This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links will be clearly marked with a * and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission from that sale. Are you feeding your garden birds this winter? These homemade bird feeders are a great way to give them a helping hand! Why it's important to feed wild birds in winter Winter is a tough time of year for wild birds, as natural food sources such as ...
Easy Halloween craft: spooky spider plants
We've had so much fun making these spooky spider plants! Aren't they just perfect for Halloween? I saw this easy Halloween craft idea on the Amateur Gardening website, and thought the kids would love to have a go. We did this craft outdoors, but it would work perfectly well indoors if the weather isn't great. How to make spooky spider plants Before we started, we gathered all the bits and pieces we would need; plant pots (please try ...
Taking the RSPB Wild Challenge: trees, leaves and seeds
Have you been getting outdoors and enjoying nature this autumn? We’ve been trying to make the most of the mild weather, and enjoying all that nature has to offer at this time of year. If you read the blog regularly you’ll know that we’re partnering with RSPB on lots of fun nature projects, and this month we’ve been trying out another of their Wild Challenge activities. RSPB Wild Challenge is all about helping wildlife and connecting with ...
Ideas for enjoying autumn outdoors with children
I just love autumn. The weather is still mild, the sunlight is at a fabulous angle, and nature is visibly changing everywhere you look. My kids love it too; it’s such a tactile time of year with all those crisp leaves, changing colours, and of course the conkers! As September marches on, I’ve been thinking about how to make the most of being outdoors with the kids as much as possible before the colder weather arrives. Autumn is ...
Five easy ways to encourage outdoor play
Collaborative post If you’re a parent or carer, you’ll no doubt be well aware of the constant presence of screens and the internet in your children’s lives. And you probably spend quite a bit of time and energy trying to strike a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. One really great way to achieve that balance is to encourage outdoor play. Getting kids active outside has so many benefits: it encourages ...
Ideas for multigenerational days out
Collaborative post The school holidays are in full swing, have you got any days out planned? I’m very late with the summer activity planning this year. I usually have lots of things planned before the schools break up, but we went camping as soon as term ended, so all my focus was on that trip. Now we’re home I need to get myself organised! Whether you’re juggling childcare, heading off on holiday, or planning a staycation, ...
Nature Craft: making a journey stick
We recently spent a lovely morning exploring nature at the Skylarks nature reserve in Nottingham, which is part of the Wildlife Trusts. One of the activities was making something called a journey stick during a nature walk. I'd never heard of journey sticks before, but apparently they've been around for a very long time. A journey stick is essentially a memento of a nature walk, featuring items collected whilst on the walk; ...
Gardening for Nature: easy ways to create a bee-friendly garden
If you’re interested in gardening and nature you’re probably aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. What you might not be aware of is just how important bees are to us and the planet in general. Bees don’t just make honey and give us a lovely sound in the garden on summer afternoons. Bees are vital for the pollination of plants - including food crops - and this insect family which is in ...
5 fun, low-cost family days out
Collaborative post The school holidays are almost upon us - are you ready?! I really look forward to having some much-needed downtime as a family at this time of year; everyone is usually pretty frazzled by the time we get to the end of term! But that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit around getting bored this summer; we’ve got a camping trip planned, and we’ll definitely be heading off on a few family days out. You probably know ...
Growing sunflowers with children
Have you planted any seeds yet this year? Now's the ideal time to get growing, and if you're looking for easy seeds to grow with children it's hard to beat sunflowers. As well as producing seriously impressive blooms, sunflower seeds are easy for little hands to deal with, and pretty low maintenance to grow. They're also brilliant for local wildlife; the flowers are great for bees and other pollinating insects, and birds love to eat ...