controlling populations of pest insects and providing a vital source of food for a wide variety of other wildlife including birds of prey like owls, eagles, buzzards and kestrels,…
11 Newt activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
There are three native species of newts in the UK and they all play an important role in the environment by controlling populations of pest insects like mosquitoes and midges (which in turn reduces the risk of insect-borne diseases), recycling nutrients back into water and land habitats, and by providing a vital source of food…
12 Aphid activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Aphids are tiny often overlooked insects that play an important role in the environment by providing food for a wide variety of other animals as well as forming symbiotic relationships with plants, animals and fungi. Often considered pests by gardeners and farmers they are actually a vital part of the food chain and healthy eco-systems,…
18 Limpet activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Limpets are amazing little ecosystem engineers that play a vital role in marine habitats. These wonderful and often overlooked sea snails spend most of their time underwater eating bacteria and algae, cleaning off surfaces and clearing space for other animals and organisms to thrive and survive. They also provide an important source of food for…
Sun science activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
All of life on Earth depends on the sun and the energy it produces for survival. The suns energy creates our heat and light, drives our weather systems and the water cycle as well as being vital for photosynthesis and the oxygen we breathe. The Sun is made mostly made up of hydrogen (about 90%)…
16 Buttercup activity ideas – 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…
25 World Bee day activities – 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…
No Mow May with Plantlife 2025 – 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…
30 Days Wild 2025 + 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 of any age can take part and if you sign up you can also select the option to receive a fun free postal pack, either…
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 Fossil activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
A fossil is the preserved remains, imprints or impression of a once living thing like an animal or a plant. Did you know the word fossil comes from the Latin word 'fossilis' which meant "obtained by digging" Fossils have been found on every continent in the world. The oldest fossil found to date is a…
15 Seed science activity ideas – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
Seeds are the amazing little vessels that carry the building blocks of life. A single seed usually consists of an undeveloped embryo of a plant alongside a store of food, both of which are protected by a outer casing called the seed coat. Many species of plants have also evolved specialized seed shapes and release…
PondNet Spawn Survey – Childsplayabc ~ Nature is our playground
The Freshwater Habitats Trust are asking people to help them map sightings of any frog spawn or toad spawn you might find, so they can gather data on the locations of breeding frogs and toads across the UK. Anyone can take part and it is free, quick and easy to do. Plus by taking part…
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…