We know that this is a challenging time for many parents who are juggling homeschooling with work. To help, we've gathered together a selection of fun craft or outdoor nature activity for children to enjoy.
We’ll be updating this page regularly, so please keep checking back for new additions.
Want to send us your suggestions? You can get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or drop us an email with your tips and ideas.
Cook on a campfire
Whether you have a big garden or just a little patio space, children will love cooking outdoors this winter. Build a fire, invest in a fire pit or, if you have a bit more space, have a go at making a cooking tripod. When your fire has burned for long enough to leave glowing embers you can pop a skillet pan on a metal grid, or try burying potatoes wrapped in foil among the embers to bake.
How to make a leaf print butterfly
This is a fun and easy craft for kids of any age. The leaf print butterfly can be made again and again and will yield different and exciting results every time.
Make a fruity orange birdfeeder
Help the birds in your garden stay full with this fruity feeder idea from our friends at BBC Wildlife Magazine. Alternatively, you can carefully cut an orange in half, scoop out the flesh and fill with seeds and hang with string.
Make a kite
There are few joys as simple and exhilarating as flying a brightly coloured kite in the breeze. For great family fun, build your own kite with this easy step-by-step guide.
Make birdseed ornaments
For those who love watching garden birds, these inexpensive feeders will be a joy to hang around the garden. Here's our simple step-by-step guide on how to make a birdseed ornament.
Learn how to identify tree species
Can you spot an oak from a horse chestnut tree? Learn how to identify common tree species and the best places to see with our expert guide on British trees. Can you identify any trees in your local area, garden or park?
The Woodland Trust is another great resource and has a handy A to Z guide of British trees.
Try bird watching from your window
Sit at your window and see how many birds you can see. Can you name the species? Draw the birds you see and try to identify them.
See our garden bird guide for species identification and tips on attracting them to your garden
Draw feathers
See if you can find any feathers on your next daily walk or in your garden to collect and draw. If you can't find any today, this handy guide by BBC Wildlife explains how to identify common feathers.
Make an Easter Garden
An Easter Garden, decorated with moss, flowers and fallen bird eggs is a lovely way to bring nature into your home this spring. A tradition since Victorian times, making a garden is a wonderful way of spending a family afternoon.
Make a stick family using natural materials
Help your child to have fun in nature by creating their own family using twigs and natural materials
How to make a mini egg box garden
Grow a mini vegetable or flower garden from an egg box that can be placed on your child’s bedroom windowsill for them to watch grow day by day.
Sow seeds in eggshells
Eggshells are the perfect natural containers for growing seedlings in early spring. Our easy step-by-step guide explains how to plant seeds in eggshells. Once the seeds have sprouted, plant the shells straight in the ground.
Create a beetle diary and record the beetles you find in your garden, street or local park
Beetles are a fascinating group of insects found widely throughout the UK. Fun fact – there are more than 4,000 beetles found in the British isles!
Spring is a great time to spot beetles, so using our beetle guide, count how many beetles you can see in 20 minutes. Beetles prefer shade and like to live in trees, decaying wood and under rocks, so you'll need to look very carefully.
Try and take a photo or draw a picture of each beetle you see to create a daily beetle diary. Don't forget to share your beetle spots with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You might recognise some beetles easily, but here are two more useful resources to help you identify each species; coleoptera.org.uk and naturespot.org.uk
Go on a rainbow treasure hunt
Go on a rainbow treasure hunt in your garden, home, local area or by looking out of the window to create a colourful rainbow of natural discoveries to display in your front window.
Don't forget to share your rainbow drawing with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Create a natural sensory experience
Can you smell as well as you think? This fun smell test for children will encourage them to use their sense of smell to identify each item.
Make a bee house
Here's a fun project to make this weekend! Making your own bee house is a fun way of enticing these essential insects into your garden. Our easy step-by-step guide on how to make a bee house and become your own bee keeper. If you don't have all the materials you can easily swap bamboo for twigs or other natural materials.
