School Holidays Lets Get Active! Nature Day.

This is part 2 in my School Holidays Lets Get Active series.
Go here to see Part 1 Pirate Day
Go here to see Part 2 Sports Day

So lets get the kids outside and into the garden. 
I know, I know they will probably think that sound really boring!  I love gardening and when I suggest that my kids come out and help me I don't get much of a positive response. 

So time to get creative and make being in the garden fun and it doesn't matter if your garden is tiny,  big and rambling or a standard suburban backyard.

Make a grass head.  These are very easy to make and you only need a few basic things.  Grab a plastic cup, toe part of a stocking, potting mix, grass seeds, and decorations for the face (eyes, nose etc.)

Put the grass seeds into the bottom of the stocking and fill with the dirt.  Tie off the stocking and place the loose ends of the stocking into the cup.  Fill cup with some water and glue on face.  Keep watering and soon the head will have a good crop of grass hair.



Make a bug catcher. Make a bug catcher from a bubble blowing wand with some old curtain netting tied or glued around the top.  Make a bug watcher from an old jar with some of the netting around the top with an elastic band keeping it in place.

Now it is time to head off into the garden and find some bugs and insects.  Look for ants, worms, moths, snails etc.  Look under rocks and pot plants.  Discuss which bugs to leave alone - bees, spiders. 
Wow the kids with some interesting facts about the creatures you come across.  They will be really impressed!

If a worm loses part of its body because it’s cut off or caught on something, the worm can grow that part back and still stay alive.

A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip

An ant can lift 20 times its own body weight. If an 8 year old was as strong as an ant they would be able to pick up a car!

Caterpillars have 12 eyes!

Game time. Play the rainbow game.  Give the kids a bag each and take them for a walk around the neighbourhood.  Their challenge is to collect as many different things from nature in as many different colours as they can find.  Maybe you will come across a colourful feather, some brown bark or red rocks, yellow leaves or pink flowers.  Bring them home and grab some paper and glue and make a rainbow picture out of your finds.

Eat: The kids should be hungry by this stage.  Get them involved in making some grape caterpillars or a platter of different garden vegetables.  Make it interesting by playing with the texture - grate the carrots, puree the peas, slice the celery, cut star shapes from slices of beetroot. 

Make it fun and the kids will be begging you to play outside!