During October half term, we welcomed families to Ramsey Heights for a morning of going Wild in the Woods. The team provided a range of activities for the children to enjoy including using hand tools, creating nature art and den building. It was great to see the children, their parents and grandparents all having fun outdoors, developing new skills and letting their imaginations go wild!

Decorating conkers with Halloween designs, including ghosts, pumpkins and bats, proved very popular! Once they had finished their designs, the conkers were transformed into necklaces and tree decorations using hand drills and string.

The children also enjoyed making their own apple and pinecone bird feeders to take home. They started by smothering the pinecones in lard, rolling them in a bowl of mixed bird seed and attaching string. You could try making your own with these instructions from Wildlife Watch.

For the apple bird feeders, the apples were cored, string attached, and the children inserted sunflower seeds and sticks for the birds to perch on.

A trip to the Mucky Bugs Kitchen was also in order, with many cooking up marvellously muddy treats. 

Using a flint and steel, the children were able to create a spark and light the fire pit with kindling also cleaved by the children using handmade mallets. After they had whittled some willow, they enjoyed toasting marshmallows over the fire and created delicious s’mores.

It's always a pleasure to have the nature reserve filled with curious minds, creativity and the sound of laughter. Many of these activities filled us with anticipation for the start of our official forest school sessions in 2023 too. If you'd like to take part in a family event at the Great Fen, check out our latest events.