Surrey Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trusts holds a yearly campaign during June called 30 Days Wild, the aim being to encourage people (and their families) to get outdoors into nature for every day in June. They have a useful ‘random acts of wildness’ app you can download onto your phone, and lots of inspiration on their local websites too of things you can do and places you can go.

I’m joining in, and will be blogging for the Surrey Wildlife Trust about what we’ve been up to which I’m thrilled about. I’m admittedly a little unsure whether we’ll manage something wild each day. I barely get enough time to write this blog along with juggling children and work, but I want to give it a really good try.

I’m always planning stuff to do with the kids outdoors, and want to drag myself away from my desk and house more than I do, so this is a great opportunity to try it. I also think I could do with seeking wild experiences closer to home, and doing things with my kids that don’t take up too much time but are still very worthwhile, so I hope the 30 Days Wild challenge will help me do that as well.

I took a survey before I started the challenge to find out how connected to nature I was. The results told me I was 60% wild, which wasn’t too shabby, but probably could be improved upon. I’ll take the survey again at the end of 30 Days Wild.

It’s been really good fun looking at things I could do with the kids to get outdoors more and explore the natural world on our doorstep. Some things are more exciting for me (a visit to a wild island) and others probably more exciting for my kids (making an elf castle or home for a hedgehog). I’ve also made sure I’ve included many activities that can be done in the garden in half an hour as well as activities that are outside of our back yard and that take longer.

Ideas for my 30 Days Wild challenge

Getting creative outdoors

Making nature prints with clay

Photographing wildlife

Making nature creatures

Stone building

Making a bow and arrow out of sticks

Making animals out of sticks and clay

Creating an elf castle in the woods

Collecting shells and making wind chimes

Painting with nature

Drawing with shadows

Leaf threading to make a crown

Making wild art on the ground

Bark rubbing on trees

Water painting

Mud and feather writing

Making a nature colour wheel

Writing my name with natural objects

Creating a nature sensory bin

Wildlife watching

Bird spotting and listening to birdsong using an app and book to help

Building an insect house

Building a bee water station

Monitoring the number and types of bees in the garden

Going on a minibeast hunt

Creating a butterfly table

Going butterfly spotting on Box Hill, Headley Heath or Bookham Common

Going crabbing and rock pooling in Suffolk

Making a pitfall trap

Making a DIY bird feeder

Making a hedgehog home

Having a snail hunt after the rain

Wildlife watching in the garden

Making a wormery

Going dragonfly spotting on Thursley Common

Looking for reptiles in Colley Hill, Reigate

Places to visit

Visit the British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield

Visit a Wildlife Trusts site such as Staffhurst Woods, Hill Park or Nutfield Marshes

Spot birds and go for a river walk at Blythburgh, Suffolk

Visit a natural playground at Emmetts Garden or Box Hill

Go on an island escape to Crane Park Island

Stuff with plants

Identifying flowers

Planting wildflower seeds in the garden

Climbing a tree

Watering a tree

Activities to try out

Beachcombing for treasure

Forest School for preschoolers

River paddling and raft building

Going on a scavenger hunt

Geocaching

Watching clouds and identifying them with a book and app

Den building

Reading books about nature outdoors

Barefoot walking

Climbing a big hill and rolling down it

Celebrating the summer solstice on June 21