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 can instantly boost ...
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, ...
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 ...
Taking the RSPB Wild Challenge: spotting signs of spring and sowing sunflowers
Last year we had a great time partnering with RSPB on family-friendly activities that would help to give nature a home in our garden. You might remember that we planted wildflower seeds, grew flowers for butterflies, made a frog and toad abode, grew plants for moths, and made a bird bath. It was a busy year! We’re thrilled to be working with RSPB again on some fun new projects. Over the next few months we’ll be bringing you more exciting ideas ...
Tips for feeding garden birds in winter
Are you providing food for the wild birds who visit your garden this winter? We usually spend less time in our gardens during winter, but wild birds are often still visiting just as much as in the warmer months. Garden birds will be searching for food, and also water when temperatures drop low enough to freeze their usual supplies. Providing a winter food source for wild birds is a great way to support your local wildlife, and you'll also ...
Nature Craft: making leaf prints
Isn't autumn just wonderful for crafting inspiration? We've done so many lovely craft activities already this season, and these simple leaf prints are perfect for combining nature play with an art activity to create a homemade masterpiece. This is just one of the fun nature projects in my book, 'A Year of Nature Craft and Play' (co-authored with Becky Goddard-Hill). There’s an activity for every week of the year and it includes ...
Create Your Own Happy: happiness-boosting activities for 7-11 year olds
As my kids are getting older, I’m finding that less of the time I spend looking after them is focused on doing ‘stuff’ for them, and more time is spent helping them to grow and develop emotionally. As a parent, it’s all a bit of a learning curve - like every other aspect of having kids I guess! - and it feels like we’re exploring this whole new area of growing up together. Is it the same for you? I’m always singing the praises of physical ...
Nature craft: painted rocks
Painted rocks are a classic nature craft, and one that my kids never tire of! It's a great little craft that doesn't need much preparation, and suits pretty much all ages of child. It's also brilliant for those days when the weather isn't fantastic but you'd still like to get hands-on with some natural materials. Here's how to make your own painted rocks. You might like some family-friendly rock jokes too. We use rocks and pebbles from our ...
Supporting nature: the Yorkshire Fish Pass Scheme from Yorkshire Water
If you’re a regular reader of the blog you’ll know how much we love getting outdoors and enjoying nature as a family. Whether it’s exploring our amazing countryside, helping our native wildlife or just a good old stick hunt, outdoor adventures are a big part of family life for us. They’re also a brilliant way to encourage the kids to learn about and care for our environment. It’s always great to see organisations making positive changes to help ...
A Beginner’s Guide to Mountain Biking with Halfords
Are you making the most of the lovely spring weather and getting active outdoors? So far this month we’ve managed some family games in the garden, a few weed-clearing sessions down at the allotment, and lots of seed planting - things are still a bit behind after all that cold weather, so we’ve got some catching up to do! One of the other family activities that we all really love to do together is bike rides. Getting everyone into the saddle ...