I was set the challenge this week to find five activities we could outdoors this autumn half term. As we are in the middle of a strange time I thought it might be nice to do something for nature and the environment. It’s also time that our wildlife need a little help, as many are ready to hibernate. How about having a go at re-wilding at least a portion of our outdoor space providing shelter, food and water to all creatures great and small.
So, here’s a plan for the week, whatever your outdoor space is… take one two or all five of the ideas and create your own little oasis of wilderness or just have some fun with a bit of mud! Do send in your creations we would love to see what you have done…
Mud play
How do you feel about mud? How does the picture above make you feel? How do the kids feel about mud? How about mud pies and castles and general fun mud stuff. Mud is amazing and fun, you can get creative in all sorts of ways and its sensory too. Take off your shoes and socks and feel it between your toes.
Make a mud pie, or dig for treasure or search for bugs with a magnifying glass.
Or just explore and play with a digger
Collect water and mud, cook up a frenzy, make a mud cake! (although looks like Georgia has already eaten some in the first pic!
Bugs
We are going to make a portable bug hotel for our new garden( as we are moving house this week), but you could make a stationary one or even a small one for the windowsill. Small or large, that’s the beauty of bugs they won’t care how big their hotel is!
So get out foraging with the kids and then get building!
Hedgehogs
Let’s talk Hedgehogs: Did you know hedgehogs travel a mile a night! So lets make it as easy as possible for them. Hedgehogs hibernate from November to March and so need food to store their fat so they can last the winter. Do not leave milk for them as this upsets their tummies but they are partial to dog and cat food (not fish based) and you can buy specialist hedgehog food too, and don’t forget to leave some water. Why not build a little hedgehog home in the corner of the garden for the winter too?
If you do not have a garden maybe you can make a hedgehog home for someone who does and when out and about in the park and woods make sure to take all your rubbish home with you to give them the best environment.
If you have a garden, how about checking your fencing and making a hedgehog highway, not only good for hedgehogs but other wild little feet to travel through? If you want to make a path for little animals pop a couple of small holes at ground level and let the grass around grow to give them a little hiding space, take care not open up to roads and check with neighbours if you have a shared fence. you can read a little more info here.
If you live by a road and you think you have hedgehogs or other small animals vulnerable to the traffic why not apply for one of the small mammal road sign, designed to make drivers aware that there are small mammals in the area. https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Small-mammal-road-sign-placement.pdf
For more information on ways you can help hedgehogs head over to the charity Hedgehog Street.
If you do not have a garden go on an exploration searching for likely habitats hedgehogs might want to hibernate in or even make your own hedgehog from material rocks, leaves, cones or other natural treasures you find on your travels.
Pine cone hedgehog
I found this Hedgehog pinecone tutorial on kiddly
Birds
Our feathered friends are in need of food and water at this time of year so why not make them a feeding station?
I found these inspiring ones on House beautiful – I generally reuse our coconut shells with suet and seeds and I love the idea of a lego build bird feeder!
For more inspiration head over to the RSPB website where you can find out recipes for diy feeds as well as some ideas on what to use for bird feeders etc. and how to make a speedy bird cake!
finally…
Make something fun for the garden or a pot indoors and have a fun Halloween treasure hunt…
We love dragons, fairies, elves, pixies, unicorns and everything magical here. if you do too why not make a magical fairy, gnome garden. however big or small, in a pot or take a corner of the garden or even pop something out on a walk for others to find.
You could even add a little halloween treasure hunt at the end of the week…
