Exploring Nature
and the Outdoors!
We challenged you to explore the outdoors and your environment using guides from the National Trust and the RSPB. Here is what everyone has been up to…
THE ENTRIES
National Trust Challenge
Catrin and Bethan Young, ages 13 and 9
Well done to Catrin and Bethan who completed 10 of the National Trust Challenges!
“It was fun. They helped each other to spot things and look for things (Catrin’s sister is not visually impaired). Using zoom on the camera helped too.”
Image description: The have created a montage of photos of the tasks they have completed; No.1 get to know a tree, No. 8 spot a fish, No. 22 funky fungi, No. 31 bug friends, No. 49 watch a sunset, No. 39 catch a crab, No. 24 go barefoot, No. 37 rock pooling, No. 5 skim a stone, No. 33 cloud watching.
Fakhir, Nuwaira & Sakina Ali, ages 17, 10 and 7
* Prize draw winner *
Well done to Fakhir, Nuwaira & Sakina who completed 13 of the National Trust Challenges!
“Very enjoyable, challenging for children, but with each challenge they wanted to push themselves more next time. Especially enjoyed paddling and climbing rocks.”
Image description: Photo montage showing the girls out and about – exploring with friends, walking over rocky paths and picnicking outdoors, cloud watching on the top of a coastal cliff, paddling in a river, playing in the sand on a beach, looking at ducks in a lake and getting to know a tree!
Emilio Saavedra, age 12
“Emilio climbed a hill to see the waterfall at Aria Force in the Lake District. Emilio loved it, we used his walking poles instead of his cane and took our time.”
Image description: Emilio smiling with his walking poles in front of a green countryside backdrop.
Chloe McLaren, age 11
“Chloe loved trying to stand on the branch and it made the tree vibrate. She loves sensory experiences and she was fascinated to catch a glimpse of a robin redbreast.”
Image description: a robin sitting on a branch among white looking trees.
Ben, Stacy, Scarlett and Jake Winter, ages 12 and 14
Image descriptions: Walking down a a leafy path, looking over a coastal path with a beautiful view of the sea and cliffs, climbing wooden play equipment in the woods and the family smiling outside a ruined castle.
Callum Duke, age 10
* Prize draw winner *
“Callum spotted a fish, climbed a steep hill, skimmed a stone, explored on wheels, ate a picnic in the wild and explored with a friend (dog baxter).
We took Callum to lots of National Trust places in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire as well as Forrest of Dean and the Beach in Cornwall. We didn’t have to adapt anything for him, he did great and gave lots of new things a try. He even managed to skim his first stone!”
Image descriptions: 1 picnicking int the forest; 2 being carried over dad’s shoulder through the woods; 3 skimming stones on a lake; 4 walking with his dog down towards a pretty, sandy beach; 5 looking at fish in a river, 6 smiling in front of a gate with a field of black and white cows behind.
Monica, Adrian, Sarah, David and Celine
“We love going outside.”
Image descriptions: 1 the children sitting on some wooden stairs; 2 holding a black crow on his arm, 3 playing in a dingy in the ocean, 4 the family smiling in an outdoor hot tub, 5 a beautiful orange sunset over the sea.
David, Julie, Emma and Zoe, ages 14, and 10
“We cooked s’mores on a BBQ which Zoe cooked for her older sister. Was very fun and girls enjoyed it.
We got a bit lost but carried on regardless and Emma did extremely well under the wet and uneven surface conditions. So proud of her.
We had loads of fun. Even though it was very windy and rainy in the Lake District. We have been camping loads before but was the first time with our new buddy dog Luna. She had a lot of fun. Think she thinks we are mad!”
Image descriptions: Image montage showing the family camping, cooking marshmallows outside on a BBQ, Emma standing with her cane in front of a rocky river and Emma and her dad walking down a rocky country hill.
Megan and Ellie Dunwell, ages 10 and 16
Image description: Emma at the playground with her sister who is walking across wobbly bridge play equipment.
THE ENTRIES
RSPB Challenge
Ted Lambert, age 4
* Prize draw winner *
Image description: Ted smiling holding a stick outside in front of a bug hotel made from different sticks all different shapes and sizes.
Benjamin Bates, age 5
Image description: Benjamin sitting at the table painting a wooden birdhouse.
Summer, Cal & Phoenix Pearson, ages 17, 11 and 13
* Prize draw winner *
Image descriptions: The three children sitting on a large fallen trunk smiling; a blue tit outside a wooden nesting box; smiling playing in an outdoor den made of sticks and branches.
Ben, Stacy, Scarlett and Jake Winter, ages 12 and 14
Image descriptions: the first two images show a pond surrounded by plants, the pond is filled with lily pads; the third photo shows a bug house made from a section of tree trunk which has holes drilled into it and has been hung on a fence.
