How Children Learn Through Involvement in Eco Campaigns
by Matt Chittock
Whether it's a much-loved local park about to be bulldozed, or a species of whale about to be wiped out it's always inspiring to hear your child ask "What can we do about it, Mum?" Caring about these issues means that your child is starting to discover the world around him/her - and better still, beginning to feel that their actions can really make a difference.
Kids often have a very highly developed sense of right and wrong, and it's important to acknowledge their efforts to protest what they see as injustices. Better still, by helping them engage with environmental causes, you can help children develop skills which will mean the world to them whatever they decide to do later on in life.
Write a Letter : In these days of emails, blogs and texts, does a letter really get noticed? Research says that it does. In fact, some organisations have claimed that they're likely to take a well-thought out letter more seriously than a hastily tossed off email.
Talk to your child about how best to put their case on paper. Then work through a couple of rough drafts before writing the letter up 'in best' handwriting. Learning the art of letter writing helps children communicate more clearly and persuasively with the outside world and will put them in good stead later on when it's time for them to start sending off CVs and job applications.
Join a Campaign : From a local environmental charity to a band of volunteers, participating with campaigning groups is a fantastic way for children to learn organisational skills, and to find out how they can change the world around them. Obviously not all groups are 'kid-friendly', but a quick look at a relevant website should show you what groups your children are safe to join.
Raise Cash for a Good Cause : If your children are worried about the homeless, or determined to help the starving children they see on TV appeals, raising cash for a good cause can help them feel they are doing their bit. Often good causes like Comic Relief mop up a lot of charitable effort - so maybe choose a smaller cause that is closer to your child's heart. Brainstorm some activities your child could take part in, the more creative the better. Cake sales are a lovely (and tasty) way to raise funds, but try and think beyond the box for some innovative ideas. Of course, if your child really doesn't need any help with their 'communication skills' a sponsored silence can be a good bet!
Teach Them to Network : Whether you're raising money, or awareness, supervised online social networking can teach a child all kinds of skills from communication to perseverance. Campaign groups often have networking groups children can join to discuss issues. As with most aspects of the Internet supervision is vital, so be sure your child is talking to the right kind of people.
Moral Challenges : Getting involved in any kind of campaigning can be fantastic for most children's confidence. However, it can also bring up some very difficult issues. Failure can be hard to take, and kids can start to feel guilty that they're not doing enough for the planet. For parents, dealing with these kind of questions isn't easy, but it is necessary. Independent children with inquiring minds may have to work out their own opinions and beliefs, yet it's up to parents to provide them with the moral compass required to navigate safely through to adult life.
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Getting the Most Out of
Woodland Walks
Wherever you live, there are very few places where you're more than a short distance from a good woodland walk and whatever kind of trees make up your local forest - conifers, broad-leafed trees or a mixture of the two - there's likely to be plenty to see on it. Getting the most out of any woodland walk really comes down to knowing what to look for and when and where to look; the rest is simply a case of enjoying all that fresh air!
The Changing Seasons
The seasons are probably the biggest single influence on what you're likely to see on a woodland walk - and it's not just about the new leaves of spring or the turning colours of autumn. The ground vegetation changes over the year too, for example, with different wildflowers appearing as spring slips into summer while animal behaviour also adapts to the changing seasons and the lengthening or shortening daylight. Woodland birds that you'll see busily collecting nesting material early in the year will often seem bolder still as the demands of their hungry summer brood force them to forage for more and more food to feed them. If you have spotted their nests in spring, you'll be able to watch them later - taking care not to disturb them, of course.
As summer moves on, the young of many of our native mammals begin to put in an appearance too; deer fawns, fox cubs, young badgers and little rabbits can all be seen at this time, if you're lucky and you don't make too much noise. If all that sneaking around in silence isn't quite what your youngsters have in mind, there are plenty of interesting things to see elsewhere too as autumn begins. Try a little fungus spotting, as the autumn woodland begins to sprout all kinds of colourful and dramatic mushrooms and toadstools. It can be great fun trying to identify the amazing shapes and patterns with the help of a good guide book - though picking them to eat is obviously rather ill-advised unless you really know what you're doing!
A Good Guide
The value of good guide books isn't restricted to fungi. They can be a big help generally when it comes to getting the best out of your woodland walks and they're a great way to get kids confident at recognizing the commoner trees, flowers and creatures that they're likely to encounter. It's worth considering getting one on tracks and trails too. Most of our larger native animals are fairly shy, which makes them quite hard to watch directly, but you can often spot the signs that they leave behind, if you know what to look out for, so at least you'll know they're there, even if you don't actually spot them. Once you get your eye in, between footprints, animal pathways and feeding signs, you'll soon start building a picture of what's been roaming the woodland before you.
Smaller creatures are much easier to find, especially if you know where to look. If you get into the habit of turning over any likely-looking fallen logs or stones as you pass, or gently raking through the top inch or so of leaf-litter, you'll often be rewarded with an interesting find. All manner of small animals - from beetles and slugs to newts and toads - can be found in this way, but do be sure to put their home back carefully, once you've had a chance to say hello, and handling these delicate creatures should obviously be kept to a minimum.
Whatever your own particular interest - plant or animal, large or small - there's bound to be something to enjoy on a woodland walk, if you know when and where to look. Perhaps the best tip for getting the most out of a woodland walk, however, is simply to take your time and just enjoy the whole experience.
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DIRECTOR'S SELECTION
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THE GIVING TREE
by Shel Silverstein
'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.
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