| Keeping the kids entertained can be hard work - and | | | | Many woods also have education centres which will |
| expensive. Here are 7 great outdoors ideas to help | | | | teach your kids even more fun stuff about the trees |
| you spend quality time with your kids - from toddlers to | | | | and what lives in them. The Forestry Commission has |
| pre-teens - for free. Enjoy! | | | | more information with their Woodlands for Learning |
| 1. Go on a welly walk | | | | programme. |
| Ages 2-10. Great for wet weather. | | | | 5. Get some animal magic |
| There are few things kids enjoy more than being | | | | Ages 2-10. Great if you don't have a pet but they |
| allowed to jump in puddles and get wet. So ignore the | | | | want one! |
| weather, pull on your old clothes and boots and get | | | | As we spend more time in towns and cities, our kids |
| outside and do some puddle-jumping. | | | | spend less time in the country and close to nature. |
| 2. Take photos | | | | There aren't many kids who don't enjoy petting and |
| Ages 5 and up. Great to inspire their creativity. | | | | stroking animals and there are lots of city or school |
| Go for a walk and let your kids loose with a digital | | | | farms up and down the country that are free. Your |
| camera. | | | | kids can even sign up to become a volunteer if they |
| Let them take snaps of anything they want while your | | | | love it. |
| out. If they're having trouble, maybe point out some | | | | 6. Make stencils and rubbings from nature |
| good opportunities for them as you go. | | | | Ages 3-10. Great to get them thinking differently. |
| You never know, you might unearth a real talent for it. | | | | Take a piece of paper and a coloured pencil or crayon |
| 3. Get on your bike | | | | and go out into the garden, or on a walk in the park. |
| Ages 5 and up. Great for family bonding. | | | | Find something that will make a nice pattern with a |
| Not only is going for a family bike ride a lot of fun, it's | | | | textured surface, tree bark, letters on grave stones, |
| also a great way for all of you to stay active. | | | | leaves, concrete paths, and get the kids to put their |
| Make sure everyone is wearing helmets and visible | | | | piece of paper over it and colour in with their pencil. |
| clothing and if at all possible, steer clear of big roads. | | | | When you get home you can talk about the patterns |
| Go for parks and woods as the main part of the ride. | | | | they've made. You could even use the art work as |
| 4. Wild in the country | | | | wrapping paper or as presents for friends and family. |
| Ages 2-12. Great for nature lovers. | | | | 7. Make mud pies and magic mixtures |
| Go looking for nature with a romp along some public | | | | Ages 3-7. Great if you want to leave them to it. |
| footpaths or nearby woods. | | | | If there's a spot in your garden you don't mind the kids |
| Looking out for animals and insects is always fun for | | | | digging in, give them a bucket and some water and |
| kids and if they spot free food in the form of berries, | | | | leave them to it! Children can spend hours pretending |
| then it's often pretty exciting. | | | | to be witches, cooks, mums... |