Ideas to get active See how many insects you can spot – do you know what they all are? Use old spoons to Get arty – bring some crayons and a piece pick them up. Make sure you are very gentle of paper. Create some rubbings of the and return them to where you found them. illustrations on the education posts. What else can you make rubbings from? Collect twigs, leaves and pine cones and IN THE DISTRICT OF GREEN SPACES create a woodland mobile, collage or staple Collect some twigs and autumn leaves them to a strip of card to create a of different colours – create a picture on woodland crown. the woodland floor of a snake slithering between the trees or a colourful flower. Find a spot on a clear patch of ground, lie down and close your eyes. Can you count Go on a treasure hunt – either tick off from a 10 natural sounds? Try and describe them. r list the things you find or collect things from l Can you identify any bird calls? a u a the woodland floor. You could lay a trail for Herons Way Spinney is a small wood in the heart N others to follow using arrows made of t twigs or stones. of the Whitecroft area of St Albans. A Natural Play Trail creates a circular route through the spinney Animal charades – do an impression of a and down the bridleway. creature you have caught or observed, Wooden posts imitating the way it moves. Others have to along the guess ‘who you are’. route provide information Build a den out of sticks and pretend you’re about the explorers. The den plants, animals, could be for you insects and birds or on a smaller that can be found here. scale for a small ST ALBANS animal to use. For more ideas and information on any of these sites visit the Natural Play section on the St Albans City and District Council website: www.stalbans.gov.uk/naturalplay or telephone 01727 819366 The Countryside Management Service works with communities across Hertfordshire to help them care for and enjoy the environment. Visit the website: www.hertslink.org/cms or telephone 01462 459395 Batford Springs Fun ideas for playing outdoors at Local Nature Reserve sites across St Albans District B653 Wheathampstead A5 Harpenden A1(M) STATION Rothamsted ROAD Playing outside should be an integral part of RIVER LEA Park every child’s life. Natural play allows children’s M1 IN THE DISTRICT OF GREEN SPACES imaginations to run wild, and helps encourage Harpenden Welwyn Common Garden City a fit and healthy lifestyle by running about and Nomansland being active in the fresh air. Redbourn Common RIVER VER B653 Heartwood Forest A1000 B487 Redbourn Common Sandridge Jersey Farm Ellenbrook A1081 Woodland Park Fields B651 HOUSE LANE A414 Beech A5183 Jersey Farm Bottom Dyke Open Space SANDRINGHAM Hemel CRESCENT BEECH Bernard’s ROAD The Wick Local Hempstead Heath SANDPIT LANE Nature Reserve A1057 St Albans Clarence Park Hatfield Climbing tree on Nomansland Common Verulamium Sopwell Nunnery Highfield Park Open Space Park This leaflet is designed to inspire children to A4147 St Stephens A414 play in the great outdoors at some of the many Hill Open Space A1081 wonderful green spaces that St Albans District COTTONMILL NEW HOUSE RIVER COLNE LANE PARK Herons Greenwood Way Spinney A1000 has to offer. Visiting the same green space at Park Netherway different times of year will provide new and Open Space A414 A1(M) A405 exciting adventures as the seasons change. London How HOW Park ST ALBANS WOOD Why not head to your local M25 Wood Street Colney green space and play spot the difference? A41 Abbots Langley Bricket Wood Shenley Key A5183 Potters Woodland N Bricket Wood Common Bar A412 Garston M1 Grassland Radlett 0 Kilometres (approx.) 8 M25 Water 0 Miles (approx.) 5 A41 A1 A111 © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2010. Watford Borehamwood Barnet.