Nature activities for kids to do at home - part two

How are you getting on at home? We might be stuck indoors for now but nature is still all around us every day.

This is the perfect opportunity to really take advantage of the extra family time together and explore the world on our doorsteps. Whether it’s in the garden or out on a daily walk, spring is in full swing and that means there’s lots to see and plenty of activities to do!

Part two in our nature activities for kids series has even more fun ideas for families to make the most of nature while staying home. Just remember to follow Government guidelines on social distancing, unnecessary travel and daily exercise.

1. Spot the signs of spring

Spring is hopefully giving us all some much-needed cheer. But how many spring sights can you spot in the garden or out and about during your daily exercise? This is a great way to teach youngsters about the changing seasons and keep them interested on a walk. Make a list before you go out, keep your eyes peeled and try and tick off everything:

• Frothy blossom falling like confetti
• Buzzing bumblebees - see if you can spot different types too! 
• Spring flowers nodding in the breeze
• A butterfly resting on a leaf
• Ladybirds in the grass
• Fresh leaves bursting out of buds 

2. Make a birthday blossom card

Beautiful blossom is bursting into bloom on trees everywhere now, so task the children to get crafty by making a blossom card. If it’s a sunny day you could even get busy with the paint box outdoors. Just glue a fallen twig to the front of some folded card and dab pink and white splodges along the branches to make your blossom. Maybe you could save it to send to a loved one for their birthday?

3. Pretend to be nature pirates

How much hidden loot can you fit in your miniature treasure chest? Search for tiny natural items in your garden and see who can fit the most inside a matchbox or other small container. Look out for mini discarded snail shells, tiny twigs, small shiny pebbles and little petals and leaves. Set a time limit and see who will be the winner!

4. Paint a picture for your neighbours

Have you and the children decorated your windows yet? We've seen some lovely examples of beautiful window displays of rainbows and other cheery scenes to boost morale in local communities. It's a wonderful idea to keep little ones of all ages busy so we'd like your family to have a go too.

Draw, paint or use craft or natural materials to create a nature scene to place in your window to cheer up your neighbours or people passing by on their daily exercise. You could even change it on a weekly basis.

5. Put pen to paper and get inspired

Children of all ages will enjoy a challenge so inspire them with the natural world and ask them to write a poem about spring. Whatever else is happening in the world, it’s still the busiest time of the year for nature, so don’t miss what’s going on in your garden - or outdoors on your daily exercise. Record it forever in verse and then share it with a friend or family member to brighten their day.

We hope these fun ideas help pass the time while your children are at home. Don't forget to check out part one of our nature activities for kids to do at home, in case you missed it.

If you're looking for more activities, take a look at our Tree Tools for Schools website. It's home to all our educational materials for schools - from wildlife ID sheets to interactive puzzles and quizzes. So you'll find plenty of ways to keep your children engaged and active over the coming weeks.