The best way to learn and enjoy local nature is often to get out there and experience it for yourself. Our wildlife clubs specialise in providing exciting ways for young people to do just that. The below wildlife challenges are just a few ideas of ways you can enjoy time in nature on those days where, unfortunately, you are not at wildlife club!
Build a shelter
The best way to build a shelter is:
- Decide what type of shelter it will be. Is it a bivy, a tipi?
- Collect your materials: long sticks, short sticks, dry leaves, dead bark, stones, etc…
- Build your basic structure. Try to use three Y-shaped sticks and lock them together. Try and test the size so you can fit in!
- Use your long sticks and small sticks to fill the gaps.
- Now you need to make it waterproof! Use your dry leaves, dead bark, and anything else you can think of to cover the shelter so no water could get through.
- Test it! Try pouring a little water over it and seeing if it works!
Building a Leaf Mandala
This one is super simple and best done in the Autumn when the nice colours are out!
- Collect some colourful leaves and group them together into piles
- Get creative and make circles using the colours!
Balsam Bashing
Himalayan Balsam is an invasive plant that is unfortunately very common in Edinburgh. The good news is that it is very easy to identify and to remove. Himalayan Balsam has a very small root bulb so is easy for everyone to remove and help save out wild spaces! Here’s how:
- Identify it:
- the leaves viewed from the top spread out in threes (the kids have said they look like a fidget spinner!).
- they have a silvery-pink vein to them.
- The stems are completely smoothy and a bit squishy.
- They should put out of the ground with little to no resistance!
- Pick it and pile it up by the side of a path.
Camouflage yourself!
This is a super easy one, and you can get creative with it. Basically, camouflage yourself, take a photo with you in your camo, and let us know how you get on!