Spring is clearly on its way! At long last! After a very soggy winter, it is wonderful to see the sun again. There are signs of spring everywhere and we are here for it! Why not send your little out into the woods to witness the changing of the seasons? It is truly magical when the woodland wakes up after its winter slumber.

Our regular term time sessions are running through March;

Tuesday Home Ed group — (10:30-2:30) in Crane Park with Amanda J

Wednesday Home Ed Group — (10-3) in Ham Common Woods with Sam

Please do head over to the booking page of our website to register for either of those. We would love to see you in the woods.

Keep an eye on the booking page of our website for all of our Easter Holiday sessions. We are still finalising our schedule but will be updating the booking page shortly.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

Written by Kate Meisner and Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal this book takes us on a journey up in the garden, where the world is full of green-leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. It also takes us down in the dirt where there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing and all the other animals that make a garden their home. In this exuberant and lyrical book, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves… and down in the dirt.

Wild Garlic (Ramsons)

This is one of my favourite spring activities — foraging for wild garlic. I know a great spot near my house where it grows in abundance so I can head over there and collect a trug full without having to worry about over harvesting. I then bring it home and let it sit for a few hours by the front door to let any passengers crawl out before bringing in to wash and process. I love making wild garlic butter, which I store in the freezer, wild garlic pesto which is delicious in and on every thing (and also freezes well) and I have even been know to make fritters with the flowers. Yum! Eat Weeds have some great information about all sorts of things to forage in March including wild garlic.

BBC Good Food have a whole collection of recipes you can use your freshly foraged wild garlic in.

Dens

I can still recall, with great nostalgia, building dens with my friends as a child and the stories and make believe that we incorporated into our play. With nothing more than a few sticks, maybe some tarpaulin, rope and a healthy dose of imagination, children create spaces that are entirely their own. In the process, they develop teamwork, problem-solving skills, resilience and creativity — learning how to test ideas, adapt when things fall down, and try again. A simple collection of natural materials becomes a shelter, a home, a hideout or a story setting, and children experience the deep satisfaction that comes from building something real with their own hands. Den building reminds us that the richest play doesn’t need complicated equipment — just time, space and imagination.

If you give this one a go we would love to see the results!

Queen Bumble Bee

Bumble bee colonies are headed up by a Queen. The Queen bee is usually the only bee to survive the winter by hibernating alone, underground in loose soil. She emerges from her regal slumber to take on the role of finding a new site to build a nest and populate a new colony.

Find out more from the The Royal Parks and the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.

If you manage to spot one or even get a photo we would love to know about it.