A collection of ideas from the

Reception team for a fun and

safe summer. Let’s make the

most of our beautiful county

and all it has to offer.

Bike Ride in

Puddletown woods

Parking \ costs Free carparks

Dog friendly Yes (but no dog bins)

Facilities None

Puddletown forest has a host of walking and bike trails from

beginner to the more experienced rider. Parking and entry are

free and different routes are marked by arrows on finger posts

throughout the forest.

Rhododendron Mile, Puddletown, Dorchester DT2 8QS

Boat Floating at Rushy

Pond—Thorncombe woods

Parking \ costs Parking £1

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Café, visitor centre

Thorncombe woods is home to Thomas Hardy’s cottage which is

run by the National Trust. Here is where you will find Rushy pond.

Build a boat from recycled materials and float it on the pond.

There are different routes from the car park marked by finger

posts throughout the woods and maps can be obtained from the

visitor centre.

Thorncombe woods, Dorchester, DT2 8QH

Wild Flower hunt—

Lorton Meadows

Parking \ costs free

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities None

A haven of peaceful green meadows, hedgerows and

woodland, this reserve offers a chance to experience some

fabulous wildlife right in the middle of town. Use the

spotting sheet in this pack to see how many wild flowers

you can find!

Lorton Lane, Weymouth, DT3 5QH

Tree identification at

Thornecombe woods

Parking \ costs £1

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Café & visitor centre

The 26 hectare mixed woodland and heath site is home to

a great diversity of trees including mature Oaks, Sweet

Chestnut and Beech. The woodland gives way to Black

Heath, an area of heath in restoration with its own herd of

Dartmoor ponies. Use the spotting sheet in this pack and

see how many trees you can identify.

Thornecombe woods, Dorchester, DT2 8QH

Kite Flying at Jordan hill

& Roman temple

Parking \ costs Free on street

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Lookout Café nearby

The remains of this Romano-Celtic temple, probably built during the 4th century AD, lie at the top of a hill on the

South Dorset Downs, with fine views inland and out across Weymouth Bay. This is a fantastic hill to fly your kite with

wonderful views and historic interest too!

Bowleaze Coveway, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6PL

Pond dipping at RSPB

Radipole, Weymouth

Parking \ costs £2

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Visitor Centre with cafe

Nestled in the centre of Weymouth, the reedbeds of Radipole Lake are an unlikely urban home to some

stunning wildlife, including fabulous birds like kingfishers, and elusive creatures such as otters and water voles. Start your journey at the family-friendly Discovery Centre and

have a go at pond dipping.

Radipole Lake Visitor Centre, Weymouth DT4 7TZ

Fossil Hunting at

Lyme Bay

Parking \ costs £2

Dog friendly Yes (including the bus)

Facilities Visitor Centre, shops, cafe

The historic seaside town of Lyme Regis nestles in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the point where the rugged West Dorset and East Devon coastlines meet – the heart of the Jurassic Coast. The town and the surrounding area are renowned for their natural beauty, and it has a fascinating history stretching back to

the 8th century. Lyme Regis is also famous as the birthplace of Mary Anning, one of

history’s most important fossil collectors and palaeontologists.

Make it a real adventure by getting the Jurassic coaster for a great bus ride!

Ball games and Frisbee

At Portland Bill

Parking \ costs £1 per hour

Dog friendly Yes (including the bus)

Facilities Visitor Centre, shop, cafe

Portland Bill Lighthouse has been standing majestically for the past one hundred and eleven years at a height of 41 metres

(135 ft). The distinctive red and white tower first shone its famous four flashes of light every twenty seconds on 11 January 1906 and has a range of 25 nautical miles which has guided passing vessels

through the hazardous waters around Portland Bill as well as acting as a waymark for ships navigating the English Channel. The large

grassy area beside the bill is perfect to play games, throwing a Frisbee or have a picnic. Added adventure—get the open top bus!

Portland bill, DT5 2JT

Paddling at Pirates cove

Parking \ costs Free on street

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Café nearby

Pirates cove is a quiet sandy beach on the fleet lagoon which can be accessed on foot from the top of pirates lane in Wyke Regis or you can park near the Café in camp road and walk along the coast path back down into the bay. Shallow and sheltered it’s a lovely

place for families. Don’t forget your bucket and spade!

Camp Road Wyke Regis Weymouth

Dorset DT4 9HF

Chesil Beach and

fleet Lagoon Parking \ costs £1 parking, free entry.

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Café, visitor centre

Visit the Chesil Beach Centre to discover all about Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon. The family-friendly visitor

Centre has interactive displays about the formation of the beach, local wildlife and history. Glimpse under the lagoon with the underwater camera, try a spot of bird watching, (use the spotting sheets in this pack) explore marine life

and listen to stories of fishermen who worked on the beach.

The Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre, Portland Road, Weymouth, DT4 9XE

Paddling, splashing and

fishing at Moreton Ford Parking \ costs free on street

Dog friendly Yes

Facilities Café in village

Moreton Ford (or splash as it’s often referred as locally) is the perfect spot to spend a lazy afternoon with a picnic. Children will enjoy paddling in the shallow water whilst

trying to catch that elusive tiddler fish. Jelly shoes recommended for the rocky bottom of the stream.

Moreton, Dorchester DT2 8RJ

Picnic, play and pets at

Moreton gardens

Parking \ costs free parking and entry

Dog friendly no

Facilities Café , play area, toilets

The Walled Garden is a beautiful five-acre landscaped formal garden situated in Moreton,

Dorset. The village is close to the historic market town of Dorchester and situated on the River Frome. The farm

and children’s area of the garden is for fun and wildlife, where families can play, picnic and meet a few of the

creatures on site. Chickens, pigs, guinea pigs and rabbits can’t wait to meet you.

There is a lovely play area, a café and ice cream sales too.

The Walled Gardens, Moreton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8RG

Activities for staying at home

1. Go on a minibeast hunt

Summer is well and truly kicking in now, and the warmer weather will bring lots of creepy crawlies out. So get your children out in the fresh air and take a closer look at your garden or local park. You'll soon notice it's teeming with wildlife! Can you find...

• a worm after a spring shower

• a bumblebee looking for nectar

• a spotty ladybird exploring the grass

• a slimy snail in a dark damp spot

• a butterfly basking in the sunshine?

2. Make a loo roll bird feeder

This is messy fun children will love to get stuck into and it will help them learn about the birds in your neighbourhood.

You can make this simple feeder with items you probably already have at home:

1. Smother a cardboard tube in peanut butter (no added salt and sugar versions are suitable for birds).

2. Roll it in bird seed and thread some string through the hole.

3. Tie it up in your garden where birds will feel safe eating.

How many garden birds will you spot?

(use the spotting sheet in this book)

Activities for staying at home

3. Go on a scavenger hunt This is a fun idea for children of

all ages. You can keep it really simple for little ones - help them look out for different colours or textures in nature. For older children, challenge them to hunt for seasonal signs such as spring blossom or new leaves or ask them to see how many tiny natural objects they can find to fit inside a matchbox.

4. Make natural art This will be a popular way to keep children

busy. To mix things up, put the pencils and crayons to one side and look for natural art materials instead. Collect fallen leaves, petals and sticks and use them to make a picture or sculpture. Please make sure you don't pick wildflowers, however, as they are important for wildlife and some are protected by law. You could even use the objects as 'stampers' or paintbrushes - dipping them in paint and rolling, brushing or stamping them on paper to create interesting patterns and effects.

5. Have a picnic in the garden Children will soon tire of

sitting around the same table for every meal, so pack up your lunch and take it outdoors. It's a lovely way to keep mealtimes varied, and for everyone to get some fresh air. If you don't have a garden or it's raining outside, have an indoor picnic on the living room floor instead. Children will love the change from the norm and it will feel like an adventure.

6. Move like minibeasts This is a great way to get young

children active and help them burn off some excess energy. You can do it outdoors or inside. Challenge your kids to:

• lie on the ground and wriggle like a worm

• flap their arms like a butterfly flutters its wings

• put their hands on the floor and scuttle about like a spider

• do some giant leaps like a cricket

• crawl on the floor then curl up into a ball like a woodlouse.

Activities for staying at home

7. Make an animal or forest out of Lego Many

families will have Lego, wooden blocks or other building toys at home. So challenge your children to make something inspired by nature. You could all work together to make one big scene, like a springtime woodland or a giant tree. You could have a contest to see who can build the best minibeast, mammal or bird.

8. Butterfly symmetry art This craft has the wow factor! All

you need is paint and some paper. Simply splodge paint on one half of your paper and fold it in half so the paint spreads on both sides. Carefully open it up to reveal a beautiful butterfly.

It's a great way to teach youngsters about butterflies and how their wings are symmetrical.

Once dry, your butterfly will make a cheerful decoration for your home. Or you

could even turn it into a card to send to a grandparent you won't see for a while.

9. Write a story inspired by woods and trees If

your children love writing, then get those creative juices flowing with a story challenge. Kick things off by giving them the first sentence and encouraging them to write the rest of the story.

You could also jot ideas on scraps of paper, then get your children to choose some at random that they have to incorporate into their story. These could include:

• A tree has fallen in the woods

• A character has gone missing

• An animal is shouting an alarm call

• There are some mysterious footprints to follow.

Gather together as a family and share the stories you've written. They'll make

great bedtime stories too when you've read all the books you have at home.

• Form a circle and stand 2 metres away from each other.

• The first child pulls a word from the hat (or a family

member can write and show a word on a chalk board)

• The child must sound out the word (Fred in your head)

• Say the word to themselves

• Act out the word

• The other players in the group must try to guess what

the original word was.

Social distance charades with

another bubble

Spotting sheets

Leaves

Spotting sheets

Spotting sheets

Spotting sheets

Spotting sheets