wild over half term!

The summer half term offers children time to get outside, be active and enjoy the wonders of nature in their surroundings, as well as take a well-deserved break from their often busy day-to-day timetables! This treasured time is also a great opportunity for families to connect and create long-lasting memories, through adventures and experiences that allow them to explore, build and try new ideas together.

An outdoor adventure can be as simple as a walk through a nearby park or a nature-inspired craft in the garden, but the benefits these experiences create for children are endless! Incorporating the natural world into their half term plans fosters creativity, communication, encourages problem-solving and boosts physical and personal wellbeing, all whilst children enjoy the freedom and beauty of the world around them!

At Wild For Life, we value the connection and nurture that outdoor, nature-inspired activities can offer. See below for a few of our wild ideas to get your half term family adventures started!

Visit a local green space and explore your surroundings!  Many children thrive from unstructured time in natural settings, benefitting enormously from exploring and observing on their own terms, communicating their thoughts and findings. Perhaps take a camera along for them to photograph their journey and their discoveries in nature. 

Nature-inspired scavenger hunt  Transform your time outdoors into an exciting quest for natural items – a smooth stone, a feather, distinct leaves, even signs of wildlife, engaging children with a challenge to find and collect various natural treasures! Younger children may wish to explore different colours, shapes and textures in the natural items they collect, encouraging observation, discussion and an opportunity for children to slow down and truly experience the world around them.  

Create natural artwork  Using natural items they have gathered, children can unleash their inner artists and build creative artworks outdoors. Fallen leaves, sticks and flowers can take on a new life within a collage or sculpture, and children develop imagination, mindfulness and pride in their own creations! Flowers and leaves can also be pressed between books to make bookmarks, greetings cards or keepsakes for children to hold onto the adventures and memories they make.  

Grow a wild garden!  Beautify your outdoor space whilst strengthening children’s understanding of nature, ecology and conservation, by planting seeds that support local wildlife! This could be a smaller or larger project depending on the time and space you have available, and can involve children in all stages from planning to planting and observing the growth and wildlife that follow. Children could research the wildflowers, grasses and shrubs that thrive in your area, and include plants that attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Working outdoors with soil is also actually proven to stimulate our serotonin production, providing a powerful and natural way to enhance wellbeing and promote feelings of calm. A great way for children to connect with themselves and their environment!

If you get closer to nature this half term, we would love to hear about your adventures!

 For more wild activities, including tips, crafts, recipes and wellbeing, see our Wild Ideas page here: wild ideas | Wild for Life