It’s the summer holidays, which for many families means coming up with ways to keep young explorers occupied! Here are some ideas that will drive them wild and open their eyes to the wonders of local wildlife:

Go on an adventure

When was the last time you explored a nature reserve that’s new to you? We can all fall into the habitat of frequenting our favourite spots, but the summer holidays are a great opportunity to spread your wings.

If you’re looking for somewhere with trails for all ages and abilities, Folly Farm has you covered. With glorious wildflower meadows, ancient woodlands and accessible paths to meander along, it’s a great choice for an intergenerational day out. You may even spot our group of Exmoor ponies who roam the reserve, helping us to maintain the landscape in a wildlife-friendly way.

If you want somewhere a little closer to the city, why not visit Grow Wilder? Our urban nature haven is easy to get to by public transport, is free to enter and opens six days a week. On Saturdays you’ll even be able to pick up something delicious from our pop-up café! Then you can take your time exploring the different habitats and food growing areas, as well as checking out our bustling wildflower nursery for all the plants your own wildlife garden could need.

Discover our nature reserves

Grow your mind

For people aged 14 – 25, our programme of youth events could be the perfect antidote to a summer slump, while sparking your curiosity and sharpening your skillset.

For the moth-er of all mornings, you can join us for a free moth trap event! First, we’ll meet online on Thursday 28 August at 6pm, where we’ll give you a crash course in why moths are so marvellous, how to set up a moth trap and what they can tell us about local wildlife. Then, the following morning (Friday 29 August), come down to Grow Wilder at 9am, where we’ll be unloading a moth trap that was set the night before, to see how many of these be-winged beauties we find and how to go about identifying them. 

For anyone interested in diving deeper into a potential nature career, our three day ‘Introduction to Conservation’ course is designed just for you. Whether you're looking to gain specific skills that will help you on your next step, learn something new about local wildlife or simply spend three days with likeminded people. You’ll have opportunities to immerse yourself in nature, get hands-on experience of practical land management tasks and brush up of your identification knowledge.

Discover these events and more!