Encouraging outdoor play

Get your kids enjoying outdoor play with some top ideas from Nature's Playground, a book filled with activities, crafts and games to encourage your child to explore all that the great outdoors has to offer. From twig boats to constructing dens, there is no room for boredom with outdoor play. We have selected four Spring activities to get your children playing outside and discovering nature.

Pond and Stream Dipping

You will need:

• A net such as a seaside shrimping net or a homemade one. If you could get close to the water's edge, an old sieve works very well
• Large containers, such as empty ice cream tubs or an old washing-up bowl
• Smaller containers, such as jam jars
• A bug box or magnifying glass
• Old paintbrushes and spoons
• A field guide (if you would like to try to identify your catch).

Before you start

Discovering the great variety of life in aquatic habitats requires a little patience as many of the animals are small and some are well camouflaged. Don't let children run noisily towards the water; encourage them to approach quietly and see if they can spot any signs of life. There may be birds drinking or hunting by the water's edge, frogs and toads lurking among the weeds, beetles whizzing round dizzily on the surface or fish swimming in the depths. Perhaps each child could find a place to sit near the water and watch for a few minutes before starting to explore further.

How to dip

• Fill a large container and a couple of smaller containers with water from the pond or stream. Place these on level ground near the water's edge, ready to receive your catch.
• Ask the children to look carefully to see if they have caught something already. The water may be alive with miniature creatures such a water fleas.
• Now is the time to use the net or sieve. Move it slowly and gently through the water, close to marginal plants where animals may be sheltering. Try not to collect too much mud.
• Empty the net or sieve by gently turning it inside - out directly into the water of the largest container. Leave for a couple of minutes to allow any mud or silt to settle, then take a close look to see whether you have caught anything.
• Remind children to treat their catch very carefully and handle it as little as possible. Many of the creatures cannot survive for very long out of water.
• Using a paintbrush or spoon, transfer some of your catch to the cleaner water in the smaller container
• Try rinsing pieces of weed into the container - animals may be hiding there.
• In shallow streams or ponds, carefully lift the stones and look underneath to see if any creatures, such as caddis fly larvae, are lurking there (always replace the stones as you found them).
• When you have finished, return all the water, plants and creatures to where they were found, rinsing out the nets and containers carefully.

For more outdoor activity ideas, have a look in the box opposite.