Taking the kids or grandkids away in your motorhome or caravan over the holidays can be great fun. We are so lucky to have a huge natural playground right here on our doorstep and there are plenty of fun activities that we can share with youngsters that provide great teaching opportunities as well.
When children learn about nature, they can begin to appreciate, understand and respect our beautiful wild heritage.
Here are some really great ways to have simple fun, learn about nature and enjoy some quality time...
- Blowing Bubbles
Hours of fun can be had with this one and you can buy bubbles cheaply from the supermarket or $2 shop. - Nature Scavenger Hunt
So easy to organise! Simply ask them to collect a list of items they can find in nature, for example, a pinecone, a feather, a special stone, a yellow flower. Then you can talk about each item and how it relates to our environment. - Pooh Sticks
Remember this one? What kid (big or little) hasn't had fun playing this? All you need is flowing water, a bridge, and some sticks. Drop them in on one side and wait to see whose stick will make it to the other side first! - Leaf Mandala
Choose some leaves, the more variety, the better. Lightly cover them in paint and imprint them on the paper. - Bug Hunting
Admittedly, this one won't be for everyone! Search under dead leaves and in old rotten logs to see what bugs you can find. There is so much we can learn about the bush from the kind of creatures that live there. - Make a Nature Bracelet
Before going for a walk, loosely wrap masking tape around your wrist (sticky side out). Stick the tape onto itself to create a bracelet. While walking along, stick flowers, twigs, leaves and feathers to the bracelet. You can then use clear tape to seal everything in place. - Make a Daisy Chain
- Nature Wind Catcher
Gather together small pieces of driftwood, shells, and anything that takes your fancy and string it together to make an amazing wind catcher. - Make a Rock Buddy
Choose a nice smooth stone and get painting! If they are varnished, they will last longer. - Search for Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and will only come out after dark, so a good torch is a must. See if you can spot a hedgehog, or if you are super lucky, a kiwi! Being very quiet certainly helps with this one!
Kidspot is a great resource for ideas for kids. Click here to visit their website.
For something a bit different, consider purchasing some Getting Lost cards. They have a huge selection of cards to suit every situation. For example, you can select cards such as The Adventurers Edition, The Summer Edition, The Camper Edition and The Walkers Edition. Basically, you pick your pack, shuffle the cards, follow the directions, laugh, explore and make memories. What a lovely idea! Click here to visit their website.
And if you get tired of keeping things simple, check out Eventfinda, it has a little of really cool events for kids happening throughout summer all over New Zealand! We hope you have a great one!
