Tag Archive for: activities for under-fives

Get Buzzing for World Bee Day! Activity Ideas for Children Under 5

World Bee Day is a wonderful and worthwhile event for children, including under-fives, to get involved in each May.May’s World Bee Day is a wonderful and very worthwhile International event. It’s also one that’s perfect for children, including under-fives, to get involved in. Not only does it raise families’ awareness of the importance of bees and pollinators, but it’s also a great opportunity to introduce little ones to some of nature’s adorable little creatures and get them more interested in the natural world. Nature is fabulously good for children, benefiting them in a myriad of different ways, so creating a buzz around World Bee Day is sure to be fun, educational, and hugely beneficial to children. With that in mind, today’s post explains more about World Bee Day and activities that children can take part in to celebrate the event.

What is World Bee Day?

World Bee Day arrives on the same date each year — the 20th of May.World Bee Day arrives on the same date each year — the 20th of May. The annual event celebrates bees and other pollinators and the important role they play in the world. Without them, there would be no food crops, fruit, vegetables, or nuts, leaving animals — including humans — in real mortal danger. The event also raises awareness of the plight and dwindling numbers of bees and other pollinators around the world, shining a spotlight on ways to reverse their decline.

So, by drawing children’s attention to bees, they’ll learn more about bees and pollinators, more about nature, where food comes from, and how human practices impact the natural world. Such a focus is a great way to both educate and instil in them the need to look after nature and all its flora and fauna. After all, today’s children are tomorrow’s stewards of this precious planet.

How Can Children Get Involved in World Bee Day?

There are many ways to create a buzz and get children involved in World Bee Day, so read on to discover some excellent bee-related activity ideas for under-fives below.

Create a Bee-Friendly Garden

A fabulous way for children to get involved in World Bee Day – and to help bees – is to make a bee-friendly wildflower garden.Children naturally take to planting seeds, tending seedlings as they grow, and watering plants and flowers. That’s great because it gives many opportunities for children to make gardens wildlife-friendly in readiness for World Bee Day each year. They can sow wildflower seeds, water existing flowers and bulbs in the garden, or even plant some low-cost flowers or seedlings in pots for the family’s windowsills, patio, balcony or garden. And, when flowers are blooming in May, the bees and pollinators will come! Whether it’s honeybees, bumblebees, or other pollinators like hoverflies, each one is adorable and a delight for children to see.

TIP! Bees love brightly-coloured flowers including those which are yellow or white. However, they are particularly attracted to those which are blue, purple, violet, and ultraviolet.

Teach Respect & Empathy

Remember to teach respect and empathy; bees are busy little things, going about their business, so it’s important for children to look but not touch. Encourage children to watch them and not disrupt their lives — they have feelings, their own lives, and incredibly important jobs to do after all.

Make a Bee Oasis

During hot days, bees can get very weary and can therefore sometimes be seen on the ground motionless as if they’re dying* or ill. Often they’re simply exhausted from all their hard work, flying in hot weather, and might also be dehydrated. To help bees avoid getting to this stage, children can put out little saucers (like those that go under flowerpots) with shallow water in them. They can simply be placed on flowerbeds and lawn edges close to the flowers that bees visit to collect nectar. However, it’s essential to include stones or small rocks that protrude from below the waterline into the air above. Bees, along with other pollinators, will then be able to use these to land on, crawl along, and sip at the water’s edge. The stones or rocks are also useful as an escape route should they accidentally end up in the water — bees can’t swim!

* Also learn how you can help a bee that needs reviving with sugar water here.

Take Children on a Bee-Spotting Walk

See which types of bees children can spot on a bee-spotting walk.Wherever there are flowers, children will find bees, particularly if the flowers are brightly coloured and fragrant. A walk around the local neighbourhood, park, or natural open spaces will be both great exercise and an opportunity for little ones to spot some lovely bees and pollinators. Getting outdoors (appropriately supervised* and dressed) is beneficial to children in many ways, and a bee-spotting walk will be a simple way to introduce them to these important and cute little creatures. Can they spot a bumblebee? Can they spot a bee collecting nectar in their leg pouches (also known as pollen baskets or corbiculae)? Which type of bees are they seeing? Can they tell the difference between a common wasp (generally with yellow stripes) and a honeybee (generally with brown stripes)? And do they like the smell of some of the beautiful flowers that they’ll see on their bee walk? Such an activity is a delight to the senses!

Teach Children the Bee Waggle Dance!

The bee 'waggle dance' explained.Honeybees dance! Did you know? When they want to communicate the discovery of a source of nectar to other bees in their colony, they will do what’s called the ‘Waggle Dance’. It’s a real thing! Scientists have studied the dance and have discovered that it tells other bees the direction, quality, and distance of the new food source from the hive. It consists of a wiggle while walking forward in the direction of the food source. The number of repetitions and specifics about the wiggles give other bees clues about the distance, location, and quality of the food source. They’ll then know which direction to head in and how far they’ll to need to fly. The accompanying video explains more. Inspired by this, why not encourage children to do their own waggle dance to music?

Create Bee Art!

There are many different ways for children to create bee-inspired arts and crafts.If the weather is unsuitable for outdoor activities, one of the easiest bee-related activities that children can take part in is making bee art. They can try drawing bumblebees, flowers, and hives with pencils, pens, or markers. Alternatively, they can get even more creative using paints or collages. Cutting up coloured tissue paper shapes and making bee-related images using appliqué is sure to be fun and impressive (child-safe scissors being used by parents or under super-close supervision). Parents can perhaps cut out any tricky shapes for the youngest children and then help guide them as they glue bee, flower, or hive elements into place.

Bee Crafts!

Bee art can be taken a step further by extending the creativity to 3D models and shapes.Bee art can be extended further by creating three-dimensional models and shapes. With a little help from parents or older siblings, even children under five can take part. They will enjoy sticking shaped paper or cardboard pieces and other recycled materials into place to form three-dimensional bees and flowers. Useful materials for such models could be things like corrugated card, tissue paper in various colours, coloured pipe cleaners, fabric, kitchen roll cores, paper plates and cups and, of course, coloured paints to decorate the final piece. Such creations can be as simple or complex as families like. This is a great activity to boost fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination!

Bee Fancy Dress

Bee fancy dress can be fun for children under five on World Bee Day!Children can get into bee-inspired fancy dress while doing their waggle dance! Striped clothes will help. Perhaps parents can help them make wings from card or material and shaped wire. Some antennae should not be too difficult to make from a headband, some pipe cleaners and some homemade pom-poms or foam balls from a craft shop. Children will love such creativity and the fun that ensues with friends once they’re all dressed up!

Create a Buzz About World Bee Day This May!

Create a buzz about World Bee Day this May!The bee-related activity ideas suggested in today’s post will be a fabulous way to introduce children to these magical little creatures, the wonderful work they do for us and the planet, and the measures little ones can take in their own lives to improve the plight of the natural world. The activities will also be fun and educational — indeed supporting many areas of the EYFS — and allow children to benefit from the enormous number of ways that nature can help them. From greater well-being and lower stress levels to greater focus and improved grades, nature is amazing for children and adults alike. What’s more, spending time around bees and nature will help children become more ecologically conscious, give them a sense of empathy and responsibility, and live more sustainably as they grow older. We wish everyone a happy World Bee Day this May.

Lessons from Nature at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.We know how important nature is to children at Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham and that’s why the setting has its own planting and vegetable area for the children. Nurturing flowers, growing fruit and vegetables and tending plants will teach children a lot about the natural world, the importance of taking responsibility for other living things under their care, empathy, and where food comes from. Such activities also give them new knowledge, new skills, and a sense of achievement. They’re just one element in the full spectrum of early years learning and development opportunities at Little Cedars.

Get in touch today if you’d like your baby or child to visit Little Cedars Nursery — it’s by far the best way to see how well they will fit in. We can show you both around, answer questions, and tell you more about nursery places here in Streatham.

Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham is designated a ‘Good Provider’ by Ofsted and supports childcare funding for eligible children from 9 months of age. Located in Streatham close to Tooting Common, it will be a convenient choice for those living in and around Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

* Young children should be supervised at all times when exploring or playing outdoors. Read our safety tips for outdoor play for more ways to keep them safe outdoors.

World Book Day Fun for Under-Fives

World Book DayChildren of the UK, it’s time to get ready for World Book Day! Arriving in early March, it is a wonderful annual event where children across the nation get to immerse themselves in books, storytelling, and other book-inspired activities. Such activities are incredibly important for children. Did you know, for example, that children who regularly read for pleasure are happier children who also go on to have greater success in their lives? This uplift is even more significant for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Such is the power of reading for little ones! With all this in mind, today’s article outlines more about World Book Day and why it’s so important. It also suggests some activities that children and families can take part in to celebrate this year’s event.

“World Book Day improves children’s life chances, particularly those growing up in disadvantage and inequality, by encouraging reading for pleasure.” — World Book Day® Impact Report 2024

Why World Book Day is So Important to Children

Reading with children in their early years can help boost language skills by 8 months — before they're even five!World Book Day arrives each year on the first Thursday of March. So, for 2025 it’s celebrated on the 6th of March, then in 2026 it’s on the 5th, for 2027 it’s the 4th, and so on. Organised by the charity of the same name, the core mission of World Book Day is “to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.” The reason is simple: a life-long love of reading for pleasure results in improved life chances. It’s incredibly powerful for children of all ages, as indicated in the following findings from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development:

“Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income.”

The National Literacy Trust, BookTrust and others also came to similar conclusions:

“Evidence … shows that reading enjoyment and literacy levels are associated with educational attainment and employability skills as well as health, social, emotional and intellectual benefits.”

How to Encourage Children to Love Books

Children said that being able to choose what to read, when to read, and where to read were crucial factors to their enjoyment.The World Book Day® charity published a 17-page impact report for the event that took place in 2024. One of the key findings was that something needed to be done to stop the significant drop in children reading for pleasure. Otherwise, children would be missing out on some profound benefits. The report concluded that there had been several reasons for the downward trend. For example, 20% of children said they felt judged for what books they read. Some said that reading felt more like a chore or ‘work’ because the books were foisted upon them by adults. Just over 8% of children simply didn’t have access to any books at home. Of those that did, over a third said they had no choice over what they read.

However, after asking the children what would make reading better, the conclusion was that being able to choose what to read, when to read, and where to read were crucial factors in their enjoyment. Being given the freedom to read in other ways also played a role; for example, some wanted access to audiobooks, graphic novels, and other non-standard book types. From this, a new approach was devised and World Book Day organisers have adopted it this year. It’s called ‘Read Your Way’ and is proving to have positive results.

Employ the ‘Read Your Way’ Approach to Reading

This new theme has six key components, each helping to increase children’s enjoyment and regular uptake of reading:

  1. Read to/with children regularly;
  2. Help children find time to read;
  3. Ensure children have books at home as well as at school/nursery etc.
  4. Make reading fun for children;
  5. Ensure children get to choose which book(s) they read;
  6. Ensure children have trusted help when choosing a new book.

Books for World Book Day

In the UK, children under 18 are eligible to receive a £1 book token through the event.In the UK, children under 18 are eligible to receive a £1 book token through the event. This can be used to buy a special World Book Day title or go towards another book (more information is available here). World Book Day is therefore the perfect time to encourage children to read books – or, of course, to read in tandem with parents/carers if they’re not yet old enough to understand printed words. Greater success is likely, though, if the ‘Read Your Way’ approach, outlined above, has been employed. So, for example, by allowing a child to choose the book, when to read it, and where to read it. And they don’t have to stick only to World Book Day because every day is a great day for children to benefit from reading!

Activity Ideas for Under-Fives

While many schools and childcare settings arrange activities for children on World Book Day, families can also organise their own. Consider these fun and simple ideas to get you started:

Visit a Library or Bookshop

Many local libraries take part in World Book Day each year by organising storytelling sessions, book-themed activities, and fancy-dress fun for local families. So, perhaps check what’s on near you. A special trip to a local bookshop is also a great idea for World Book Day, especially if your child has one of the event’s book tokens and the bookstore is a scheme participant. Make it an event, let your little one pick out a book, and it can become a truly special experience for them.

Dressing Up for Story Time

Children will love dressing up as their favourite book character! It doesn’t have to be complicated — a red top for Little Red Riding Hood, a black sheet or tablecloth for Harry Potter’s robe, or a stripey t-shirt for Where’s Wally can be effective as a little one’s costume. Then, snuggle up and read their chosen book together.

Creating a Cosy Storytelling Nook

Setting up a storytelling nook with your child is a wonderful way to encourage regular reading.A storytelling nook or corner is also a wonderful addition to a child’s home. Part of the fun is setting them up with your child, so they’re cosy and comfortable. Cushions, warm rugs, and child-safe LED candles give a bit of atmosphere and perhaps blankets can be stretched over a frame or furniture to create a snug teepee or den. Once complete, you and your child have somewhere welcoming and comfortable to read stories together. Follow the bold link to learn more about this magical idea.

Interactive Storytelling

Make books come to life with silly voices, props, and actions. These give stories a realistic slant as well as making them interactive — and great fun! For example, whispers can add suspense, scary voices can add tension, and well-placed silly voices can add a bit of humour!  Perhaps go a step further and act out scenes with your child after reading sessions.

Sensory Play Inspired by Books

Stories can also be brought to life with hands-on sensory activities. For example, the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar could inspire a home fruit-tasting session! Let your child try different fruits and talk about their colours, textures, and flavours. Harry Potter books or Room on the Broom could inspire playful potion-making. Children could mix coloured water, glitter, leaves and all sorts of (safe) things for a magical potion play session!

Book-Themed Arts & Crafts

Books and stories can really inspire children’s creativity. So, why not harness that instinct and get them busy with some book-inspired crafts? Some easy creative ideas include making a DIY bookmark with stickers and drawings, creating a simple puppet of a story character, designing and decorating a mini picture book together, or even creating stories together that the children can illustrate.

Get Siblings Involved

If your child has older siblings, they can read aloud to their younger brother or sister, act out a story together, or even write their own book. Encouraging them to share their love of reading encourages little ones and makes the day even more special.

These are just a few ideas for families celebrating World Book Day. Be sure to check out the family activity ideas on the World Book Day website for even more ideas.

World Book Day is a fantastic way to introduce children to the joy of books, but why stop there? Reading with children is incredibly beneficial to them, so keep the reading fun going all year by making stories a daily part of playtime and bedtime. Happy World Book Day!

Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham

Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Today’s article was brought to you by the team at Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham. This wonderful nursery and preschool in London SW16 provides high-quality weekday childcare virtually all year round. It is rated as a Good Provider by Ofsted and supports funded childcare for eligible children under five including babies from just 9 months. Being located in Streatham, close to Tooting Common, means it may also be a convenient choice for families in Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Get in touch today to explore a possible nursery place for your baby or child under five — we’d love to hear from you and would be happy to show you around on a guided visit with your child:

World Wildlife Day Activities for Children Under 5

World Wildlife Day - 3 MarchFamilies: get ready for World Wildlife Day! On 3rd March each year, we celebrate UN World Wildlife Day, an important event that is all about protecting nature’s flora and fauna. At nursery age, little ones are naturally curious and eager to learn more about the world around them. World Wildlife Day is therefore the perfect opportunity to inspire a greater love for nature and wildlife in our young. Exploring the wonders of plants, trees, and the animal kingdom teaches them more about the world and also helps children develop key skills like language, creativity, and empathy. Whether through outdoor play or wildlife-themed activities, engaging with nature’s wildlife can therefore create valuable early learning experiences. With that in mind, today’s post outlines some simple activities that children, including those under five*, can take part in to celebrate World Wildlife Day. We also highlight some of the benefits of nature to children towards the end of the post.

Wildlife-Themed Activities for Nursery Children

Getting outdoors is the best way to see wildlife, especially if your family lives near a park or the countryside.Getting outdoors is the best way to see wildlife, especially if your family lives near a park or the countryside. Rambles, picnics, and simple walks are all obvious options and, of course, wildlife sanctuaries are a good choice if you have one nearby. That said, while such outdoor options are amongst the best ways for children to connect with nature, sometimes they’re simply not possible. However, when that’s the case, there are plenty of other possibilities including bringing the wonders of wildlife into your nursery, home, or garden. Here are some engaging, age-appropriate activities that will allow children to take part in World Wildlife Day whatever their circumstances:

Animal Mask Craft

Encourage little ones, under supervision, to make their favourite animal masks using paper plates, paint, and string. Children will love the finished result! What’s more, they are sure to take on the characters of animals once they wear their creations, for example, with a roar from behind a tiger mask. Not only does this activity spark creativity, but it also allows children to role-play, learn about different creatures, and immerse themselves in different imaginary scenarios.

Wildlife Art

Drawing wild animals, plants and birds will be a popular activity, especially around the time of World Wildlife Day.Most children naturally take to drawing, so encouraging them to draw wild animals, plants and birds will be a popular suggestion, especially around the time of World Wildlife Day. For example, they could try drawing British mammals like rabbits and squirrels, jungle animals like elephants and tigers, or sea creatures like dolphins and whales. To make it easier, perhaps give them some visual reference to inspire them. They could choose from a variety of media, be it pencils, crayons, paints, or collages — or something entirely different. Playdough or salt dough models are also an option. Children naturally love to create and, once complete, perhaps display their pieces to encourage future progress.

Wildlife Spotting

Wildlife is all around us, even in cities like London. From pigeons, robins, bats and urban foxes to ladybirds, millipedes and ants, there are lots of creatures to see if you know where to look. To help with such activities, check out our free, downloadable wildlife reference sheets. We have one for birds, another for mammals, one for minibeasts and a lovely one for butterflies. They’re all totally free – simply download and print.

Wildlife Story Time

Reading books about wildlife will introduce children to new animals and habitats.Reading books about wildlife will introduce children to new animals and habitats. Great options for younger under-fives include ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell and ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?’ by Bill Martin Jr. (author) and Eric Carle (illustrator).  Also, of course, children and families have the option to tell each other made-up stories. They’re a great way to encourage creative thinking and can be approached in a number of different ways. For example, a parent could tell a story first to give the child an idea of how to approach storytelling, or one family member could start the story and then another could make up the next part and so on. In this way, the story would evolve in surprising and unpredictable ways!

Bird Feeder Fun

There are lots of easy ways to make bird feeders with your children.Try making some simple bird feeders with your children. There are lots of easy ways to make them as outlined in our dedicated guide, bird feeder ideas for children. Hanging these outside allows children to observe birds up close and learn to recognise different species. What’s more, children will adore it when birds come to visit their creations. That said, teach children to be patient; birds can take a while before they begin to trust anything new.

Animal Yoga

Turn movement into learning by encouraging children to mimic animal movements. For example, they can hop like a frog, prowl like a cat, bounce like a kangaroo, or try to slither like a snake. Such activities will be fun and help them develop strength, coordination, and body awareness.

Nature Scavenger Hunts

A nature scavenger hunt is an activity that builds children's observation skills, gives them deep insights into nature, and instils in them a better appreciation for the environment.Create a simple scavenger hunt using pictures, words, or our free nature hunt sheets to encourage children to find different natural objects like leaves, feathers, and pine cones. This activity builds children’s observation skills, gives them deep insights into nature, and instils in them a better appreciation for the environment. Currently, free reference sheets are available for an autumn nature hunt, a winter nature hunt, and a leaves scavenger hunt. Also check out our Exploring Spring with Under-5s activity idea, which is a similar concept (new reference sheet to follow later this year).

Sensory Nature Play

Fill a tray with natural materials like leaves, pine cones, wheat ears, and sand, and let age-appropriate children explore the different textures. You could even play a game where they close their eyes and try to guess what they’re touching. This hands-on experience aids sensory development and fine motor skills while also encouraging children to appreciate the finer details of natural things.

Wildlife-Themed Songs and Rhymes

Another simple way for under-fives to celebrate World Wildlife Day is to sing songs and rhymes about animals. Examples include 5 Little Ducks Go Swimming One Day, Incy Wincy Spider, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Old MacDonald Had a Farm. This activity helps reinforce language development and introduces children to different wildlife in a fun and engaging way.

Simple Science with Plants

Engage children with easy science experiments, like planting seeds and watching them growEngage children with easy science experiments, like planting seeds and watching them grow or observing how water moves through a flower’s stem using food colouring. Such activities are fascinating for children and help them understand basic biological concepts in an interactive way.

The Benefits of Connecting Young Children with Nature

Spending time in nature or learning about wildlife isn’t just fun—it has incredible benefits for early childhood development.Spending time in nature or learning about wildlife isn’t just fun—it has incredible benefits for early childhood development. To harness such benefits, families can incorporate nature-based learning into children’s routines in a variety of ways. Examples include organising outdoor exploration sessions, setting up small wildlife observation areas, and using nature-themed storytelling to engage the young learners. Connecting children with nature:

  • Encourages curiosity and creativity. For example, observing bugs, leaves, or birds encourages children to ask questions and think creatively about the world around them.
  • Supports language development. For example, talking about animals, their sounds, and habitats helps build new vocabulary and boosts communication skills.
  • Enhances emotional well-being. For example, research shows that spending time in nature reduces stress and promotes calmness, even in young children.
  • Teaches empathy and responsibility. For example, caring for plants, feeding birds, or learning about endangered animals helps children understand their needs more deeply and encourages greater kindness towards living things.
  • Benefits children academically. For example, in studies, even just a view of green outdoor space has been shown to boost academic performance.

These are just a few of the many benefits that spending time in and around nature has for children. Learn more about the importance of nature and its many benefits to children here.

Make Wildlife a Natural Part of Children’s Lives

Incorporating wildlife into children's activities doesn’t have to be limited to one day.Incorporating wildlife into children’s activities doesn’t have to be limited to one day. Encouraging youngsters to notice the birds in the garden, look for insects on nature walks, or watch the changing seasons can gift them a lifelong love of nature. Parents and families can make wildlife observation a regular habit, perhaps by keeping a simple nature sketchbook where children can draw or glue in pictures of what they see, or by creating a wildlife corner at home with books, nature finds, and small child-safe plants. Even setting up a bird-watching station near a window can turn everyday moments into exciting learning opportunities. By celebrating World Wildlife Day, we can inspire the next generation of nature lovers—one little explorer at a time!

Children Love Nature at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.At Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham, we love helping children connect more deeply with nature — we understand how important it is to their learning and development. As well as having natural, open, spaces nearby, children also get to enjoy and learn from the nursery’s plant and vegetable area. There, they can nurture plants as well as harvest their own nursery-grown vegetables. They love seeing the fruits (and vegetables!) of their labour and it gives them an enormous feeling of achievement. In addition, such nature-based nursery activities teach children valuable lessons about empathy, responsibility, cause and effect, how their efforts can be rewarded, where food comes from, and the circle of life. It’s all just one small part of the wider early years education that children receive at Little Cedars Nursery.

If you are considering a possible nursery place for your baby or child at Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham, please get in touch:

Little Cedars Nursery is a wonderful nursery in Streatham, London SW16. The high-quality setting supports free childcare for eligible children under five and babies as young as 9 months. It is rated as a Good Provider by Ofsted. As well as serving Streatham families, the setting may also be a convenient choice for families from Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

* Children, especially the young, should be supervised appropriately by a responsible adult. Also, check out our safety tips for outdoor play.

 

Winter Nature Hunt Activity – with Free Reference Poster for Kids

Today, we publish a free reference poster for children and families to download and use as the basis of a fun, nature-based, winter treasure hunt. It’s mid-winter right now, temperatures are low, and daylight hours are short. Families could therefore be forgiven for staying home in the warm rather than venturing out. However, if the right clothing and footwear are worn and children are supervised, there are treasures to be found and fun to be had outdoors — even this time of year. With that in mind, today’s post is here to introduce little ones to a wonderful outdoor activity that’s free and easy for them to take part in during the winter months.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” — Alfred Wainwright, walker and author.

Natural Treasures for Children to Discover in Wintertime

Has your child ever seen the intricate filigree that forms a leaf skeleton? Have they seen how stunningly beautiful a spider’s web is when it’s dripping with morning dew or encrusted in jewel-like ice crystals on a frosty morning? Have they ever seen how magical dripping icicles look when snow is beginning to melt, or discovered the tracks of a fox, deer, or bird, in the snow? Then there’s the miraculous detail that can be seen in every unique snowflake that falls. All these treasures and more are there to be discovered during winter if children and families take the time to venture out, take our poster as inspiration, and spend time actively looking. We’ve even included little tick boxes on the poster so that children/parents can tick items off as they’re discovered. Perhaps take photographs too, or get children to sketch what they’ve seen once they return home. And, of course, a few of the items can even be collected — there’s something about a pine cone that’s irresistible anyway, and how could anyone not pick up a fine example of a leaf skeleton if discovered?

Download the Free Reference Poster

Winter Nature Hunt Activity – Free Reference Poster for Children.

Click the poster preview image to download or view in Acrobat PDF format. Posters can be printed out as large as A3. Choose your finest settings and paper if printing posters for display. Alternatively, print out smaller ones for use as handheld reference when exploring during your nature treasure hunt.

Nature is Like Food for the Soul — & Incredibly Beneficial to Children

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: nature is enormously beneficial to children — and to adults in fact. As well as being a healthy antidote to electronic screens, time spent in and around nature boosts well-being, reduces stress, enhances cognitive abilities and attention spans, helps children become more resilient, and has even been proven to improve test results and academic performance. Reading, writing, and arithmetic have all been seen to be improved after a child has spent time closer to nature. And, of course, outdoor exploration lends itself to better fitness, fresh air, and an element of freedom for children (under suitable supervision). Such examples are only the tip of the iceberg, however, so do read our full report, Nature & Its Incredible Importance to Children to learn much more.

More Nature Activity Posters for Children

Today’s Winter Nature Hunt poster is just one of a series of free nature-based posters and reference sheets that Little Cedars Nursery has published for children. So, also check out and download our posters for an Autumn Nature Hunt, Leaves Nature Hunt, British Butterflies, Birds, Wild Mammals, and Minibeasts. We’ll also be adding more in the future.

Children Love Nature at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.We understand the importance of nature to little ones at Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham. That’s why we’re all very lucky to be located close to open, natural, spaces like Tooting Common as well as having our own planting area at the setting. Children can get hands-on experience with planting, nurturing, and eventually harvesting vegetables, which is both fun and hugely educational. Such things teach children new skills as well as informing them about the world we live in, where food comes from, how to be responsible for another living thing, and the circle of life. It’s magical!

If you would like to explore the possibility of your child attending Little Cedars Day Nursery in Streatham, please select a button to get started on your exploration:

Little Cedars Nursery is a high-quality nursery and preschool in Streatham, London SW16. It has a Good Provider status from Ofsted and is also conveniently located for those in Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Safety Notice

Children, particularly the youngest, will need adult supervision and vigilance at all times when playing or exploring outdoors. Read our Outdoor Safety for Kids article for tips and some of the things to look out for.

10 Fun Outdoor Activities for Children & Under-5s

Summer is a wonderful time for children to get outdoors and make the most of the warmer weather and beautiful sunshine. Outside in the fresh air, little ones can enjoy a bit of freedom, let their imaginations take over, get creative, and benefit in a whole range of different ways. Immersing themselves in play outdoors is also an escape from electronic screens, man-made toys, and the many restrictions associated with being indoors. Additionally, it teaches them new skills. With that in mind, today’s post outlines 10 different outdoor activities that children, including those under five*, can enjoy this summer and potentially even longer, weather permitting. What’s more, most of the ideas are free of any cost! Take a look.

1. Create a Rustic Playden!

Children will love constructing home-made dens outdoors.Home-made play dens are great fun both to construct and to use. Children will love constructing them, perhaps using fallen branches, sticks, or garden bamboo canes. If they show real ‘bush craft’ potential, they could even progress to covering them with large leaves, moss, fir tree fronds, or simply use a spare blanket or sheet from indoors. Once made, children will adore setting up camp, perhaps with cushions or soft moss, straw, or hay, used as a comfy base inside. Once built, their imaginations will run riot as they invent all kinds of games, role-play scenarios, and free-form play. This creative activity is such fun and has so much potential!

2. Make & Sail a Paper Boat or Stick Raft!

Young children floating home-made paper boats in a large puddle.With a little help from an adult or using suitable reference from the Internet or a book, children will be able to make little paper boats or, alternatively, construct little stick rafts. If they’re old enough and are accompanied by an adult for safety, they’ll be able to float these in a puddle, pond, paddling pool, or local stream, which will be great fun and also give them a huge sense of achievement. If too young to be near water, they can simply use their imaginations to ‘float’ their boats on dry land — perhaps a flattened sheet of tin foil from the kitchen could, for example, be used to represent a pond. Follow the bold links for easy examples that show how easy it is to make a paper boat or stick raft. With this activity, they’ll stimulate imaginations as well as hone motor skills.

3. Create Beautiful Rock Art

Painting pebbles is creative for children and they look fabulous!Rock sculptures are easy and fun for children to construct.Rocks, particularly the smooth pebble kind, are often magnets for children’s attention when they spot them outdoors. Parents and carers can encourage children to take their natural interest a few steps further by creating rock art and rock sculpture (using, of course, suitable rocks that are safe for them to use under supervision). Children will love painting rocks with patterns, flowers, or abstract designs and these can look hugely attractive. Rock sculptures are also something that children will love building, whether using painted rocks or natural ones. Scenes with multiple ‘towers’ of piled rocks look magical and children can even pretend these are part of their ‘castle’ or mark the boundaries of their kingdom and suchlike. Creating outdoors with rocks will be fun and creative, it’ll stimulate imaginations, and also hone art and motor skills.

4. Create a Cosy Picnic

Children will love creating their own picnic, whether it's in the garden, local park, or out in the countryside.Children will love creating their own picnic, whether it’s in the garden, local park, or out in the countryside. It’s a multi-faceted activity where they can first help prepare the food and drink, help pack it in backpacks or a cool bag, and then settle somewhere pleasant outdoors. There, they can set up camp, perhaps with a nice soft blanket to sit on, and lay out their picnic feast. It’ll be a great spot, too, to relax with friends or family, or use as a base from which to embark on other outdoor games and activities. Picnics are also a great way to extend the time children can spend outdoors because they’ll be fed and watered outside too. Magical!

5. Introduce Children to Rambling

Rambling allows children the freedom to run, explore, and discover.Introduce children to the concept of rambling. It’s a term that also sounds much more interesting than ‘walking’ in any case, and is a great excuse to get little ones out and about, for example, in the countryside, local park, or green space. Rambling out in nature is good for children (and adults) and also presents lots of exciting opportunities for adventure for little ones. Whether it’s a fallen log that children can try to walk along, tree stumps that they can balance on, branches they can try to hang from by their arms, or little brooks and ditches that they can jump across, rambles can be wonderful adventures for children — under adult supervision, of course. They’re also great ways to stimulate imaginations as children can pretend they’re explorers, pirates, hobbits, and so on.

6. Nature Treasure Hunts

Nature 'treasure' or 'scavenger' hunts are great fun, and also educational, for children.Nature ‘treasure’ or ‘scavenger’ hunts are great fun, and also educational, for children. For example, challenge them to find a pine cone, a round stone, a rock with a hole in it, a red leaf, another that’s orange, and another that’s brown, flowers similarly in different colours, a winged seed (like that of a sycamore or acer tree), a conker, a sunflower, fruit like apples, pears, or plums on a tree, cereal seeds growing in a field, and so on.

7. Set Up an Obstacle Race

Children will enjoy competing on an obstacle course.Children will also hugely enjoy making and then competing in their own obstacle race. Encourage them to set up a route through a suitable clearing, forest, field or park. Get them to mark boundaries and the course route with natural objects (sticks, rocks, stones, jumpers, etc.). Include obstacles like branches to jump over, tree trunks to run around, ditches or other similar hazards to jump over, and so on. Perhaps they can race several times and you, as the supervising adult, can time them. Whoever wins could be presented with a prize of some kind, whether it’s a purchased toy or simply a gold star sticker. It’ll be a great chance for children to let off steam, keep fit, and hone balance, coordination and motor skills.

8. Arrange a Photography Challenge

Encourage children to take photographs when taking part in outdoor activities.Little ones are usually familiar with the concept of photographs, especially in today’s age, with cameras on every smartphone and tablet. And, of course, there are still simple stand-alone cameras available, whether digital or using traditional film. Either way, suggest that children — with care not to break or damage the device — take photos of natural things and scenery when they’re outdoors. There could even be a competition to see who can take the best photo of a flower, insect, or scene of some kind. This activity will stimulate their creativity, encourage an understanding of scientific concepts like light and shadows, and give them a sense of responsibility as they (hopefully) look after the camera or smartphone itself. Prizes or stickers could perhaps be available for the most successful and appealing shots.

9. Set Up & Maintain a Mini Garden Area

Creating a mini garden is hugely worthwhile, fun, and educational for children.Children will love having their own mini garden. Whether it’s a small area in the household garden or simply some flowerpots or grow-bags on a windowsill or patio, there is always somewhere a child can grow plants (or even vegetables or herbs) in a household. All they need is some light, soil, and water, after all. And, of course, the care and attention of someone to look after them. Children will naturally be fascinated by the concept of growing plants, flowers, herbs, vegetables, or fruit from seeds or seedlings. Tending to them and seeing them successfully grow will also give them a sense of responsibility, achievement, and perhaps even of empathy. Children can learn so much from tending to plants.

10. Spot Wonderful Wildlife

Whether it's birds, bees, insects, minibeasts, butterflies, or mammals, there are always creatures for children to discover if they know where to look.Our final outdoor activity idea for children is wildlife spotting. Whether it’s birds, bees, insects, minibeasts, butterflies, or mammals, there are always creatures of one form or another for children to discover if they know where to look. Our free identification posters will help too, so download those (click the bold links earlier in this paragraph) and print them out for children to use as a visual reference. They can then go on an outdoor ‘safari’ of sorts — it’ll be a fun, exciting, and educational adventure and it’ll open children’s eyes to some of the delightful creatures that they share the planet with.

TIP! Children will see more wildlife if they make their gardens wildlife-friendly. Follow our guide to making a wildlife-friendly garden with your child for more information.

Outdoor Play is Good for Children

These are all simple and mostly free ideas for activities that children can take part in outdoors during the warmer months of the year. They’re fun and exciting, and many add a bit of adventure to children’s lives. Outdoor play is incredibly important to children and nature is incredibly beneficial to little ones too, so these outdoor activities can be profoundly impactful for children and can enrich their lives. Have fun, and stay safe.

* Safety Notice

* Before embarking on any outdoor activity with a child, always consider safety first and a responsible adult should supervise them, especially near hazards, water, etc.

Our High-Quality Childcare Service in Streatham

Little Cedars Day Nursery (Streatham, SW16) – for Weekday Childcare & a Good Early Years Education

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

We hope our outdoor activities today give parents and those caring for children some food for thought — and that children enjoy them as much as we think they will. Little Cedars Day Nursery is in Streatham, SW16, and offers a high-quality weekday childcare service for children under five. More than that, though, we give children good foundations in their ‘early years’ education, setting them up well for when they start school. In this way, they’re primed for success and ready to thrive!

Little Cedars Nursery is also near Furzedown, Tooting, Norbury, Balham, and Colliers Wood, so it may also suit families from those locations. We support many Government-funded free childcare schemes too.

Register your child for a nursery place at Little Cedars Nursery today, request a free tour, or ask any questions — we’ll be happy to help:

The Big Butterfly Count — Little Citizen Scientists Get Ready!

The arrival of July brings with it an annual request for young citizen scientists to help in the world’s largest butterfly survey. Adults, teens, younger children and even little ones under five can all play their part. Butterflies are beautiful creatures for children to see and taking part in the survey takes as little as just 15 minutes. This important nature-based activity is also fun, free, and educational, and will help in the conservation of butterflies and the UK’s natural world. With all that in mind, today’s guide tells you everything you need to know about taking part in the Big Butterfly Count for 2024.

What Is the Big Butterfly Count?

Since 2010, the Big Butterfly Count has taken place during the ‘peak butterfly’ period each year in the UK. During the count, thousands of people across the nation spend as little as 15 minutes surveying how many butterflies and day-flying moths they can spot, and of which species. Their findings are then submitted to the Butterfly Conservation scheme so that a detailed picture can be pieced together about butterfly populations across Britain.

“Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature and we depend on you, our citizen scientists, to help us assess how much help nature needs.” (Butterfly Conservation)

Why Butterflies?

Butterflies are important to the UK’s ecosystem because they pollinate food crops and themselves form part of nature’s food chain. However, populations of butterflies have declined significantly in recent decades.

“80% of butterflies have declined since the 1970s and we have lost up to 44% of moths in the UK. ” (Butterfly Conservation)

This may be due to factors like habitat loss, climate change, and the use of harmful and indiscriminate pesticides. The decline is alarming from the perspective of butterfly conservation – some species are in real danger of extinction – as well as being a warning barometer for the state of nature overall. By monitoring butterfly and daytime-flying moth populations, experts can get a better idea of the health of biodiversity and the natural environment across Britain and, by doing so each year, identify trends over time. Only through such a widespread and comprehensive approach can measures be put in place to try to fix any problems identified. The Big Butterfly Count is therefore an important and hugely worthwhile activity for children and families to get involved in during July and early August.

When is 2024’s Big Butterfly Count Taking Place?

The Big Butterfly Count itself starts on Friday 12th July 2024 and will run to Sunday 4th August. However, the overall scheme and Big Butterfly Count smartphone app open on the 1st of July so that people can prepare, plan where to spot the butterflies, and so on.

How Can Children & Families Get Involved?

It’s simple for children, families and individuals to take part. It can take as little as just 15 minutes and is totally free.

What to Do

  1. Preparation is the first step. This is made easy for families because all the necessary resources are supplied by Butterfly Conservation, the initiative’s organisers. Download a free butterfly identification chart for your area here. This can be printed out for your child. Alternatively, for those with smartphones, simply download the Big Butterfly Count app (available free on IOS and Android) which incorporates everything you need, all in one place, including additional tools that are both helpful and highly informative.
  2. When you/your children are ready for the count, find a suitable butterfly-spotting location* and count the targeted butterflies and daytime-flying moths that you can see over the course of 15 minutes. This must occur during the period from Friday the 12th of July to Sunday the 4th of August 2024 inclusive. The smartphone app and/or identification chart from Step 1 above will help you identify the species of each butterfly you spot. More details about counting butterflies can be found here.
  3. Submit your findings via the scheme’s website or directly through the smartphone app (please note that, in each case, you will not be able to submit your results until the count is officially open). You can submit your butterfly sightings right up until the end of August and may submit more than one entry.

Butterflies are more likely to be around when it’s sunny and sheltered, and there are lots of flowers and blossoms in bloom. Another option is to simply attract butterflies to your own garden; explained for children and families here.

 

How to See Results of the Count

Once the event is over (from 5th August inclusive), you can visit the event’s official map, which is interactive. Zoom in on your area to see which butterflies you and others spotted. You’ll be able to filter by species and date and see total butterfly counts and even the number of citizen scientists who have taken part.

Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderAt Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham, our childcare practitioners fully understand the enormous benefits of nature to children. It’s simply transformational, which is why we have outdoor spaces where children are able to sow seeds, tend to plants, and even grow vegetables. Nature teaches them so much and we therefore wholeheartedly recommend children’s involvement in the Big Butterfly Count each year.

First-class Childcare for Families in Streatham, Tooting, Furzedown, & Balham

Little Cedars is a high-quality nursery and preschool in Streatham, also close to Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. If you’d like to consider sending your child under five to this wonderful nursery, please get in touch today. The setting has the backing of Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families and a ‘Good Provider’ rating by Ofsted. Please choose an option to get started:

How to Make a Wildlife-Friendly Garden With Your Child

There are many simple ways that children and families can attract wildlife to their garden or nearby outdoor space.As promised in our last post we now extend our gardening for children theme and take a look at some of the ways that children can attract wildlife to their gardens or other outdoor spaces nearby. Young children, particularly under-fives, will love seeing a variety of delightful little creatures arriving, especially if it results from their actions. The wildlife-attracting activities we suggest today will help their young minds learn more about nature and how to help it, as well as teach them new skills. Spending time in nature is also incredibly good for children and, what’s more, the activities include acts of kindness that will also benefit plants, flowers, and the wildlife itself. It’s a real win-win! So, perhaps take a few minutes out of your day to learn how you can help your child attract wildlife — and make the world a better place!

What Kind of Wildlife Can Children Attract?

We’re talking here about how to attract adorable pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and hoverflies, as well as larger creatures like birds and, if children are lucky, hedgehogs. Some of the activities are also designed to attract interesting creatures like minibeasts, which are always a huge hit with children. So, by following today’s suggestions, children may get to see a wide variety of delightful wildlife!

Children should be aware that wildlife may not visit right away. Wildlife is naturally afraid of humans and often distrusts ‘new’ things in their neighbourhoods. So allow time for the wild creatures to become accustomed to changes in children’s gardens and encourage children to be patient — it’s a great lesson to learn.

How Can Children Attract Wildlife to Gardens?

How children attract wildlife depends primarily on what kind of wildlife they want to attract and, to a degree, what kind of natural space they have available. Supplying a source of food or somewhere to live is the key to success in most cases. Let’s take a closer look.

How to Attract Bees, Butterflies, & Other Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, hoverflies and pollinators in general are some of the easiest types of wildlife for children to attract. What’s more, it’s a fun, easy, and educational activity for children to take part in. Here’s how:

Pollinators Need a Drink!

Creatures like bees and birds will all appreciate being given a supply of drinking water.One of the key things that pollinators like bees need is something to drink, particularly when the weather is hot. They expend a lot of energy buzzing about and can easily become exhausted without a source of water. So, a simple thing that children and families can do is to put out some small, shallow dishes of water among any flowers (whether in flowerbeds or flowerpots). The little drip trays that you put under flowerpots are perfect but any small, shallow dish will do. A critically important detail is that a ‘landing stone’ should be placed into the water so that the bees have somewhere safe to land above the level of the water’s surface. They can then crawl to the water’s edge to have a refreshing sip of water without getting themselves into danger. What’s more, you may also find that other types of pollinators visit — perhaps even dragonflies and damselflies if they’re in the neighbourhood.

Pollinators Need Food (think Nectar!)

Children can sow pollinator-attracting flowers from things like poppy seeds and wildflower seed mixes. Bees and other pollinators will love these!Bees, hoverflies, butterflies and all pollinators also need nectar as a food source. For our children, that means that flowers — and their pollen — are the key to attracting them. So, with adult supervision, children can sow pollinator-attracting flowers from things like poppy seeds and wildflower seed mixes. These are readily available commercially, are usually marked on the packets as pollinator-friendly, and are usually very inexpensive. They’re also easy to grow (see our wildflower-growing guide for children for more details). These will not only look beautiful once they’ve flowered but will attract bees, butterflies and many other types of pollinators to the child’s garden or nature area. They are delightful little creatures and are also incredibly important, of course, for crop production for our own food. So, once again, if children feed such creatures, they are helping both the pollinators and humans. They can learn a great deal from this activity, therefore.

Attracting Butterflies

Bees, butterflies and even dragonflies absolutely love flowering Buddleia.As we mentioned above, butterflies will be attracted to flowers like poppies and wildflowers. However, they absolutely love flowering Buddleia (right) and Hylotelephium (a.k.a. ‘Ice Plant’ – see main image at top), especially if they’re located in a sunny position. On a good day, children may find such plants absolutely covered with visiting butterflies and other pollinators — and these creatures are a delight for little ones and adults alike. Note, though, that parents will need to hard prune most Buddleia varieties in early Spring, otherwise, they can grow quite large. If space is limited, therefore, stick with poppies, wildflowers, and ice plants rather than buddleia.

Butterflies can be attracted to children's gardens using overripe fruit drizzled with sugar solution.As well as enjoying the nectar from the flowers that children have planted (see above), butterflies can also be lured to children’s gardens through a kind of drink that’s also food for them. For butterflies, children simply mix up to four parts of warmed water with one part of sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Children can then drizzle the sweet solution over small slices of ripe fruit or even small cut-up pieces of a clean sponge. As with the water for the bees, these can then be placed in shallow dishes and left among flowerbeds or alongside flowerpots on a balcony or windowsill. Once they’ve discovered them, butterflies will soon begin to land to sip at this sweet food supply. Children will then be able to see their incredible beauty up close. Download our free butterfly identification poster for children here.

Another food type that butterflies love is — rather strangely — overripe fruit like oranges, bananas, melons, pears, plums and pineapples. Even when these are well and truly overripe — indeed way more ripe than humans would eat — butterflies enjoy them immensely. So, these too can be put out for butterflies to nourish themselves. Children can even make a paste mix of squashed, overripe banana and water and, when butterflies find this or any of our butterfly food suggestions, children can watch as the butterflies sip through the equivalent of their tongue, the proboscis.

Avoid putting these food and water sources near open windows otherwise pollinators and possibly other insects and bugs may get trapped inside your house.

How to Attract Birds

There are a number of activities that children can take part in to attract birds to gardens and outdoor areas.

Food to Attract Birds

Putting out food suitable for birds is the most simple way to attract birds to a child's garden or outdoor space.Putting out food suitable for birds is the most simple way to attract birds to a child’s garden or outdoor space. Once the birds recognise and trust it, the new food source will provide a regular stream of pretty, feathered visitors. Children will love knowing they helped to attract these wonderful creatures and have been responsible for giving them a much-needed meal. They can also use our free bird identification poster to learn which bird species are which. So, it’s both worthwhile and educational as an activity for children.

With regard to the food to put out for the birds, children/families can buy or make ‘seed cakes’ or ‘fat balls’. Children will love making these and can follow our guide to making home-made bird feeders here. Once complete, these can simply hang from string from branches of trees and bushes, from overhangs on buildings and sheds, or even from brackets used for hanging baskets. All of these are good places as they provide some protection from attack by birds of prey who, if present, usually watch and attack from above.

For a close-up view, a type of bird feeder that attaches to the outside of windows is commercially available.Commercially available ‘Robin peanut cakes’ and ‘sunflower hearts’ are also a big hit with many birds, and can usually be found in supermarkets or online. Whole bird-friendly peanuts are also popular with birds like bluetits and great tits, however, can be a choking hazard for baby birds during the breeding season if not crushed into tiny pieces. More information about suitable food types for birds can be found using the link in the paragraph above.

Another feeding option is a semi-permanent bird-feeding ‘station’ or bird table. As with the bird feeders, these can either be purchased commercially or home-made and need to be sighted somewhere ideally with cover from above — unless, of course, they have their own integral roof. There are even some that stick to windows, so those can be great options for children who live in an upstairs flat or apartment. All bird feeders should be cleaned regularly, by the way, in order to stop the spread of diseases and protect birds’ health. Obviously, too, the use of all such items will require the parent or caregiver’s supervision and help as appropriate.

Put Out Bird Baths Too

Birds need to drink and bathe themselves, so putting out water in shallow vessels like flowerpot saucers or complete bird baths will be welcomed by them.Birds need to drink and bathe themselves, so putting out water in shallow vessels like flowerpot saucers will be welcomed by them. These are best located somewhere a little secluded, e.g. in amongst flowers in a flowerbed or below overhanging shrubs or trees, rather than right out in the open. Otherwise, birds may avoid them as they’ll feel unsafe from birds of prey that sometimes view from high up in the air. If bird baths supplied are on the larger side, birds may bathe in them as well as drink from them. That’s a delight for children to see, so encourage your little one to make one or more bird baths available but also make sure of several things:

  1. Ensure the water is shallow as birds will prefer this;
  2. Put a rock or smaller upturned flowerpot saucer in the middle of larger bird baths as somewhere for the birds to safely land;
  3. Ensure the water is changed regularly and the bird bath is kept clean;
  4. Ensure children wash their hands after touching these or anything else in the garden.

Note that birds often distrust anything ‘new’ in the garden, so it may be a few days or even a couple of weeks before the first bird takes a bath. That said, sometimes a particularly brave bird may come almost right away and, in any case, patience is a virtue, as they say. That’s another important lesson that children also need to learn.

Add Nesting Boxes

Children will also love seeing birds moving into birdhouses, which families can either make or buy.Children will also love seeing birds moving into birdhouses, which families can either make or buy, often inexpensively, and put up around gardens or properties. There are lots of different kinds, for example, blue tit boxes have a hole as an entrance whereas robins require a larger opening. Some research online may be wise and families can decide which type to go for based on what species of birds they wish to attract.

Bird boxes should be positioned carefully, though, bearing in mind the following guidelines:

  • Boxes should face anywhere between north and east otherwise babies can die from the heat during the summer months;
  • Position at least 2 metres above ground level, somewhere cats, foxes, squirrels and birds of prey cannot easily access them (so, not near the tops of fences, for example);
  • For the same kind of reasons, it’s best if bird boxes are located under some kind of overhead protection e.g. under the eaves or an overhang on your house, or on a tall post underneath a tree canopy (this reduces the chance of attack from above by birds of prey). Hiding them within an area covered in climbing plants is another option;
  • Locate them away from permanent bird feeders as they need to be away from other areas that are busy with activity from birds, animals, and humans;
  • Tilt the box forward a little so that rain runs off more easily.

More information about bird boxes and how families can even make them is available on the RSPB website.

How to Attract Minibeasts

Children can make a compost heap to attract minibeasts and give them a home.By far the best way to attract minibeasts, apart from ensuring harmful weedkillers and other nasty chemicals aren’t used around the garden, is to give them a compost heap to live in. Such places will attract minibeasts like centipedes, woodlice, millipedes, worms and many other types — perhaps even slow worms. Building a compost heap is a wonderfully worthwhile, fun, and educational activity for children to take part in and our guide explaining how to make and maintain a compost heap can be found here.

Once the compost heap has been established, minibeasts will move in as it will represent both a home and a food source for many of them. Children can also download our free Minibeasts identification poster here.

Teach Children Empathy & Responsibility

Children should be shown how to take care of and be gentle when looking for wild creatures, as each is an individual who wants to live in peace, is scared of humans and is both delicate and easily harmed. Taking such care will teach children lessons like empathy and responsibility as well as help the garden wildlife to stay safe and well.

Create a Wilderness Area

Lizards, frogs, toads, and newts may also be attracted to wild areas that are damp.Aside from that, minibeasts and many other types of garden visitors love a wild area of the garden or outdoor space to live in, ideally with ramshackle things like flower pots, rocks, piles of rotting leaves, and rotting logs/branches for bugs, slow worms and other minibeasts to live under. Lizards, frogs, and toads may also be attracted to such areas, particularly if the area is kept damp.

In the right circumstances, children may even get to see birds like robins nesting if there is somewhere safe, peaceful, hidden and suitably high off the ground.

Keep grass in wilderness areas long, sow wildflowers there, and disturb the area as little as possible.

Bug hotels are also a great way to attract bugs and minibeasts to the garden.Make or buy a ‘bug hotel’ and place this in the wilderness area too, as it’ll provide a home for all sorts of bugs and insects, including some pollinators like solitary bees, bumblebees, and other minibeasts like ladybirds, woodlice, snails, spiders — even some types of butterfly potentially. Indeed, bug hotels are excellent in autumn as they will provide somewhere safe for the creatures to over-winter and hibernate. The RSPB has an excellent guide to making your own ‘minibeast hotel’ which is another name for a bug hotel. This particular one is fairly large, so will need input from parents or caregivers, however, the same principle can be used by children on a smaller scale if they would like to build their own. We may produce our own guide for them separately in due course.

How to Encourage Hedgehogs

If children are really lucky, they may even find that adorable little hedgehogs pay a visit.With the right preparation and if children are really lucky, they may even find that adorable little hedgehogs pay a visit. Better still, they may even move in under and raise families of adorable baby hedgehogs if the circumstances are right. Piles of leaves in wild areas, compost heaps in garden corners, unlit bonfire wood stacks, beneath sheds and where there are leaves collecting under undergrowth are all great areas for hedgehogs to stay, particularly if they’re secluded and peaceful areas away from noise, activity, and garden pets like dogs and cats. Ensuring there is a suitable gap under garden fences will also allow hedgehogs to come and go as they please, to forage for food. Ensure they’re not too big, though, if you have a pet.

If encouraging hedgehogs to the family garden, ensure children know not to feed them bread or milk as these are harmful to them.

Avoid using pesticides and harmful chemicals in the garden. Examples to avoid include weedkiller, snail or slug killers, and patio cleaning chemicals. These are usually potent poisons and are likely to kill garden creatures — even birds and their young, whether ingested directly or via eating of poisoned slugs, snails, or bugs.

Little Cedars Nursery: the Natural Choice for Childcare in Streatham

We offer the very best start for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a wonderful nursery and preschool in Streatham that understands exactly how to bring out the very best in every child. During their time with us, we’ll ensure we do everything possible to ensure they’re ‘school ready’ and primed for success by the time they begin formal education at school. We’re located in Streatham but are also conveniently close for families in Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. Many free, Government-funded places are also supported for eligible families and Ofsted rates Little Cedars as a ‘Good Provider’. So — your child is in the very best hands at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham.

Contact Little Cedars Nursery today to register your child for a place, arrange a visit, or ask any questions:

 

The Power of Sport in Early Childhood

Whether they’re naturally sporty or require a bit of practice, most children enjoy sports of one type or another at some point in their young lives. Some may take to a specific sport right away while others may identify a sport that they see potential in much later on. Two things are certain with sport though: firstly children can only discover a sport they enjoy if they try a few out for size and, secondly, sport of any kind is likely to benefit them in a number of ways. With the latter in mind, today’s article investigates some of the ways that sport benefits children in their early years.

Some of the Benefits of Sport in the Early Years

“Sport has such an incredible power to have a hugely positive impact on children’s lives. It increases their physical and mental well-being, helps them achieve at school and teaches important life skills such as working as a team, developing the confidence to try new things and taking leadership.” (Minister for Sport and Civil Society, 07/19)

Sport Offers Something for Everyone

One of the good things about sport is that it comes in so many different forms. Examples include anything from skateboarding, hockey and water sports to football, table tennis, gymnastics and squash. These examples are all very different and that’s a good thing. Essentially, it means there is generally a sport to suit everyone — it’s just a case of trying out several to see which is the best natural fit. With that goal in mind, encouraging young children to sample a wide range of different sports, ball games and sporty leisure activities is highly recommended. Once a child finds a sporting activity they love, it can potentially open up a whole new world to them.

Levelling the Playing Field

That wide range of different sports is a great leveller. With there being some kind of sport for most children, they’ll have something that gives them enjoyment, a sense of achievement and the feeling that they belong. For those children who previously felt a bit different and perhaps an ‘outsider’, including those with special educational needs, that feeling of belonging is important.

Improving Social & Interpersonal Skills & Communication

The above brings us nicely to another benefit of sport; that of improving social skills. When a child plays a sport with other team members or even opponents, they will naturally learn to improve communication and, through doing so, also hone skills like teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, strategy, and cooperation. These are skills that will stand them in great stead as they grow towards their teenage years and ultimately adulthood.

What’s more, of course, taking part in sports and being part of a team is a fabulous way to make deeper bonds with peers, form long-term friendships, and build an expanding friendship circle. Having decent bonds with others will enrich children’s lives and is a major key to childhood happiness.

Life Skills

It’s also important for children to learn from both success and failure in sports (and in life). Learning skills like good sportsmanship, winning or losing gracefully, resilience, and perseverance are highly useful life skills to master. Similarly, sports and being a part of a team can help instil discipline, responsibility, punctuality, and the importance of playing by the rules. All such skills and lessons will be important and useful throughout life as well as academically.

Cognitive Development

The strategic thinking, communication, teamwork, cooperation and problem-solving aspects of sport will also help children to develop cognitively. As well as being a workout for the body, sports can often also be a workout for the brain. As such, children’s mental agility will also increase. This can only be positive in the classroom and in daily life. Indeed, studies show that memory, concentration and academic performance are all significantly improved when children take part in regular physical activity.

Improving Health, Fitness, Agility & Mobility

Some of the more obvious benefits of taking part in sports, including in the early years, include improved fitness, improved strength and stamina, improved motor skills, and better coordination and balance. All these things will, in turn, improve the lives of children in their daily activities as they grow older.

An active lifestyle and regular active play during sports sessions will also help children maintain healthy bones, muscles, and even weight. With childhood obesity rates now at alarming levels, sport is a simple, fun, and easy activity that will help in the fight against such an important issue.

“The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, yet just 20% of boys and even fewer girls (14%), are meeting this target, despite 95% of children saying that they enjoy being active.” (Public Health England)

Better Sleep

There’s nothing quite like the exertion of physical energy to tire little ones out. Letting them play sports, ball games and run around is therefore a sure-fire way to help them sleep well at night and, if applicable, during daytime naps. And, as we know, high-quality sleep is incredibly important for children and adults alike, allowing the body and mind to recharge in many different ways.

Sports Activities are Great Fun!

Let’s not forget the most obvious but perhaps overlooked benefit of sports — they are great fun for children. Running, playing in teams, and getting involved in a wide variety of energetic activities etc. are an intrinsic part of any happy childhood. Sports allow children to play in incredibly active ways, often over wide spaces that give them a feeling of immense fun and freedom.

Good for Mental Health & Well-Being

Letting off steam through sport and active play will also act as a healthy stress-buster. Letting loose on a sports field and running free will lift spirits and help children shake off any anxiety they may have felt in the classroom or at home. As children’s sporting skills improve over time, they will also get a better sense of self-esteem, accomplishment, and confidence. These, too, are important for their mental health and well-being.

“Evidence shows that children and young people who are more active have more confidence, higher self-esteem, less anxiety and stress and better social skills – attributes that can help them deal with the challenges they face in daily life. Positive attitudes towards physical activity have also been associated with children being happier.” (Public Health England)

A Possible Career in Sport

Those children who excel at or learn deeply from sport also get additional opportunities from the activity; a possible career in sport. Opportunities include anything from coaching and physiotherapy to places in professional teams that get featured on TV and radio. And, of course, the most talented may even end up winning gold at the Olympics! Indeed, many of the sports stars that we hear about began their interest at a young age. The career potential of sport is simply immense.

Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

High-Quality Childcare Near Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood

Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Streatham boasts many opportunities for sport as children grow. From sports clubs, an ice skating rink, and the world-class Crystal Palace sports and athletics complex, to the famous football stadium at Selhurst Park, many centres for sport are located just a stone’s throw from our Streatham nursery. For children who get into sports at an early age, such venues offer incredible opportunities for both leisure and even possible future careers. Given some encouragement and the right opportunities, perhaps even some of our own little ones could end up as future sporting stars!

If you would like to explore a possible nursery or preschool place for your child at Little Cedars Nursery, please get in touch today. You can apply for a place, request a guided visit, or ask any questions using the options below:

10 Ways to Boost Learning Through Play at Home

Children learn and benefit in a huge number of ways when they play.As we previously reported, children learn and benefit in a huge number of ways when they play. Improvements to motor skills, critical thinking, fitness levels, creativity, social skills and emotional intelligence are just a few known benefits. Indeed, play is accepted to be the very best way for children to learn, particularly in their early years. Furthermore, when play is coupled with a deep parental involvement in a child’s education, the benefits can be truly profound. With all that in mind, we follow up today with 10 easy ways for parents to boost children’s learning through play at home.

1. Set Aside a Dedicated Play Space at Home

Optimise the success of indoor play by setting aside a dedicated and safe play area or room for your child.One of the ways you can optimise the success of any indoor play is to set aside a dedicated and safe play area or room for your child. Here, you can ensure that children have the space and tools available for stimulating play when needed, and quieter play at other times. Age-appropriate toys, books, and equipment are, of course, the first prerequisite for such an area. However, you may also consider other elements such as a quiet storytelling/reading corner, a play den or teepee, a relaxation area with cushions and blankets, a creative section with art and craft supplies, a play kitchen or play tools section, and so on. Giving your child such a space is sure to encourage them to immerse themselves in their play activities. And, as we know, children learn best through play.

2. Play Proactively & Interactively With Your Child

Getting proactively involved in some play activities may boost your child's imagination through the scenarios and ideas you introduce.As well as giving children the tools for imaginative and educational play at home, your proactive input will also boost the benefits they receive from such activities. So, get involved, lead them sometimes and at other times let them lead. They’ll discover and learn more in this way. Ask and answer questions, encourage them to be creative in their thinking and physical approach and highlight aspects and elements that they may not otherwise have been aware of. Such an approach can teach children so much. It may well also deepen the bond between you.

3. Role-Play Together

There are many types of play at home that can involve role-play, which is a powerful tool for learning.There are many types of play at home that can involve role-play, which is a powerful tool for learning. Role-play allows children to immerse themselves deeply into the game, story, or scenario they are acting out. As such it greatly boosts young imaginations and stimulates creativity skills. So, encourage such activities as dressing up in costumes, acting, and putting on pretend voices to embody characters. You and your child can take this a step further through the setting up of play equipment or props to create a new play scenario, for example, a play den, cave, pretend kitchen, or castle. Children will have immense fun whilst also learning huge amounts from such creative and imaginative activities.

4. Read Interactively Together

Interactive storytelling and reading are great ways to boost children's engagement, imaginations and creativity.Role-playing can also be brought into time spent reading with your child. Reading with a child is hugely beneficial to them, so reading with them in interactive ways is to be encouraged. Indeed, studies show that reading with a child during their early years boosts language skills by the equivalent of 8 months and, to a significant degree, it can also level the educational playing field for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Note that we say read ‘with’ children not ‘to’ them here. Interactively reading with your child is the key here as it engages them more fully so that its benefits can be felt by the child for the long term. So, next time you read with your under-five child, ensure you get them involved and encourage them to immerse themselves in the story or scenario. Let them ask questions or guess what will happen next, and make it fun through role-playing of the characters and suchlike. Reading with children really is worth its weight in gold!

5. Limit Time Spent Using Screens

Playing teaches children so much about the world around them.While electronic screens have their occasional place in the education and entertainment of families, it’s healthy to ensure your child has regular screen-free time. Partaking in active play at home — rather than staring inactively at a screen — can only be a good thing, in so many ways. Social skills will be better when children are actively involved in physical play with others. Motor skills and fitness will also benefit. Creativity levels will go through the roof too when children play in real life. They will also learn so much about the world, everything around them and the endless possibilities available to them by playing in the real world. Ensuring children get access to such benefits and opportunities by switching off smartphones, TVs, tablets and game consoles is something every parent can easily do for their child. Doing so will allow for more traditional play, which will enrich their lives in an infinite number of ways.

6. Use Toys That Allow Open-Ended Play

Open-ended play is the type that young children will usually learn the most from.Toys that allow open-ended play are the toys that young children will usually learn the most from. For example, allowing your child to play with building blocks and materials for arts and crafts will let your child’s imagination run riot. Through these, they will be able to create an infinite range of scenarios and possibilities. Dolls and action figures are also good examples that will allow children to immerse themselves in open-ended play, with you there to help expand those possibilities, scenarios and learning opportunities even further.

7. Allow Your Child to Take the Lead

The avoidance of over-structured games and play scenarios will also allow your child to take the lead. Children learn in different ways and at different paces to each other, so allowing them to guide the direction of play will also allow them to play and learn at their own unique pace. It will also allow them to tailor their play to their own particular interests, which will also ensure their engagement is optimised. Your involvement, however, can help your child avoid missed learning opportunities and perhaps some scenarios that they may not have thought of themselves, so it’s a fine balance.

8. Facilitate Social Play

Group play allows children to learn social skills like cooperation, teamwork, leadership, sharing and conflict resolution.It doesn’t have to be just you and your child playing. Siblings and your child’s peers can also be encouraged to join in. Consider inviting your little one’s friends to your home or local park for a play date. Getting your child’s friends and peers together for group play will allow your child to learn and hone social skills like cooperation, teamwork, leadership, sharing and potentially even conflict resolution. And, with you there to oversee the group session, you can be sure that home play will be fulfilling, organised, fair and rewarding for all who take part.

9. Encourage Outdoor Play Too

You can facilitate learning through play outdoors too.Remember that you can facilitate learning through play outdoors with your child too. Whether in the garden, park or countryside, playing outdoors gives children a vast number of learning opportunities — and it’s great fun! By accompanying children outdoors, they can naturally explore and discover — and enjoy doing so in ways that are much more free than when playing indoors. Outdoor play is a feast for the senses, it will encourage the honing of physical skills like balance, coordination, motor skills and strength as well as fitness. Playing in the natural world is also incredibly good for children’s mental well-being and holistic development. Learn more about the benefits of outdoor play and the importance of nature to children by following the bold links.

10. Celebrate Your Child’s Achievements Together

Use the power of positive reinforcement to take your child’s enjoyment of home play to the next level. Giving positive feedback to your child when they accomplish a task or achieve something new will greatly encourage them. It’ll give them a sense of achievement, boost confidence, and let them know they’re doing well and are on the right path. What’s more, it’ll encourage them to play to learn more.

Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

A High-Quality Nursery & Preschool in Streatham, near Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good Provider

The concepts above are, of course, also the types of approaches we use at Little Cedars to boost the learning of children under five in our childcare setting. We are a high-quality nursery and preschool in Streatham in South West London, near Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common, Furzedown, Tooting, Tooting Common, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. We also support many of the Government-funded free childcare schemes and are rated as a Good Provider by Ofsted.

Contact us today to explore a possible nursery/preschool place for your child at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham:

 

Free Wild Mammals Poster for Under-5s — & World Wildlife Day

With World Wildlife Day falling on the 3rd of March and Spring virtually upon us, we thought it was a great time to produce another free wildlife poster for children and families to download. This one features 20 wild British* land mammals that children will love! Using the poster, they can learn to identify the animals shown and perhaps look out for them when out and about over the coming months and years. It’s a handy reference tool that can be used to get to know their furry neighbours, whether in local parks, on trips to the countryside, or whilst on holiday. While some creatures like grey squirrels are common to see, some of the others shown are more shy — but that just makes it more exciting when they are finally spotted!

Many of Britain's wild mammals are stunningly beautiful and children often have a natural interest in them.Getting children interested in nature, and spending time around it, is extremely good for them as we’ve reported before — the benefits of nature to children are simply huge. Today’s focus on British mammals will not only be a good way to encourage an interest in some of Britain’s wonderful creatures but may also help them understand more about the need to support conservation efforts and protect wildlife. It’s a great way to foster empathy in little ones too. We’ll tell you more about World Wildlife Day shortly but first, grab yourself and your children the free mammals poster — the creatures shown are stunningly beautiful and kids are bound to love displaying the poster.

Download, print out and feel free to share this British Wild Mammals poster. Click the bold blue link or the preview image below and save to your hard drive. Once opened in Acrobat Reader and printed out, children can see if they can learn the different animal names and even spot some of the beautiful creatures over coming years while outside, in the countryside, or on holiday.

Free Wild Mammals Poster for Under-5s — & World Wildlife Day

United Nations World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day - 3 MarchWorld Wildlife Day celebrates the world’s flora and fauna. It happens on the 3rd of March each year and is a way to raise awareness of the need to protect nature. That can be achieved by reducing harmful emissions, pollution, habitat loss, and the loss of biodiversity. By introducing children to the beautiful wildlife around them, children will naturally be more empathetic towards other creatures and even progress to learning about conservation matters and the impact of humans on the planet. In this way, little ones can grow into young stewards of the planet and have an active interest in protecting it going forward. Get them started today by downloading our free Wild Mammals poster — who knows where it could lead!

Parents, teachers and early years practitioners can learn more about the United Nations World Wildlife Day here. Also check out our activity ideas for children under five for World Wildlife Day.

Other Free Wildlife Posters Children Can Download

Don’t forget that this is just one in a series of several wildlife/nature-related posters. All of them are free, shareable, and will be both fun and educational for children. Choose from today’s British Mammals poster above, our British Birds poster, Minibeasts poster, or Butterflies poster. Follow the links for more details and the free downloads.

Exceptional Childcare in Streatham

Little Cedars: a high-quality childcare nursery in Streatham, London, SW16

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderWe love nature and all the benefits it brings to children, so we’re lucky to be located close to Tooting Common at Little Cedars Day Nursery (Streatham, SW16). We also encourage children to get involved in planting and growing in our own garden at the setting as nature teaches them so much. It’s all part of the early years learning and development programme at the setting.

Contact Little Cedars Nursery today and explore the possibility of a nursery/preschool place for your child in Streatham:

Based in Streatham, Little Cedars Nursery may also suit your little one if you are looking for a high-quality nursery or preschool near Tooting Common, Tooting, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common, Furzedown, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Balham, Norbury or Colliers Wood.

* By ‘British’ we mean mammals that can be found and seen in Britain. We are keeping things simple for little ones but appreciate, of course, that some of the animals featured were not originally indigenous to Britain. Examples include the Muntjac Deer (originally from China) and the grey squirrel (originally from North America). Even some red squirrels that we see in parts of Britain may be descendants of some that were imported to boost our own declining populations. We also appreciate that there are several sub-species not shown, e.g. several types of mouse, shrew, vole and others. That, again, is to keep things simple for little ones.