By Kate Hodges
12th April 2020
Got an idea for us? Email Kate – she’d love to hear from you.
*The dawn chorus is spectacular right now, and starts about 4am. Why not make an early morning of it – let’s face it, there’s no school and plenty of time for naps later in the day – and catch the birds’ singing and the sun rising?
*Or go later in the evening. We’ve been walking at dusk, catching spectacular sunsets and making the most of the emptier streets.
*Download and print a Wildlife Trust spotting sheet to identify bees, wildlife, and signs of spring
*Walk your entire journey backwards.
*Or go bird-spotting. Fewer cars and empty streets seem to have made our feathered pals a little bolder than usual. Take binoculars and start ticking off species in a handbook, or just enjoy the sight of all the nest-building activity.
*Can’t hug grandma or your best friend? Hug your favourite trees instead. Read about the benefits here
*Sing silly songs as you walk.
*Experiment with photography. Try taking snaps at night, or portraits of friends through their front windows. Record this strange time for the future. Camera phones work just as well as more flashy equipment.
*Go foraging for food or herbal medicines. The Woodland Trust has an excellent month-by-month guide to what you might find in the countryside, or be inspired to search in your town or city. Food For Free is the classic guide to which plants are safe to eat. The pocket-sized version is perfect for taking out on trips
*Pretend. Pretend you are astronauts exploring a new planet, that you are aliens who’ve landed on earth, or you are medieval knights on an epic adventure (if you’re really organised you might even hide a ‘holy grail’ to find in advance).
*Find twigs, leaves and pebbles to use in natural art. Be inspired by the ideas at Mother Natured
*Chalk messages to your friends outside their house.
*If there are few of you in the household – and two adults – play tracking games. The first group should leave and leave a trail of chalk signs, stick arrows, or something distinctive (and organic) such as grass clippings or pebbles. The second should follow a few minutes later, and attempt to trail the first.
*Count rainbows in windows.
*Dig those old roller skates, go-karts or pogo sticks out of the shed and take them out for a spin.
*Try an online couch-to-5k programme together.
*Walk barefoot.
*Dress up! Find your best party outfits or funniest fancy dress and turn your walk into a fashion parade. Wave to passers-by.
*Raining? Pull on your wellies and go puddle-jumping and roll in mud.
