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
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
Bark rubbing on trees
Water painting
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
Monitoring the number and types of bees in the garden
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
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
Watering a tree
Activities to try out
Forest School for preschoolers
River paddling and raft building
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