As the temperatures continue to rise and schools approach the end of term, thoughts turn to the long summer holidays ahead. There will be plenty to keep the children entertained at Flatford Wildlife Garden this summer, with activities to suit a range of ages.
Each week will have a different focus for the children’s activities, including owls, butterflies and minibeasts. Children can pick up an activity bag for £3.50 in the visitor centre. This contains a 12-page adventure booklet to complete, a mouse mask, a 24-hour wildlife dial, recipe card and certificate. They can also take part in a related activity, guided by our friendly volunteers, such as dissecting an owl pellet or making a butterfly feeding plate to take home to their own garden.
The mud kitchen in the garden has been a big hit since its introduction earlier this year. Here children can play freely with the pots, pans, mud and water, letting their imaginations run wild! There’s a tap nearby for refilling the pans or for a handwash afterwards!
A young chef busy in the mud kitchen!
Photo: volunteer's own
There are many other play favourites around the garden, including a willow tunnel, a child sized nest box, wooden sculptures and a log pile bug house. And if you’d like to bring a picnic along to enjoy whilst watching the wildlife, there are several picnic benches next to the visitor centre.
Enjoying a shady picnic in the peaceful surroundings of Flatford Wildlife Garden
There are still spaces on the Big Wild Summer Family Adventure mornings on 23rd July and 9th August. Here families can make a butterfly feeder or leaf print onto fabric to make a flag. You might choose to play in our mud kitchen, build a den or make a clay creature. You can even take the chance to practise your fire-lighting skills and toast marshmallows over the campfire to make a delicious smore.
For further details on all these activities, and to book the Big Wild Summer Family Adventure, please follow this link. The garden is open every day from 10:30-4:30. We really hope to see lots of children joining us during the summer holidays and look forward to welcoming them and their families to enjoy summer in the garden.