Nature Inspired ideas for ’30 Days Wild’ with kids
If you’re looking to participate in ’30 Days Wild’ with your kids or through your school then you’ll need our nature inspired ideas for #30dayswild that are perfect Summer nature activities to do with kids. There’s a mixture of activities and nature crafts that offer a variety of nature experiences for kids. If you’re doing #30 Days Wild with your primary school and you need more ideas – you’ll love our article on the 100 Best Nature Craft ideas for Kids. And here’s our favourite ideas if you’re looking for ways to get your whole family outside.
What is ’30 Days Wild’?
We have been taking part in 30 days wild for the last couple years now, it’s a fantastic initiative from the Wildlife Trust in which they encourage people to engage with nature and the outdoors for the 30 days of June.You can find loads of ideas here and if you sign up, you’ll be emailed with a digital pack including a wallchart, wildlife bingo, an activity passport and a nature table template. 30 Days Wild also sends further resources throughout June, with tips on everything from gardening, cooking and writing to photography, conservation and arts and crafts.
Ideas for taking part in 30 days Wild
If you’ve taken part in 30 days wild for a while or you’re a primary school looking for more 30 Days Wild ideas – we have a huge selection of nature inspired activities below! And if you’re having a rainy June you’ll need our Outdoor Activities for Rainy Days with Kids!
#30DaysWild
Nature Inspired ideas for '30 Days Wild' with Kids
If you’ve taken part in 30 days wild for a while or you’re a school looking for more 30 days wild ideas - we have a huge selection of nature inspired activities below!
The beauty of Nature Boats is they can be made out of a variety of nature items and it’s a perfect activity for a rainy day. Find out how we made our Nature Boats here.
A great nature craft activity is Hapa Zome - Hapa Zome is the Japanese art pounding natural pigments in to cloth and can be done with a variety of leaves and flowers. Kids love it - find out how to give it a whirl here!
A cute nature craft that turns the humble stick into a beautiful butterfly!
Hands down this is the most fun kids can have with mud! It’s a brilliant nature science experiment combined with lots of messy outdoor play mud mixing fun!
Help feed our feathery friends and encourage your kids to attract nature to your gardens or outdoor spaces by making one of these easy bird feeders from eco friendly materials
Make a mud potion, a fairy potion or even flower soup!
These gorgeous Flower sun catches use gelatin to really encapsulate how beautiful flower petals and blossom can be! Find out how to make them here, you can also use vegetarian gelatin if you prefer.
8. Seed bombs
Seed Bombs are fun and easy to make – they can be messy too which all adds to the fun. Simply mix up some compost and add some seeds. These wildflower seeds are pretty. You can add some flour or clay powder to help the seed bombs to stick. Leave them to dry in the sun and then throw onto soil – preferably after rainfall!
9. Rock Painting
Rock painting is one the cheapest and easiest nature activities there is and if you use a spray varnish once your paint is dry – it can be an amazing keepsake too! Chalk pens are also brilliant and less messy for painting on stones or rocks. We love the look of these Rock designs here…..
10. Make a Journey Stick
If you’re off on a walk, make a journey stick! When Aboriginal people of Australia went on journeys, they collected objects along the way, tying them to the stick as keepsakes. When they returned home, they used the stick to remember their journeys and relay the story of their journey to friends and family.
11. Photo Scavenger Hunt
This is one of our favourite outdoor walking activities – it’s like eye spy for older kids! Download your FREE printable photo scavenger hunt here!
12. Make a Snail Home/ have a Snail Race
Do your kids love collecting snails? Challenge them to create a habitat for their snails or have a snail race! You can download a snail race track here!
13. Pond Dipping
Have a fun day Pond dipping with your kids – it’s a fun must-do summer nature adventure! The great thing is that it’s so easy to do. All your child needs is a pond and a net (or a couple of buckets). Dip the net into a pond and there begins the fun!! The best time of the year to go pond dipping with your child is from May to August. That’s when ponds are at their peak activity. For ideas for things to do at a pond – see these ideas for the RSPB.
14. Ice Blossom Sculptures
Blossom looks very beautiful encapsulated in ice, you may have to use a freezer in Spring or Summer to do this although in Winter you can freeze it outside overnight.
15. Den Building
Spend a day at the woods and create a den with kids – you could even pack a picnic and eat it in your den. You can use this as an activity idea to get older kids outside by setting them a challenge to build a shelter that’s waterproof!
16. Mud Pie faces
Mud Pie Faces is a fun activity to do with kids in the woods – take a basket and collect leaves, grass, berries and other nature items. Using clay or mud – make a face on a tree and decorate the facial features with your collected nature items.
If you’re planning an adventure in the woods with kids- you’ll love our Games to Play in the Woods with Kids or Woodland Crafts for Kids
Things to do in the Woods with Kids
17. Grow Potatoes
Potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables for kids to grow and they produce stunning results relatively easily! Potatoes also grow easily in bags meaning you don’t even need a garden! Just a small outside space will do! Plant some seed potatoes in potato grow bags – give them some sun and water and hey presto! Kids will love searching through the soil at harvest time to find the precious potato jewels!
18. Litter Pick
Litter picking is an excellent learning opportunity, so why not go on an explore with your child and show them how litter picking can help our wildlife to flourish. This will also teach them that one person can make a big difference!
19. Nature Weaving
Nature Weaving is a Great nature-based activity for connecting children with nature and it can be as simple or as tricky as you like so it’s an easy outdoor activity to adapt for older kids . It’s something that you can do in your own garden or even on a walk. Try tying three sticks of similar length with string. Place elastic bands over the sticks and thread through anything pretty you find on your nature walk!
20. Shell Necklace
Taking a trip to the beach is a perfect 30 day wild activity, collect some shells to make these stunning necklaces. But if you don’t have a trip to the beach planned, don’t worry! You can buy some shells here.
21. Fairy Mud Potions
Making fairy mud potions is a great way to enjoy being outside in the summer. Our kids love making mud pies and using whatever they find in the garden to make mud concoctions! You can find all our favourite mud potions and mud kitchen recipes by clicking the button below. And for more summer outdoor activities for kids try our mud kitchen play ideas for kids.
22. Stick Dream Captures
Another fantastic idea to make with sticks from our friends at The Reluctant Explorers. Wrap embroidery thread round some sticks and tie feathers to the end to make these gorgeous stick dreamcatchers.
23. Make Nature Paints
Experiment making your own nature paints by using natural resources. Using plants to make dyes is an age-old art but mostly kids will like how much messy fun this is! You can mix broken and nearly used up chalks with mud to create some fun mud paint. Or use the natural ingredients below to experiment creating your own pigments.
Blue – blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries or red cabbage.
Red – beetroot, rose petals, cranberries, strawberries!
Yellow – mustard powder, onion skins, pumpkin, bee pollen!
Green – peppermint leaves of grass.
24. Bird Viewers
Another great idea from The Reluctant Explorers. Making a cardboard bird viewer is such a simple idea to help kids view nature in a different way and appreciate the natural world up close.
25. Go on a Bug Hunt
No 30 days wild would be complete without a bug hunt! Search under rocks, peek under logs, Peer into the cracks in tree bark. Also remember to keep your eyes peeled after rain – can you spot slugs, snails and worms. See our very popular Nature Adventure Journal in our shop which contains a bug hunt as well as a scavenger hunt and ideas for exploring in all seasons.
Kids Nature Resources Shop
26. Roll down a Hill
Simplest nature fun of all – try rolling down a hill!
27. Tealight Holders
Use leaves in any shapes colours or sizes to make beautiful tea light holders.
28. Rain Painting
This is another great nature activity to do on a rainy day that encourages you to get outside whatever the weather! Find out how your paint with rain here!
29. Pine Cone Creatures
All you need is some clay and pine cones to create these fun nature creatures! This is a great activity to use up nature treasures your kids collect on a walk. If your kids are like mine, they’ve LOVE filling our house with various sticks, acorns and other nature bits and bobs!
30. Cloud Spotting
This one gives you a little rest and the kids a little chill out time! Lie back and watch the clouds go by, see if you can identify different types of clouds or make up flying stories about living on the clouds!
Where to next?
What other wild adventures will you have for 30 Days Wild?
If you liked these ideas you’ll love…….
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NB: Some of these products were gifted for review but all opinions are my own (or my kids!).
