We’re here to give you our top tips on teaching kids about the birds and bees - and we mean literally! Teaching little ones about nature plays a key role in developing earth-friendly kids who will respect and care for the environment. Spending time in mother nature also provides countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, and lots of fun! Here are some playful activities that will teach your kids to love nature and appreciate the planet.

Search for creepy crawlies

We know how excited and curious our kids get when they see bugs crawling around. Teach your little ones about creepy crawlies by going on a fun bug hunt. You should be able to spot lots of insects in your garden if you look closely under rocks, logs, and plants. Or, visit your local park or nature reserve to hunt for interesting insects. You can get a bug pot and identification chart quite cheaply online and they’re great for safely holding the little critter while your little one examines them up close.

 Here are a couple of our favourite fun facts about bugs: :

• Did you know that caterpillars have eight eyes?! 

• Spiders wait until their prey makes their web vibrate and then rush out and wrap them in silk to stop them moving. Then they paralyse them with their venom and eat them! Gruesome but very important for our gardens. (you can watch them do this at this time of year...it’s really fascinating)

Grow a mini garden

Growing a mini garden is the perfect way to teach your kids about different plants and flowers. If you have the space available, plant some seeds in your garden. Make things exciting by having a sunflower growing competition or planting edible things like strawberries, mint and honeysuckle. Your kids will watch seeds sprout and learn the importance of sunlight and water. If you don’t have space in your garden, don’t worry! You can buy a mini seed kit to grow herbs and plants indoors. Check out gardeningforkids.co.uk for a fantastic collection of easy-to-grow seeds and growing kits for kids. 

Save the Bees

Bees are critical to the survival of our planet.  They’ve been around for millions of years, pollinating our plants and producing the sweet golden syrup we call honey.  They’re one of the most important pollinators, capable of pollinating on a huge scale, and without them, our biodiversity would suffer a devastating blow as plants, including the food we need to survive, would no longer be able to multiply.   And they’re in decline as their natural habitats are replaced by human development, and pesticides designed to kill other insects increasingly kill the bees too.

But the good news is, we can help.  Try creating bee-friendly spaces in your garden, reducing your use of pesticides, and helping out a tired and poorly bee with a little sugary snack. Read more in this lovely article.

Go on a scavenger hunt

Nothing’s more exciting than grabbing a bucket and heading into the great outdoors on a scavenger hunt! Put together a list of easy-to-find items for your kids to collect. This may include a fallen leaf, a feather, a pinecone, shells, or a stone in a particular colour. Organising a scavenger hunt is a playful way to teach kids about nature and requires them to use their problem-solving skills. And once you’re home you can sort them into colours, types, textures, families and more, teaching your little one’s important classification and fine motor skills. 

Take a look at our Big Planet Little Hero initiative for more tips on getting kids to appreciate nature and take care of the environment.