It’s an exciting month as Spring is finally in evidence as daffodils and flowering trees start to bloom, bumblebees and butterflies are emerging and taking flight searching for wildflowers to feast on their nectar. They don’t have far to go with cuckoo flower, garlic mustard and ox-eye daisy showing their colours. The air is filled with song as many native and migrant birds become ‘twitterpated’ or smitten as they prepare for spring; visiting many properties as they search for a suitable hedge or sheltered habitat to build a nest and raise a family. The frogspawn of March is transforming into tadpoles and can be readily seen in ponds around Glasgow. Nature is creating a spectacle, metamorphosing from the bleak, cold, dormant winter to the joyous chorus of colour, music and movement and is inviting us, no, it’s tempting us to take up its challenge:

Have you had your daily dose of Vitamin Nature?

April is a fantastic time to take part in nature activities and it is known around the world as Children and Nature Awareness month. Spring is providing us with opportunities for all children (and families) to experience regular play and exploration of the natural outdoor world that allow us to reconnect with nature and have free fun that we can share in our local parks and Greenspaces.

Sniff Cups or Smelly Cocktails

Go outside into the park with some paper cups and when your children find something interesting, like wild garlic or azalea flowers put it into the cup. Once a few petals, seeds, soil or leaves have been put in, use a stick to mix it up and take a sniff. All very relaxing smells! A blind folded version of this game is great fun, but trust is needed.

Stuffed Animal Hide and Seek

A version of the Easter Bunny egg hunt; hide ten stuffed animals in your garden or park area and tell your children that their animals were bored inside and snuck out to the garden to have some fun. Your children will have lots of fun looking for them and once found you can take turns at hiding them in different places. Favourite Teddy always finds the best place to hide.

Animal Pretend

If you have a child who loves animals or you hear a noise in the woods and wonder what it was, why not cup your hands round your ears, moving your hands first in front of your ears and then behind to hear from different directions, like a deer. Try sticking out your tongue, like a snake, to feel the wind and the temperature or make binoculars with your hands to make owl eyes; using different animal senses to have fun.

Roll down a hill

Egg rolling, try yourself rolling! Do you remember rolling down a hill as a child, and then trying to walk in a straight line? Great Fun. Show your child how to do it and then come up with other ways of travelling down the hill.

Take photographs to remember the memories created and the fun had, and as you venture outdoors remember to combine the theme of tread lightly and leave no trace into your nature experience allowing your child to become a ‘nature overseer’, which will instil a sense of care and respect for the natural world…whilst all the time increasing your dose of Vitamin Nature.

Pollok Country Park has lot of fun planned for the Spring half term fortnight, including nature crafts every day in the Courtyard’s Visitor Centre and a Cadburys Egg hunt in Pollok House on the Easter Sunday weekend to mention but a few. For more information go to https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=18319

Gavin Finbow, Glasgow City Council’s Countryside Ranger for the North West