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 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 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 8 Go Creepy Crawly

Yesterday was just a day to get out walking. Up early in the morning before the rain and out with an OS map to explore a new route in a familiar area.

Today's challenge is to get down low and search for a creepy crawly. Get as close as you can and watch it carefully. Be gentle and if you lift anything during your search be extra careful in how you put it back.

Yesterday down by the pond.

Day 7 Begin a nature collection

So how did yesterday go? Did you manage to identify a wildflower?

Here are some buttercups, always a favourite sight to see a field full of yellow while out walking.

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to begin a wild treasure collection. Some people like to collect and press wildflowers, others bones, feathers, fossils, fir cones but what will you find to collect?

For me it has to be going to the beach scouring the shore for an interesting shell or a hag stone. Here are a few objects I've found. The black one is an egg case of a fish called a skate.

Here's today's action down by the pond.

Day 6 Wild Flowers

Today's random act of wildness is to identify a wildflower. You may have some in your garden or you may spot some on a walk. Collect as much information about it as you can. Look at the leaves and the flowers, its height. Make a sketch or take a few photos then search a spotter guide or look online.

My favourite guide is the one below. It asks questions and you follow the trail through the book to find the flower. Some guides work by using the colour of the flower. It only cost a few pence second hand from an online seller.

If you can't find a guide here is a limited spotting sheet to help out.

Today down by the pond a lively mouse and a pigeon.

Day 5 Collect the Rain

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to make a rain gauge. The video above gives clear instructions but as I'm not a jelly person I'm going to put plasticine or play dough in the bottom to make it level. There is one thing certain though as soon as you've made it the rain will stop!

In Forest School we regularly measure the rainfall and we certainly weren't short of a drop or two earlier in the year as you can see below.

Down by the pond yesterday the mouse returned in the night and here are the trail cam captures.

Whatever you do today - Have Fun😀

Day 4 Watch a Wild Goggle Box

How did you do yesterday? As the weather got worse there seemed to be a lot less bees about. If you didn't spot any you can always try another day or try to work out the ones in the pictures below.

Today's Random Act of Wildness challenge is to watch a wild webcam. There are lots of places that have webcams live-streaming so here are a few to get you going.

1. BBC Springwatch HERE have both live streams and catch up viewing.

2. The Wildlife Trusts HERE have access to live streaming around the country including badgers, bats and puffins.

3. Cumbria Wildlife Trust bird feeder cam Here

And today's pond watch sees the squirrels come to visit.

Have fun 😀

Day 3 Bee Wild

How did you do yesterday with identifying wild sounds? I think I managed a pigeon, a magpie and a robin.

If you didn't get a chance watch and listen to the video below and see what you can hear.

And how about this for a noisy character. Usually so quiet in the garden but definitely was not happy with me on this occasion.

Today's challenge for a random act of wildness is to see how many bees you can identify. Even though it's not so sunny they are still about. To help you out download the identification sheet you can see below. The link is HERE.

Have fun 😀

Update: Down by the pond some activity the other night. Can you spot the little fellow?

Wild Day 2 Down by the Pond

Yesterday's random act of wildness was to watch the clouds and use your imagination.

Here's my attempt at putting drawings to the clouds:-

I've mentioned in a previous post about having a pond in the garden to attract wildlife. This video is from the first day keeping watch on the wildlife that made it to the pond area in the garden.

The Wildlife Trusts and RHS also have a super free booklet about making a small pond in your garden so if you are interested you can read about it HERE and download a free booklet.

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to listen for wild sounds. How many can you hear? If you get the chance to hear some bird calls try to identify the bird and its song. Just learning one builds your connection to nature.

30 Days Wild

Here we go the first day of hopefully many random acts of wildness lay ahead and the weather couldn't be better for getting outdoors.

If you haven't signed up with the Wildlife Trust initiative yet you can do so HERE and get a free downloadable pack of ideas. Read more about it HERE.

Today was the first chance to see the Forest School site since the end of March and how it's changed!
The whole of spring has passed and everything is growing wildly. Some of the areas that suffered from the winter rain have begun to recover but many areas we regularly use have become overgrown.

The fruit bushes are beginning to produce fruit but the pond area has dried out and become a little lost in the grass.

Many areas are looking magnificent, the beech tree with its huge green canopy and many flowers around the site and in the meadow area.

A random act of wildness challenge for today is to look up at the clouds. What shapes can you see? Why not try sketching them and turn them into the objects of your imagination. Or take a photo and use some drawing software to make your picture.

We would love to see your pictures and to hear about what you are getting up to. You can add a comment to the blog below or Tweet with @LyndonGreenJnr #30DaysWild

Right off to find a cloud ......    

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