I don't know if you all know, but we have a Wildlife Explorers Club here at the reserve for kids - to get them interested in nature. Wildlife Explorers is the junior section of the RSPB and we have a monthly club to look at all different type of wildlife.

We have lots of different themes - in 2011 we learned and explored all about shelter building, pond dipping (and all the awesome creatures that live there), the wildlife at Rye Meads, we even visited another reserve. We try and make sure we go out on the reserve every meeting - it's a wildlife club so we love seeing wildlife, as well as play a game and do a craft.

Well last weekend we had our 'party', as it's the last meeting before Christmas... We went out on the reserve for a lovely walk, did loads of crafts and some silly games. I thought you might like to see some of the pictures from the event...

This is Emily's awesome clay horse:

 

We made some chocolate bugs too - basically a great fun and messy activity ending up with lots of kids and adults with chocolate all over their faces and some very arty looking bugs:

 

The kids loved this activity... it's amazing how quiet they went! It wan't just the kids that enjoyed this activity... This is one of the leaders, not wanting to miss out on the fun, making his minibeast:

All kids can come you don't have to be a member of the RSPB - parents/ guardians don't have to stay as the club is run by trained and checked RSPB staff and volunteers. Our next meeting will be on Saturday 21 January from 11 am-1 pm. We meet on the third Saturday of the month, see you there!