Day 29 Plant some wild seeds

Ensuring part of the garden has a wild feel to it has always been in my planning and with events this year I have now managed to fulfil my aims. Part of the front garden has a hedge and low wall with shallow soil as it is over a drain pipe. Any form of planting has been difficult so it seemed like the ideal place for some wild flowers.

After clearing the overgrown grass and edging the lawn I sowed a number of seeds.

Hopefully it will become a colourful place for wildlife. After just a few weeks progress is being made and it looks like this...

Lots of little seedlings already beginning to appear and hopefully by next year there will be a display like this one I walked past today.

So try and find a small patch of garden or a plant pot and sow some seeds to attract wildlife.

Day 26 Squirrel Day

After last years attempt to tempt a squirrel to use a feeder failed I'm ready for attempt two.

A handy Father's Day present means we are all ready to try again with a new feeder and after the squirrels have so successfully navigated ropes and so to get nuts from a basket I'm hoping this time will be a success. Not to take any chances though I've put in a prop to make access easier to start with. So now all we have to do is watch and wait.

The old feeder chewed away by the squirrels.

New feeder with prop.

                                         

Day 23 Make an insect home

This week is National Insect Week so perhaps we should get outside and start looking for some insects.

There is absolutely loads of information at THIS site including videos, discovery pages, free booklet/magazine and so much more so why not take a look?

How about seeing how many ladybirds you can find? This sheet will help.

And finally why not make an insect home? 

These are a few in my garden but THIS * site has some great instructions on how you can make your own.

*Please note this site does carry advertising.

Day 22 Feel the wild under your feet

Managed to catch something of the sunset last night, though the houses across the road tend to obscure the view a little.

Today's random act of wildness is to feel the wild under your feet. So go outside, take off those shoes and socks and feel the ground.

Day 21 Put nature in a frame

No sunset last night just clouds. Hope to see one tonight.

Today's challenge is to create a picture fame, use nature as the picture and take a photo of your composition.

A few times while out walking I've seen these put up along walks but all you need is some card and to cut out your own design.

Here are a few ideas.

How creative can you be?

Day 20 Watch the sun set

It's the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year so why not watch the sun set at about 9.33pm?

Day 19 Read a Wild Book

Who knew ladybirds can stay so still a predator will think they are dead, oh and they are carnivores too! Loads more amazing facts can be found here.

Today's challenge is to read a wild book. I love books with lots of pictures, diagrams and labels so any books like this one are great from my point of view.

But it is stories I like best so here are two of my top recommendations.

Firstly I love books with wildlife and dragons. So this one combines both together.

David Rain is a student looking for accommodation while at university. He meets Mrs Pennykettle and her daughter Lucy at 42 Wayward Crescent. Around the house are a number of mysterious clay dragons made by Mrs Pennykettle and in the garden Conker the squirrel and for David Gadzooks.

'What?" gasped Lucy, too excited to be shushed.

David let his imagination flow. To his amazement, he watched Gadzooks take a pencil from his jaws and hurriedly scribble down a name on his pad.

Snigger

David's eyebrows twitched in surprise. Liz prodded a sausage or two with a fork. Lucy bit a fingernail. Bonnington (the cat) yawned. The whole Pennykettle household waited for an answer.

"Snigger," David whispered.

From somewhere came a gentle hrring noise.

David's dark blue eyes blinked open. "Yes," he said, "his name is Snigger."

To find out just what is going on you'll have to read the book.

Oh some of my dragons just wanted to say hi!

Secondly I love books that have a map at the start. And this one does just that.

What would it be like to live in a world where animals no longer exist or if they do there are very few and when you meet them they talk to you?

Kester lives in such a world and goes on a quest but how can a young boy save the last wild animals?

The wardens haul me back to my room and lock the door behind them as if nothing happened.

Seven days. Stuck in here. Because I thought an insect was talking to me.

Sat up against the wall, clutching my pillow to my chest, I try to focus on the world beyond the window. A solid black sky, but no rain.

I try to think of happy things - like being back at home. I'm helping Mum unpack the shopping. I've said something to make her laugh. Then Dad comes in holding his favourite mug, full of tea, and joins in. And we're laughing and cooking dinner and we're happy. 

Everything is normal again.

If you like these stories The Last Wild is part of a trilogy and The Fire Within is one of seven books in the series.

Whatever you read Have fun 😀📚📚

Day 17 & 18 Inspired by Forest School

Yesterday we were back in Forest School and as the topic for the week revolved around the Rainforest we decided to use this for our inspiration.

We all collected together bits and pieces to make an imaginary rainforest creature. There was lots of discussion about what they could do from shape shifting, which eventually became colour changing, to poisonous spider eyes.

Here are each of our creatures.

After this we returned indoors. Some of the children wanted to draw their creatures so we did this and agreed a layout of facts Top Trumps style to write for each creature. Here is our work.

Later in the afternoon we were sharing some poetry from The Poetry Store compiled by Paul Cookson.

We found a poem called Ten One-line Poems about Sport by Ian McMillan. We decided to use this format to create our own version of the poem using our rainforest creatures. Each of us wrote a line for our creature and here is the compiled result.

So on to today and another random act of wildness. It looks like it's going to rain all day so you could look back at the Develop a Wild Memory post which has an ideal activity for a wet day or why not Google some wild facts and discover some secrets about your favourite animal or something that is just really weirdly wild.

Have fun😀🌧🌧

Day 16 Make a Rainforest Creature

Today for your random act of wildness put away all those pencils, paper and glue and get outside to make a rainforest creature. 

This is the schools focus for the week. So why not have a go outside?

Collect together materials from your garden or on a walk and make your own creature. Why not photo it and make a poem or fact file to go with it.your creature could be real or imaginary.

Here are some creatures made earlier in the year in Forest School.

Have fun 😀

Down by the pond: Our little amphibious friend is back cooling down on a warm evening. First time for a week or so. Thankfully the local cats haven't found him yet.

Day 15 Make a fairy plate

Today's random act of wildness is a creative one. Make a fairy plate. Find lots of natural and colourful items and present them as a wonderful plate of food, just like Ready, Steady Cook.

Here are some made by children in the autumn so it would be wonderful to see some summer examples.

If you would like to find out more about the magical and mysterious wild world then this is a great book to get you started.

With chapters on Elves and Fairies, Monsters,Mythical Beasts, Mermaids and Giants it will even tell you how to make your own bottle of dragon's blood there are 100's of activities to keep you entertained in the outdoors in a wonderfully colourful book. Find out more at @goingwildnet on Twitter and www.goingwild.net

Have fun😀

Day 13 &14 Keep Watching

This weekend the challenge is to keep watching and if you can record some of the things you see.

Today has been another walking day for me exploring new local routes with the help of an OS map. Over the past few weeks I've found lots of new route through familiar places. Here are some photos from today.

But if you can't get out and about there is always a space close to you, a local walk or a garden or yard space. I've set up a new squirrel run and within minutes the squirrel was along and had worked it out.

Here's the video.

Day 12 Develop a wild memory

Did you find any mini wild places yesterday. Here are a couple I spotted, spiky moss growing in the stump of a dead tree and flowers growing out of a garden wall.

Also out and about walking today saw these swan signets and ducklings in the canal.

Today's challenge is to improve your wild memory. Below is a game you can play by looking out the window, in your garden, on a walk, someone to play with or by yourself. You may want a pencil and paper too.

Have fun😀

Day 11 Search for a mini wild place

There can be little doubt that Forest School is a wild place. Spending yesterday afternoon there revealed just how overgrown it had become. The fire circle now looks more like a meadow!

We still managed to have some good fun. All being overgrown and green means that there are plenty of places to hide when playing Hunters and it's maybe a little bit softer for jumping off the log.

So today's random act of wildness challenge is to go and look for a mini wild place. You may find a patch of moss on the path, plants and flowers growing out of walls or the pavement really anywhere nature is trying to claim back for itself. What will you find? Have fun😀

Magnificent Moustaches

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to make a magnificent wild moustache and take a photo of yourself.

As we have a limited Forest School here today photos will be added later. So keep watching.

Here they are:-

Where's Gnorman? Collected

Can you find Gnorman and friends? These are all the pictures so far.

Have fun😀