Summer is a wonderful time of year when children can get outdoors to play, explore, discover, and enjoy the freedom of nature. It’s also a time of great abundance, with nature’s riches everywhere we look. Nature’s gifts can be beautiful, fascinating, educational, stimulating, and hugely enriching for little ones. Whether it’s a delightful butterfly flitting through the air, a super-cute bumblebee searching for nectar, or a patch of colourful wildflowers growing in a meadow, nature really is rather magical — and that’s especially so for young children. With that in mind, today’s Summer Nature Hunt activity encourages children to get closer to nature* to discover some of its many delights. When children and adults take time to properly look, nature’s wonders really are incredible. Our suggested activity today comes with a free, downloadable reference poster that highlights 20 wonderful things for little ones to look out for during the summer months. From caterpillars and dragonflies to winged seeds and slow worms, there is a lot for children to discover during this abundant time of year. A summer nature hunt will open their eyes and teach them about the natural world around them, as well as being a fun adventure — enjoy!
Summer — Dates
Summer in the UK is generally the warmest part of the year, but the exact dates vary from year to year depending on whether you are using the meteorological or astronomical calendar.
- According to the astronomical calendar, summer starts on Sunday 21 June for 2026 (the longest day of the year or ‘Summer Solstice’) and ends on Wednesday 23 September (2026’s ‘Autumnal Equinox’ when the day is the same length as the night). The exact date varies a little each year because the solstice and equinox sometimes fall on alternative days due to the Earth’s path as it travels around the Sun.
- According to the meteorological calendar, summer starts at the very beginning of June and ends at the very end of August every year. This particular calendar keeps things simple, using full months. It is used for such things as weather forecasting and, being based on full calendar months, allows scientists to more easily compare climate data from year to year.
Download Your Free Summer Nature Hunt Reference Poster
Download your child’s free Summer Nature Hunt reference poster below. Simply click the large preview image to view or download it in high-resolution Acrobat format. We recommend printing it out using your printer’s best settings and paper for the highest-quality results. Posters can be printed at A4 or even A3. For handouts for your child to take with them on a nature hunt, A4 or A5 may suit best. Children can use the little tick boxes to indicate which natural item they have seen during their excursion into the natural world. The activity combines a challenging quest with exploration, discovery, learning, and fun!
How Many Can Your Child Spot?
Can your child find a winged seed, like those from a sycamore tree? Perhaps show them how such seeds spin and travel, often long distances, when falling through the air on the wind — a great example of just one of nature’s magical tricks. Can your little one spot wildflowers, daisies or a wonderful sunflower? How about a bird’s feather, apples growing on a tree, or blackberries growing on a bramble bush? There are also lots of insects to find, such as bees, hoverflies, butterflies, mayflies, and dragonflies. Caterpillars are also fascinating and come in all manner of different forms, including some that are harder to spot if well camouflaged. Then, for the luckiest or most observant young nature watchers, the elusive slow worm is a wonderful creature to discover. Looking more like small snakes, they’re actually legless lizards. There are some birds on the reference poster too — ducks, the magnificent swan who majestically glides through the water, and the amusing sight of a sunbathing bird (rather than being injured, they’re simply warming themselves in the sun).
Nature is So Good for Children
Spending time close to nature is hugely beneficial to children — and adults, in fact. Studies have shown that it benefits people physically, mentally, and spiritually in a huge variety of ways. When little ones spend time in and around nature, stress and anxiety reduce, motor skills improve, knowledge grows, and empathy for other living things increases. What’s more, nature can benefit children and students academically. Indeed, some studies found that even just a view of nature or a natural space can improve academic grades — incredible! It’s a huge topic all on its own, so we wrote a whole article about it — learn more about the enormous benefits and importance of nature to children here. It’s also one of the many reasons why Little Acorns Nursery is starting its own Forest School sessions in and around Hindley Green very soon.
More Nature-Inspired Posters for Your Child to Download (Free)
Today’s Summer Nature Hunt activity is just one in a series of nature-inspired activities for children available here on this website. Each comes with its own free reference poster for children and families to print out. So, if exploring nature and learning about the natural world is something you want to encourage your child to do, visit our other nature-inspired activity suggestions today and download your free poster for each. Examples include an autumn nature hunt, winter treasure hunt, and spring nature hunt as well as activities for spotting British birds, minibeasts, mammals, and butterflies. Follow the bold links to learn more and access the free posters — or bookmark them today so you can come back later.
Forest School Sessions Near Wigan
from Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green
At Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, we know how important nature and spending time close to it are for children and under-fives. That’s why we’re lucky to have such extensive outdoor grounds where the children can play, explore, discover, and learn under the watchful eye of our early years professionals. It’s also why we’ll provide Forest School sessions for our nursery children. Learn more about Forest School sessions coming to Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, Wigan, here.
Little Acorns Nursery provides almost year-round nursery and preschool places for babies, toddlers, and children under five in and around Hindley Green, Wigan. We support funded childcare hours and places for eligible children and welcome enquiries from families looking for childcare provision in the area. Please get in touch using an option below to get started. We’ll be delighted to tell you more, show you and your child around, and begin your child’s enrolment.
If you are a family living in Wigan, Bolton, Atherton, Platt Bridge, Westhoughton, Bickershaw, Leigh, Ince-in-Makerfield, Tyldesley, or near Greater Manchester, Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green could make a very convenient choice for your weekday childcare. Contact us using one of the above options if you’d like to explore this further — we’d love to hear from you.
* Safety notice: Always ensure that children, especially the youngest, are supervised by a responsible and vigilant adult when they’re playing and exploring outdoors. There are many hazards out there!
Outdoor play is one of the truly magical elements of any healthy, fun-filled childhood. At the very least, it gives children the chance for some freedom, fresh air, and adventures that simply aren’t possible indoors. In today’s technological age of electronic screens, however, it’s also something that children have been doing less and less of over the generations. That’s a shame, when you think about it, not least because outdoor play is immense fun and incredibly beneficial to children. In light of this, today’s post explores 18 Reasons Why Outdoor Play is Essential to Children — of all ages. Take a look and see why outdoor play is so good for little ones.
We mentioned it in our introduction — playing outdoors provides children with wonderful opportunities for real adventures! Whether it’s exploring The Great Outdoors on a family ramble, climbing on playground equipment with friends, embarking on a make-believe quest with the family dog, or making a den with siblings, there are no limits to what’s possible with outdoor play. Indeed, the adventures that are possible through outdoor play are only limited by a child’s imagination! Speaking of which…
Let’s not forget, too, that playing outdoors is huge fun — and that’s important. Simply put, playing outdoors and giving children space to run around will make them happy. And there’s not much in life that’s more important than a child’s happiness — it’s an essential part of any magical childhood.
Outdoor play lends itself to the learning of new skills. With such a varied array of activities possible, children will naturally attempt new things, and each of these can be an opportunity to extend their skills. Physical skills might include tying knots, building dens with branches, playing ball games, climbing, racing, and so on. In addition, children will learn softer skills like teamwork, cooperation, strategy, critical thinking, leadership, and role play. What’s more, all of this will happen instinctively — such is the power of outdoor play.
Children who regularly play outdoors will inevitably meet other children and encounter new dynamics. These will help them make new social connections, and immersive activities will deepen existing friendships. Playing outdoors is a great way, therefore, to strengthen and extend a child’s social circle, and boost social skills like teamwork, leadership, cooperation, brain storming, and so on.
The often high-octane activities associated with outdoor play will also help children boost strength, fitness, motor, and coordination skills. By exposing themselves to different terrains, environments, tasks, games, and equipment outdoors, they will increase the variety of motor skills they need to accomplish activities. Running, jumping, hopping, constructing, chasing, and climbing will all help improve them physically, in so many ways that may not be possible indoors. What’s more, such things will help children protect themselves from harm, as well as empower them physically.
Playing outdoors, with adult oversight, is the perfect opportunity for children to begin learning how to assess risk. Whether it’s safely navigating outdoor play equipment, stepping over undulating ground, climbing a tree, or playing fast-paced ball games, children will soon learn when and how they need to assess possible risks. It’s a skill that, once learned, will keep them safer from harm, so is incredibly important.
All these new skills and enhancements make under-5s well-equipped when the time comes to leave preschool and begin school. Through outdoor play, they’ll have greater independence, confidence, communication and social skills, and physical skills, to name just a few. What a great way to help them hit the ground running from the moment they begin school!
All in all, outdoor play prepares children for life. Through greater independence, better confidence, raised self-esteem, and new tools, skills and knowledge at their disposal, children can go forward with new vigour and thrive. Such is the power of outdoor play.
Even the youngest children have an incredible gift for imagination. Give them a handful of crayons and a sheet of paper, and, in no time at all, they’ll have created charming drawings that will delight. You’ll be introduced to colourful monsters, kindly robots, prancing unicorns, and pets reimagined. They may also depict family members, perhaps holding hands outside a home surrounded by flowers and love hearts. Each drawing tells a story and gives insights into how they see the world. Now, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), families can bring those stories to life in a simple yet magical way. What’s more, it’s incredibly good fun and the results can be astounding!
This activity works best as a family project. Begin by letting your child create a drawing — anything they like, from a friendly monster to a robot, a pet dragon, or a family picnic on the moon. Encourage them to use lots of colour and detail, then take a clear photo of the finished drawing — a smartphone’s camera is usually perfect for the task.
Some children know exactly what they want to draw, while others may need a starting point. You might suggest a dancing robot covered in buttons, a dragon who lives under the nursery slide, or a family of aliens enjoying tea on the moon. 
Once you’ve created your child’s AI-enhanced image, there are plenty of ways to keep the creativity flowing. You might print both versions and frame them together, start a digital scrapbook of your child’s art, or create a picture book where each page features one of their AI-inspired characters. 
Children love spending time outdoors in nature, so we give them ample opportunities to do so at 
World Book Day is a special charitable event, celebrated globally, that encourages children of all ages to discover the joy of reading. Why? Because reading has the power to substantially improve children’s lives. Schools, nurseries, and libraries across the nation make the day extra special for children through storytelling sessions, fancy dress, and book-related activities.
Find time for your little one to read.
Dress up as a favourite character! There’s no need for elaborate costumes; a simple hat, crown, or themed outfit inspired by a beloved book character can bring your child’s favourite stories to life.
Since September 2024, the number of free childcare hours available for eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years (inclusive) is 570 per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*. In further good news, the allocation is set to double to 1140 hours per year from September 2025, thereby aligning with what eligible 3 and 4-year-olds are already entitled to (see below).
Meanwhile, a total of 1140 hours of free childcare is currently available for eligible children aged 3 and 4 each year. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*.
Draw up a short list of possible settings for your child, having first whittled down the choices by 
If your child already has a friend or neighbour of a similar age who will also attend your chosen nursery, it can be very useful. Both children will then have a friendly face to play with from Day 1. If not, it should be easy enough to ask around to find out about other local children who will start at the nursery when your child does. Arranging play dates for them in the weeks running up to the start date will help each child familiarise themselves with one another, so they each have a friend or two at the nursery right from the start. It’s a great way of settling them in.
Aside from the initial guided tours undertaken, we schedule 2 formal settling-in visits for children once a place has been offered. These hour-long settling-in sessions usually occur in the week before children are due to start at the nursery formally. They are both free of charge. Here’s how they are approached:
Reassuring your child will also help them settle into nursery – so communication is key. This is true both before they start and once they attend, particularly at the beginning. Before starting, it’s important to ensure they know that changes will soon happen, what to expect when the time comes, and that it’s going to be a big adventure with lots of fun! Encourage questions and answer them sensitively. They also need to be reassured that you will always be there, behind the scenes, looking out for their best interests. And, of course, it’s crucial for them to know you’ll be there to pick them up at home time (don’t be late!).
As we said previously in our 
Encourage children by celebrating their successes at the nursery. Whether it’s the successful completion of their first day, the first tear-free day, the making of a new friend or any other accomplishment, ensure you congratulate your child. This will give them a sense of achievement, reassure them that they’re doing well, and encourage them to keep attending and building on their progress.
With children sometimes taking as many as 2, 3, or even 4 weeks to fully settle into a new nursery, it’s also important for staff to closely monitor and nurture them. That’s indeed exactly what we do at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. We ensure the setting is a home-from-home environment for children as much as possible. Children will feel valued, loved, listened to, and well cared for at Little Acorns. We’ll reassure them when they need it, communicate well with parents/carers, discuss any challenges and work to address them speedily and in the most effective ways. We have children’s best interests at heart, so parents can rest assured that their little ones are kept safe, happy and well and, even if not immediately, they’ll grow to love being at the nursery. A couple of recent testimonials prove the point beautifully (hover over them to pause):
