We recently launched our series of Discovery Den Activity Packs! Each pack is aimed at ages 8 to 12 and follows one of three habitats – Woodland, Coastal or Freshwater. The packs are full of activities to help you discover these habitats and their wildlife. Whether you are a parent, teacher or group leader, there are lots of activities to get stuck into! In this blog, we’ll be taking a look at some of the activities from the Freshwater Activity Pack.

Scotland is home to some fantastic freshwater habitats. With over 31,000 freshwater lochs, 125,000km of rivers and streams, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of ponds across the country, there is an incredible diversity of freshwater species to spot.

Below are some fun family activities to keep you entertained, whether you are heading to a loch, a river, or perhaps your own garden pond. If you can’t get to a waterbody, don’t worry, there are still plenty of activities you can do at home!

1. Have a go at pond dipping

Ponds are blooming with life, with so many little creatures waiting to be discovered under the water! Pond dipping is the perfect chance for us to put our ‘science-y’ hats on and see what creatures we can catch and study up close. So, grab a net and a magnifying glass and let’s give it a go!

You don’t need much special equipment – you can probably find most things at home. Visit our Discovery Den to find everything you’ll need, step-by-step instructions, as well as top safety tips.

If you happen to have pond in your garden, great! If not, there might a pond in your local park or other green space. Some places even have special pond dipping platforms and run activity sessions where you can have a go. Look online to see if there are any near you – and remember to get permission before you dip!

2. Go birdwatching

Whether you’re off on a walk round a loch, along a river, or down your local pond, there will no doubt be birds to spot! Many birds rely on freshwater habitats, from ducks and swans to dippers and kingfishers.

Birdwatching is a great mindfulness activity and a good way to start learning about the fascinating lives of birds. Head to our Discovery Den to download and print some bird spotter sheets to take with you. Bring a pencil to tick off the species you spot! As you watch the birds, can you observe different behaviours, such as searching for prey, watching out for predators, or socialising?

You may spot people feeding the ducks on your walk. If you want to join in, remember to choose healthy options – things like peas, sweetcorn and lettuce are great options. This keeps the ducks healthy and hap-pea!

3. Build like a beaver

Try challenge yourself to beating the beavers! Can you create a watertight dam? All you need is a watertight tray, some water to pour, and your foraged materials.

Collect things like twigs, leaves, rocks, and mud. Then create a strong dam with things you found in the middle of your tray. Pour water into one side of the tray and see how long it takes for water to pass through the dam to the other side. Beavers don’t quit so have another go if you see a way to make it better!

Beavers can be seen regularly around Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve. From the hides, you may spot them swimming across the loch or feeding on their favourite vegetation. You can also join our Rangers for a guided Beaver Breakfast or Beaver Watch throughout the summer. Visit our events page to book a spot!

4. Build a raft (and race!)

Building some mini rafts using natural materials is a fun way to enjoy the water and it sparks a range of playing opportunities. You could have a sailing race, test buoyancy, add cargo to rafts, and more!

Rafts can be easy to construct and allow us to tap into our design and creativity skills. You can follow the instructions on our Discovery Den, but feel free to let your creativity run wild too.

5. Write some pond poetry

Let’s find a comfy spot by a local pond and write some nature-inspired poetry. You may even have a pond in your garden you could sit by.

This activity encourages children (and us adults!) to spend time in nature and let it spark their imagination. We can use what we see, feel, smell or hear to inspire our poetry writing.

To help kick-start your writing, we have provided a collection of word prompts, including sensory rich words to help children create a rich story of their outdoor experience. You can download these from our Discovery Den.

Can’t get outside? Here are a couple of indoor activities you could try…

6. Make a flying osprey

Ospreys are a magnificent bird of prey that spends its summers here in the UK. They eat fish, catching them in spectacular fashion as they dive down towards the water!

You can make your own osprey, like the one below, with this fun indoor activity. Print off the template from our Discovery Den and get crafting. All you need are some scissors, glue and string.

Our Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire has frequent summer osprey visitors! We have lots of footage of the nest from over the years, plus a live camera during their nesting period – check it out on our YouTube.

7. Paint a watercolour fish

Try this art activity using watercolour and crayon to create a fishy masterpiece. All you need is white paper, white wax crayon, watercolour paints and a paintbrush.

Head over to our Discovery Den to print the fish template and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to create your watercolour fish. Using this wax crayon technique creates an extra WOW factor!

You can get stuck into more fun activities by visiting our Discovery Den where you can also download our new Coastal Activity Pack!

We would love to see you taking part in the activities. You can share your photos with us by using #DiscoverLearnPlay.

Don’t forget to sign up to our Educators’ mailing list to be first to hear about new resources as and when they go live!

 

– Rachel Faichnie, Engagement Officer