The activities the children undertook directly linked to the content they were learning in the classroom, applying their knowledge to physical interactions with nature!
Getting children outdoors is a wonderful way to engage them in multi-sensory activities that allow them to explore and interact with the environment around them. Developing an appreciation for the natural world is essential in youth and invites the opportunity to experience wildlife first-hand.
An activity for a school session at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening
Photo credit: Eve Edwards
The session with St John's and St Clement's started with a fun team building game as they were placed into groups and given a segment of a flower. In a race they had to identify the parts of the flower that were missing and retrieve them from a central pile and correctly build the plant. They were all enthusiastic to work as a team and all managed to do so correctly!
The children were then given a worksheet with a series of plants on, continuing to explore the gardens and tick them off when they correctly identified them. They also had a secondary sheet used to sketch the plants and write any observations they saw, such as whether there were any insects or bites taken from the plant. The children were thrilled to trek through the gardens independently and proudly showed the sketches of the plants they found.
A school sesison activity at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening
Photo credit: Eve Edwards
One of the guardians commented on the activity:
“Getting to actually interact with nature rather than on a screen is great, they get to go into the wildlife and get to explore”
The next activity involved the children taking observation jars to find and collect insects for closer inspection. The children were also given identification sheets, so they could learn further about the creatures. The children discovered an array of insects as well as a frog and a toad which was received with excitement! They were asked to place any insects back into a similar safe location of which they had taken them, and they all placed them back with care, ensuring the environment was left as they found it.
Teacher Theo Evans: “It’s hands on and practical. You can look at things in a classroom but it’s the hands-on approach that you only get from being outside. Some of the kids cannot access this outside of school, so having this opportunity to learn in an outdoor environment is essential.”
Minibeast hunting at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening
Photo credit: Eve Edwards
Lastly the children were given a large net and were asked to go on a minibeast hunt! They worked in teams to find insects hidden in the bushes. One member of the team held the net as the others shook the bush to catch anything that fell, they all took to closely inspecting what they had found. All were eager to share with each other the contents of their net and were excited to see all the differing creatures. After they were all packed up the children were asked to do a vote on how they enjoyed the lesson, and this question was met with thumbs up all round!
These sessions are a great resource to establish the vital connection of children to nature, Theo Evans teacher of the class said:
“It broadens the diversity of nature they experience as they may have only ever come across a daffodil on the side of a road otherwise but here it expands their knowledge and experience in nature. It’s great having this lovely teacher as well who can share with the kids and get them involved.”
If you are a teacher or school who would like to book a session, you can find further information and book via this link here:
https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/schools-outdoor-learning
You can book your lesson with us at these reserves:
Our activities vary on site and can be tailored to suit your classroom needs, but you can expect activities such as pond dipping using nets and trays to explore our aquatic habitats, minibeast hunting to investigate our woodland habitats discovering the small invertebrates that live within, a well as learning about the array of plants and vegetation that grow on our sites.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to take your school on a self-led visit these can also be booked at the above locations, you can find out more and book via this link here:
https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/self-led-school-visits-outdoor-learning
You can also sign up to our school’s newsletter to find out about any new events or upcoming opportunities on offer!
We hope to see you soon at one of our lessons and look forward to welcoming your class.
School session at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening
Photo credit: Eve Edwards
