Schoolchildren exploring the soil by Penny Dixie
Wild resources
Helping the next generation to connect nature is important for them and important for wildlife. Spending time in nature helps both our mental and physical health and wellbeing and, of course, if you love nature you're more likely to want to help protect it for the future.
Whether you're looking for fun games to connect children to nature or straightforward help to explain the natural world, we've got a range of resources to help. Please check back as we hope to keep this page updated regularly.
Discover birds
Listening to the birds
It can be hard to know where to start with birdsong but Ben gives us a quick introduction...
Now you've learnt a few songs, can you remember them? Try our bird song shout game to help get those pesky tunes stuck in your head.
How do birds eat?
...they pick things up in their beaks, right? Well, kind of. Different birds have different beaks for different kinds of feeding. Find out more in Ben's short video...
How would you survive as a bird? Challenge your class with different methods of collecting food in our bird beak game.
Discover insects
What is an insect?
What's the difference between an insect and an invertebrate? Ben explores what makes an insect with his beetle-y friend Roland...
Why not download our wildlife spotter sheets to help you identify what you find. We've also got a beginner's recording sheet for you to use to note down what you find in your school yard, playing fields or out in your community.
What about insect senses?
Insects can explore their world via their senses of touch and smell, just like us. See how good Ben's senses of smell and touch are and then why not try playing it with your class or group. Why not test their knowledge with our true or false game too.
How you can help bees
Everyone loves a bumbling buzzing bee don't they? Take a look at our video below to find out more about which bees you might find in your school grounds and then why not play our pollination game to help your class or group discover more about how pollination works.
There are plenty of ways you can help bees in your school grounds - from planting nectar and pollen rich flowers to leaving patches of bare earth for solitary mining bees. Our sessional tutor Janice has set you a challenge to think about where bees might be able to nest in your grounds and a second challenge to encourage you to plant some bee-friendly flowers. How will you get on?
What moths can you spot?
With amazing names (think elephant hawk-moth or lettuce shark) and a vast array of colours and sizes, moths are amazing. Most fly at night but some fly during the day. They're masters of camouflage so you need your wits about you to spot them resting on tree bark or hidden amongst leaves. Find out more with our quick spring moth quiz or discover some of their defences in our short video below and follow it up with a creative caterpillar camouflage game.
Discover invertebrates
Why ugly bugs are important
If you've ever thought "I love that bird but I really dislike that bug", then this is the section for you! We're often bowled over by beauty but we miss the importance of the creatures that make us say 'eugh'. Watch our short video about why some of our least appreciated insects are important and then get your class or group to have a go at making a food wheel.
The secret world of snails
There's so much more to snails than just eating the plants in your school grounds. They've got a cool way of eating and are one of nature's natural recyclers. Discover more about this amazing world in our short video and then why not get your class or group to go on a snail hunt or find out what your school snails get up to when you're not looking?
Wow! We hope you've learnt lots about wildlife and that you're inspired to help wildlife in your school grounds.
If you think you've got some space in your school grounds where you can encourage wildlife to set up home, why not download your free gardening for wildlife booklet or visit our wildlife gardening section. If you need more help, send our team an email with information about your school grounds and what you'd like to do and we'll see how we can help.
