Activities & Info During COVID-19

Welcome to the Parish Council Climate Emergency Group lockdown tips and activities for you and your family and friends. We hope some of the ideas, web links and information below will help you keep busy and entertained at home, in the garden or if you are managing a daily walk.

We’re starting with ideas for celebrating Easter and Spring then each week we will add more tips.

Easter family activities

‘The Outdoors Project ‘has come up with lots of ideas including natural dye eggs, a nature scavenger hunt, some fun party games and making a bird feed kebab. There’s much more on the website

Have fun out walking you’ll find wherever you go there are opportunities to collect materials for art projects, spot wildlife and take pictures. Check out the Woodland Trust and the RSPB for more ideas and for help identifying garden birds.

Upcycling craft ideas for kids – from a glass jar lantern to bowling tin cans and papier mache piñata here are 15 ways for kids to be crafty with recycled materials

Try some awesome Egg science from crash test eggs to zip lining and building an eggshell bridge.

Get growing

All you need are some seeds, a bit of soil, water, warmth, light and air. Everything else can be done with everyday household items. Who needs a garden fork, when a dinner fork will do for smaller plants? Don’t have a watering can? Try passing water through a sieve or colander over your plants to create a gentler shower. Trowels are only large spoons.

Sourcing seeds and plants is much easier than you might think. Most local supermarkets will still be stocking a huge variety of seeds. You can also find seeds in the produce you buy to eat at home – such as sunflower seeds and avocado stones. And check out our local seed sharing project right here in the village. If you have some surplus seeds you can pop them onto this Seed swapping spreadsheet and check if there are some listed that you would like. Sharing and swapping should be arranged while still social distancing.

Start off your seeds in recycled materials and containers including toilet paper rolls and eggshells. When it comes to planting your seeds in general the bigger the seeds the deeper they are planted. Sow little and often. Only sow what you have room to grow and sowing every 3 weeks will give you a longer season to harvest. Keep seed trays and pots watered and warm – a window sill works well, but protect delicate seedlings from harsh direct mid-day sun. Your seedlings will grow into stronger healthier plants if given the space they need. Using a small tool like a teaspoon handle gently lift the seedling out with its roots, taking care not the damage the stem and pot it on to a bigger pot. Some seeds can be planted directly outside, see packet for instructions. Check if any of your seeds need watering every day, soil must remain damp, not wet and never dry out for seeds to grow.

Help wildlife

Open a hedgehog café in your garden. Feed the hungry hogs to help them build the energy they need when raising hoglets, and their fat reserves for their winter hibernation. Get instructions from the RSPB

Make your own bird feeder

A plastic soda bottle and a couple of wooden spoons make a great birdfeeder. You just have to make holes in the bottle for the spoons and be sure that you angle the spoons downward so that the birdfeed will drizzle onto them.Or you can paint a cardboard juice carton and cut a hold for the feed. Put a wooden spoon or dowel through for the birds to land when they want to eat.