Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

14th March 2019

Laugh in the rain, find frogspawn, make a mud kitchen, put on a Shakespeare play, celebrate the Spring Equinox!

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

14th March 2019

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

14th March 2019

DO and MAKE Splish splash!
How often have you delayed playing outside because of rain? Why not embrace the downpour and enjoy it? Bundle up in waterproofs and wellies and try out these drizzly day ideas. We especially love the idea of getting out a tarp and sliding around in the mud or making music using raindrops and pans. Alternatively, why not try some rain art? These weather-improved watercolours are splashy fun, while these smudgy masterpieces harness the water for brilliantly random results. Of course, damp days make for brilliant mud kitchen fun – why not plan ahead and make your own this spring – find inspiration here.

EVENT, LEARN, DO Spawn Again
Fond of ponds? Join the Wildlife Trusts and the RHS’ Wild About Gardens challenge, Big or Small, Ponds for All! Adding a pond to your garden is one of the best things you can do for your local wildlife, and it’s very easy. Whether you’re creating a mini eco-system in a tub or digging a lake, you’ll find hints and tips to help you here. Make yours before April 30, and you could win a prize, and watch yours join others on the challenge’s map. If you don’t have room for even a tiny natural water feature, why not go spotting wildlife in a watery place near you and try to find water boatmen and newts. We’ve spotted lots of frogs on the move, so there should be some spawn about too!

EVENT, LEARN and DO Watch the Birdie
Birdwatchers’ Christmas is just around the corner – yes, it’s almost spring migration time. Swallows, willow warblers, cuckoos and wheatears are all making their way back to the UK for the summer. The RSPB has an easy-to-understand guide that explains why and how birds migrate, and, of course, the organisation’s reserves across the country give twitchers front row seats for one of nature’s greatest shows. However, you don’t have to travel or make a special day out to enjoy the return; there’s are clever ideas to making birding fun for kids here, while the RSPB’s bird identifier is an invaluable tool for any ornithologist If you get really keen, this app helps keep your sightings logged and in order

EVENT, MAKE, LEARN Bard News
March 18–24 is Shakespeare Week, the perfect time to introduce your little theatre fans to the works of the great writer. There are a series of events taking place across the country, you’ll find resources for home educators here, and for family activities here. This weekend, we’re going to kick the celebrations off by making our own quill pens and acting out some scenes from our favourite plays (find free kid-friendly scripts here)

RECIPE and DO Spring Times
It’s the spring equinox next Wednesday, a time to connect to stop and connect to the natural world, as well as celebrate with family and friends. We’ve got some great ideas for marking it here, or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you could head to the druidic ceremony at Tower Hill in London on the day itself. In some parts of the country, it’s traditional to drink dandelion and burdock cordial at this time of the year – it was thought in ancient times to cleanse the blood – find a recipe here, or a more adult treat of dandelion and burdock beer here

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