The summer holidays have begun, and you may be wondering how you will fill six long weeks with fun activities for your little ones. How about teaching them Bear Grylls-approved life skills that they will remember forever?
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The best news is, they are all free and available to do from home/the local park. The Go Wild guide – developed with snack brand Nature Valley includes everything from den making to map reading…
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Forage for food
Get searching for raspberries and blackberries in your local area!
Get to know the skies
Have fun discovering the clouds and constellations in the sky. In the northern hemisphere, look for a distinctive winter constellation – Orion. He is easy to spot as there are three prominent stars in a line and that is Orion's belt. Under his belt there are three stars that represent his sword. When the stars of Orion’s sword are vertical in the night sky, and you are facing him, you are facing South.
In the southern hemisphere, scan the skies for one of the brightest constellations - the Southern Cross (or ‘Crux’).
Try map reading for a fun day out
Learn to read and create maps
Today, most maps are printed on computers, but you can try making one the traditional way, by grabbing a compass and some paper and pens and getting outside. Start by carefully mapping and naming landmarks you see such as ponds, interesting or weird looking trees, and places where certain animals live. You can make a general map with physical landmarks or try out a thematic map with a specific theme to suit your friends.
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Think about mapping out your local park or nature reserve or create a fun game where you can hide messages in the park for friends to find later on.
Get outdoors with the kids
Tell the time from the sun
Make a DIY sundial with a long stick and rocks to mark out North, East, South, and West. Just remember to choose a sunny day!
Den making
The great thing about dens is that they are totally unique. Make one at home with a clothes airer and blanket or get outdoors and find sticks to build a shelter.
They will love making dens indoors and out
Learn survival knots
Three basic knots to start with are the overhand knot, the bowline knot and clove hitch knot. Give them a google to learn how to master them.
Go wild camping
If you don't want to brave the woodland, why not try wild camping in your garden one night? The kids will love it!
These tips were developed for snack bar brand Nature Valley to celebrate the two’s upcoming partnership for the Bear Grylls' Gone Wild Festival.
To be in with a chance of winning tickets to the festival, simply pick up one of the Nature Valley Crunchy or Protein ranges from UK retailers between 1 July and 7 August 2022 and follow the on-pack instructions to enter.
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