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Environmental 

 

The environmental activities are rated between 1 (low) and 4 (high) to help you choose the best activities to meet your aims.

Bat Walk

Bat walk equipment (environmental activity)

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Use our bat detectors and information packs to seek out local bats at dusk; either around the site or down the Monsal Trail near the tunnels, where you will also be able to see the bat bricks.

Ratings

Team working

 

This is a whole group activity to find the bats.

Skills

Use of the bat detector.

Knowledge

Learning how to use the detector and which types of bats you are hearing.

Personal challenge

Walking in the semi darkness might be a challenge for some.

Physical activity

 

This provides a gentle walk around the grounds or along the Monsal Trail.

Accessibility

Our grounds and the Monsal Trail are both very accessible for this activity.

Journey Sticks

Journey Sticks (environmental activity) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff (or an instructor if part of a walk)

A good reviewing activity to reflect on a day or a walk. Each member of the group must find a stick and collect material from the environment whilst on the walk. The materials are then tied to the stick using wool / string to illustrate the ‘journey’ / events that happened during the walk.

Ratings

Team working

 

This could be done with a partner.

Skills

Fine motor skills used when attaching items to the stick with wool / string.

Knowledge

Knowledge gained throughout the day e.g. on a walk is interpreted into the journey stick.

Personal challenge

Being creative and constructing the journey stick may be a challenge for some.

Physical activity

If this is incorporated at the end of a walk, there is plenty of physical activity.

Accessibility

This activity on its own can be done by anyone.

Making Bird Cake

Things to make bird cake (environmental activity) at Thornbridge Outdoors
A bird eating bird cake (environmental activity)

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

You can help feed the variety of birds here by making your own home-made bird cake.  Fill our bird feeders then sit back and watch them get stuck in!

Ratings

Team working

Work together and follow the instructions to prepare and make your bird cake.

Skills

Making the whole bird cake from start to finish involves various skills.

Knowledge

Watch the birds visiting the cake and learn to identify them.

Personal challenge

This may be a completely new activity and have some personal challenges within in.

Physical activity

 

This activity does not require any physical activity.

Accessibility

Anyone can take part in this activity.

Minibeast Hunt

Pupil on a mini beast hunt (environmental activity) on their residential at Thornbridge Outdoors
Mini beast hunt equipment (environmental activity)

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

With 30 acres, we have many different habitats within our grounds, which make it ideal for searching for minibeasts and other creepy crawlies.  Investigate where minibeasts live and why.  You can also go and see what you can find hiding in our ‘bed and bugfest’ that a Green Action group build for our small friends!  This activity can be part of the Nature Trail or linked to Den Building or topics back at school.

Ratings

Team working

Work in groups to hunt and identify your ‘finds’.

Skills

 

Correct use of magnifying equipment and hand lenses.

Knowledge

Learning how to use ID cards to help you identify your minibeasts.

Personal challenge

 

This activity can provide a challenge for the more squeamish!

Physical activity

 

Not as physically active as some of our other activities.

Accessibility

Gravelled paths around the grounds lead into the woodland areas where you will begin your hunting.

Nature Trail

Nature trail resources (environmental activity)

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Explore our 30 acres of grounds and complete the environmental activities along the way.  Activities include: Hug a Tree / Nature’s Palette / Sounds / Feely Box / Eye in the Sky.

Ratings

Team working

There are lots of opportunities for team working.

Skills

Using all the senses throughout the activity.

Knowledge

A fun and interesting way to find out more about the environment.

Personal challenge

Many of the activities will be a personal challenge.

Physical activity

The activity involves a walk around our 30 acre grounds.

Accessibility

Four of our beautiful chainsaw sculptures are situated on mainly level ground with access on a gravel path or track.  Our badger is in the woods down a steep slope but the activity can be done on the more level ground.

Pond Dipping

Pupils pond dipping environmental activity) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Our pond is full of life.  Small groups can easily dip from our purpose built platform (wheelchair accessible) and identify what they have found using our species ID cards.  Magnifying glasses and all other pond dipping equipment are provided.

Ratings

Team working

Work in pairs to share the dipping and identify what you have found.

Skills

Using short and long handled nets to dip with and the use of ID charts.

Knowledge

Identify and learn new creatures using ID charts.

Personal challenge

Can you catch anything?!

Physical activity

 

Not much physical activity required.

Accessibility

There are flat gravel paths that lead you to the pond (wheelchair accessible).  The pond has a section of decking next to it.

Scavenger Hunt & Dream Catchers

Adults making dream catchers (environmental activity) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Collect material from the environment whilst on your walk around the grounds (i.e feathers / leaves / pine cones / bark / conkers / acorns etc) and make a dream catcher from willow and wool.  Hang your materials from your dream catcher and place it at the end of your bed to keep the nightmares away…

Ratings

Team working

Your group can work in twos or threes to collect items from around the site.

Skills

Fine motor skills are needed.

Knowledge

Learn about buff willow and its properties.  Identifying the items collected on the scavenger hunt.

Personal challenge

This activity can be quite challenging for some people as fine motor skills and creativity are required.

Physical activity

A run around the 30 acres of grounds to collect materials will give half an hour of physical activity.

Accessibility

Easy access to rooms where this activity may take place.

Tree Trail

Resources for the tree trail (environmental activity) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Use the resource pack to make your way around our grounds. Find the trees using the map, identify them using our twig or leaf ID cards.

Ratings

Team working

Share your map with a partner and find out where the trees are in our grounds.

Skills

Getting to grips with the map features and how to orientate it, is a great skill to learn.

Knowledge

Identify and learn all about the trees you have found.

Personal challenge

Map reading and identification can be a challenge.

Physical activity

The activity involves a walk around our site.

Accessibility

Most of the trees that have to be found are next to paths or tracks.

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