There is a chance for kids to see nature’s powers of recovery after one of the wettest winters on record, with Dorset Wildlife Trust’s first Kingcombe Kids Club event at Kingcombe Meadows nature reserve.
DWT’s Kingcombe Centre, near Maiden Newton, is running Kingcombe Kids Club every Tuesday and Thursday during half-term breaks and school holidays, with events for children aged from 3-16 years to join in a morning activity of nature exploration. The first takes place on Tuesday 19thFebruary, entitled ‘Waking up Nature’ and the second, entitled ‘Forest Friends’, on Thursday 21st February, both starting at 10am and finishing at 12pm.
Waking up Nature will reveal the first shoots of spring, including the sight of early flowers such as snowdrops, aconites and primroses. There will be the chance of seeing a host of small birds that are now beginning to think of pairing, as well as larger ones such as kestrels and buzzards, that can be seen hovering or soaring overhead. The reserve comprises a patchwork of small fields with thick hedges and woodland and the River Hooke running through, all ideal habitat for a very broad selection of flora and fauna.
Victoria Vincent, Education and Engagement Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “This year is the first time the Centre has run an events programme for children and their families during half terms and holidays. We have put together an array of events covering lots of new and exciting topics, including scavenger hunts, bugs & beasties, freshwater life, wild flower walks, and lots, lots more! We will also be introducing a selection of forest school games and activities, with the first coming up next week titled ‘Forest Friends’, where children will have the chance to make their very own natural friend made entirely out of the materials we collect from the nature reserve. So if you want to see what wildlife is waking up after a long, cold winter or get crafty and make your own forest friend then call to book your place!”
Kingcombe Kids Club events, costing £3 per child including refreshments, are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 12 noon during school holidays, starting on February 19th. The café will be open from 10am to 4pm. All children must be accompanied. To guarantee a place booking is recommended on 01300 321409, email [email protected] or visit kingcombe.org/events
