Aston Rowant Nature Reserve hosted “Go Wild in the Chilterns” on Saturday the 4th August, a lovely outdoor event for families. Going Wild was there making clay and stick creatures including funny faces – not that we could compete with Dan Barton’s wonderful giant wicker man!
The new Sound Sculpture trail at Natural England’s Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve has inspiring sculptures to explore and listen to, made with help from local school children. The children thought this one looked like a giant dormouse nest!
How about taking your teddy bears to the woods and making them their own special shelter? These teddies are picnicing in a shelter made by children on a school trip to our local Wildlife Trust’s College Lake Nature Reserve.
Just spotted our first review on You Tube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwVve4Cuvoc
The lowly stick is given lofty status with 70 examples of things you can make or do with one, from fire-building to jewelry-making. Each project is rated by complexity. Frances Lincoln, $15. Ages 8 and up.
What creatures can you make from a stick, some clay and a few natural materials? These boys made a dragonfly and a robin!
This Saturday the 23rd June there will be a fun family afternoon at Dun Coillich community owned nature reserve, not far from Aberfeldy in Highland Perthshire. Sticks and Stories is a chance to have a go at making magical creatures and kites, to try your hand at dowsing, to look for wild flowers and get involved in some storytelling. For more information please send an email to info@goingwild.net.
Theo found this dragon’s nest out in the woods, with a giant egg in it all ready to hatch. If you make or find any magical woodland sculptures we would love to hear from you!
June is the time to go out and collect frothy cream elder flowers from the hedgerows, all ready to make some delicious elder flower cordial. Either drink it diluted with water or mix a small amount with fresh strawberries or raspberries.
If you are going our for a family walk, take a basket and collect about 30 large heads of elder flowers from elder bushes away from roads, then go home and follow this recipe:
For more elder flower ideas, see our book Nature’s Playground.
Wildlife Watch, the children’s wildlife club, held a competition in their Spring 2012 magazine in association with Going Wild.
Children were asked to design a stick creature; you can see the five winning entries on the Watch website here: http://www.wildlifewatch.org.