Keep Learning

You can experience the thrill of discovering something new about the wildlife that lives around us. The natural world – whether it’s a window box or a wildflower meadow – has so much to discover and offers many fascinating opportunities to learn.

Continued learning throughout our lives helps build self-esteem and confidence. It also encourages us to interact with other people and lead a more active life – both physically and mentally.

ideas for activities

If you have one hour, you could…..

  • Download some apps on your phone to help you identify trees, flowers and birds whilst you are about and about.
  • Print out a wildlife spotter sheet from the Wildlife Watch website for a family nature ramble
  • Sit out in your garden on a clear night and see learn to name the star constellations

 If you have half a day, you could…..

  • Take part in a national nature survey such as the Big Garden Birdwatch or the Big Butterfly Count. These are opportunities to learn whilst contributing wildlife records to conservation scientists.
  • Go rock pooling and learn more about the plants and animals that live between the tides
  • Visit a bird hide on in a nature reserve and learn to identify the different species

If you have more time………

  • Learn a countryside craft such as willow waving, wood turning or hurdle making
  • Keep a nature journal and through the year keep records of the plants and animals that you see on your walks
  • Join a local history group and discover how your locality has changed over the centuries
  • Focus on a group of species as bumblebees,  trees,  butterflies or  beetles and spend time learning about them