By Guest Blogger, Elizabeth Borley.
Written 23/02/2023
There are so many benefits to outdoor outings for carers of young children – both for you as a childminder and for the children you care for.
And there’s a lot to be said for familiarity of the same woodland walk.
But if you’re looking for new ideas to expand what you talk about when you’re outdoors, then maybe linking your childcare activities to the many international global awareness days will help you approach outings with fresh eyes.
Here are 5 nature-related international observances that are easy to incorporate into your childminding practice.
1. World Wildlife Day
When: 3 March
World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to be thankful for the diversity we find in nature. It creates a talking point for how we live with and interact with nature, and how we use the natural resources around us.
What to do
Go for a nature walk. Spot minibeasts and find the habitats they live in. Talk about the different bird species you can see and hear.
Make posters of your favourite animals and talk about how important it is to look after the nature around us.
This is quite a well-known and popular event, so you might find local groups doing something like a litter pick that you can join in with (or why not organise your own?).
2. International Day of Forests
When: 21 March
International Day of Forests is the perfect moment to take the children in your care out to the woods! It’s a day that emphasises sustainable forestry and the management of woodlands as being crucial to well-being – something that Forest Childcare Association members won’t need convincing about.
What to do
Take a tree identification guide printable out on a walk and see what species you can find in your local woodland.
Make bark rubbings. Try to find the largest leaf. Talk about the trees that lose their leaves and the ones that keep them during the winter.
Look for evidence of things that live in and use the forests, like animal footprints and droppings, nests and minibeast homes. Talk about how we use the forest for walks and exploring.
3. World Water Day
When: 22 March
World Water Day is really close to International Day of Forests, so it might not make sense to mark them both in the same week with the children you childmind. You can always do an activity related to a global awareness day at some point in the same month if you can’t manage to tie it in with the exact day.
This event focuses attention on fresh water (so not oceans). It’s about raising awareness of the need for sustainable management of water resources.
What to do
Make a rain gauge from a bottle and put it outside. How much water can you collect while the children are with you?
Invite the children to make their own flavoured water to drink: add raspberries, cucumber, mint or orange slices to a glass of water.
Visit a reservoir or put your wellies on and splash in a stream! Talk about what lives in the water and how water is used.
4. World Migratory Bird Day
When: 13 May and 14 October
World Migratory Bird Day is marked twice in a year, so if you miss the opportunity to do something related in May, you can catch up in October! Different birds migrate to different places at different times of the year, so there are two moments annually for focused activities.
It’s a day to raise awareness of the need to conserve the habitats of migratory birds and the threats facing them.
What to do
Go bird watching! Find a hide at your local nature reserve and break out the binoculars. Look at library books that are a guide to the different species of birds and see which ones you can spot.
If you can’t get to a nature reserve, you can lie in the garden or in a park and look at birds flying overhead.
Draw pictures of birds, look at their flight paths on a map and talk about where they migrate to and why they go. How many countries do they cross?
5. World Soil Day
When: 5 December
Need something to do during December? How about marking World Soil Day?
Soil is essential for so many things: growing food for humans, sustaining plant life, as a habitat for worms and minibeasts and much more. The day is all about raising awareness of the nutrients in soil and how poor soil management strips out what is naturally occurring, leading to nutrient loss and lower quality food for us all.
What to do
The obvious thing to do today is go and play in the mud! Make mud pies and sculptures, splash in muddy puddles, dig holes and get dirty!
For a cleaner alternative, plant some seeds. Broad beans and onion seeds are good for this time of year, or look for quick growing hardy salad leaves like lamb’s lettuce. Alternatively, just ditch the soil and go for a classic runner bean in a jam jar or some cress!
You could also visit a local farm and talk about how they use the soil for growing crops.
Make it your own
You don’t have to mark an awareness day on the actual day. If it’s easier for you and the children you mind, find an alternative moment to do some of these activities, or create your own.
There are awareness days every month, so if you would like some new ideas for activities to do with your children that get them outdoors, take some inspiration from the international events calendars on the UN and UNESCO websites.
About the author
Elizabeth Borley is a member of the Forest Childcare Association and administrator at The Practical Forest School, a Sussex-based provider of afterschool clubs and in-school forest school activities.
Forest Childcare Association
The Forest Childcare Association is a best practice initiative for childcare providers who want to demonstrate their commitment to taking small children outdoors on a regular basis. By making a commitment to regular outdoor outings you can make a discernible difference to your children AND your business. When you join you will receive a Forest Childcare Starter Pack containing training information as well as business tools, a certificate to display and 50 Crafts and Activities to get you started.
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