Indoor and outdoor activities to keep us fresh this springtime 

We have collated some great activities and ideas that you can do to keep you connected to greenspaces, parks and nature and each other while social distancing or isolating during this difficult period.

Here are a few citizen science recording and sharing projects that can be used whilst looking out the window and on a short walk to your local greenspace:

• NBN Atlas Scotland (bringing species and habitat data together)
• British Trust for Ornithology Garden BirdWatch
• OPAL’s national citizen science surveys
• Open University’s iSpot
• National Geographic / University of California’s iNaturalist

If you spot wildlife and don’t know what it is, the Woodlands Trust and the RSPB have handy bird and other garden wildlife identifiers. Keep a beady eye on the RSPB website in April for the results of the 2020 Big Garden Birdwatch

Growing

For new and existing gardeners - Trellis, Scotland’s network for therapeutic gardens, has many activity and fact sheets to keep you occupied and the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society have useful publications too.

Here's the Orchard Projects’s expert advice on growing fruit in containers. And while encourage visits to your orchard are not encouraged, if you have fruit trees at home, read about their seasonal needs here.

greenspace scotland would like to encourage and support communities who, in this time of change, want to explore opportunities for future food growing in their area to use the greenspace scotland Our Growing Community Pack. 

Nature and wildlife

SNH encourage making space for nature activities to give nature a helping , including being a lazy gardener!

Get involved in RSPB Wild Challenge activities and take a look at the ‘Spot it!’ resource sheets for those short bursts of outdoor activity when kids can’t use the playpark equipment or just check out what you can see from your window…

Do something useful with all those empty toilet roll tubes such as building a Mini Beast Hotel

Sports

Irish Rugby Football Union Head of Coach Development, Matt Wilkie, hosts this series (with his three sons) of simple and educational games.

Growing

Spring sowing - if you don’t have a garden sow seeds on your windowsill, here is a wee article to inspire and, if you don’t have a garden, don’t worry, you can search Social Farms and Gardens for your nearest community garden to take your little plants to when you can.

Try sowing cress, rocket and radish as they will sprout quickly and inspire you to grow more.

Home education

Learning Through Landscapes has created a free online support group for families at home and teachers during these uncertain times

The Scouts who normally love the great outdoors have pulled together some inspired indoor activities.

The Orchard Project are offering free Key Stage 2 lesson plans and Primary School Activities covering a variety of subjects to bring the natural world into the house.

The RSPB have online wildlife games for kids eg. find out which garden bird personality you are!

…and, at the end of a busy day, find wildlife audio bedtime stories here

Armchair activities

Wildlife

If you are stuck indoors then follow these RSPB links to hear refreshing bird song on Birdsong Radio and you can also find individual bird calls here

Get close to nature thanks to the UK Wildlife Trusts’ live web cams – focus in on the live Scottish Wildlife Trust camera by an ospreys’ nest broadcasting from the Loch of Lowes – recorded shots include a Takeaway Delivery film!

Virtual tours of parks and gardens

These online tours will bring the green to you, from the mountainous vistas of California to the Tanzanian jungle including Hydepark and Kensington Gardens, The Gardens of Versailles, Yosemite National Park, Central Park and Gombe National Park.

If you are in need of a change, immerse yourself in some blue space and dive into Visit Scotland’s Virtual Tours site celebrating Scotland’s Year of Coast and Waters

Keep yourself busy with finding out about all the great greenspace scotland programmes which are relevant to health; young people; energy; climate resilience and, last but not least, food growing. Also, spend some time updating with local Tesco Bags of Help awardees by checking out the maps here

And for some down time...

Every morning The Nature Library is Sharing a Page a Day from its shelves with info on the author, book and perhaps a suggestion for how to carry those words with you the rest of the day.

Scottish Natural Heritage presents podcasts telling stories about nature, our habitats, landscapes and our native species.

Looking to the future, having ideas and preparing activities

Have a look at the outdoor volunteering opportunities for the summer and consider taking part in Citizen Science surveys such as The Bumblebee Conservation Trust BeeWalk Survey Scheme which is currently postponed. 

Download the Foraging for Wild Plants by Roddy MacLean which introduces some of the plants and seaweeds that can be gathered and eaten in Scotland