Sources & inspiration
The Wilding activity guides stand on the shoulders of many teachers, trackers, naturalists and authors. Many activities are adapted from their books and teaching, and reshaped for UK wild places and the Wilding Practice Keys. This page credits them, with the page numbers where each idea began.
If an activity guide sparks something for you, please seek out the original book: they are full of wisdom we could only touch on. Each activity guide page shows its own sources under Inspired by.
Books
Learning Nature Connected.
Inspired 8 activity guides
- Dead space p. 160
- Field inventory to ecology? p. 102
- Finding north p. 63
- Invisibility p. 125
- It’s all a matter of perspective p. 160
- Mouse view p. 118
- Visual tree assessment p. 134
- What’s the weather? p. 134
Baker, N. (2004) The New Amateur Naturalist (also published as The Amateur Naturalist). London: Collins.
Inspired 43 activity guides
- All about me p. 285
- Attraction p. 39
- Badger watching p. 140
- Bird pellet detective p. 271
- Collecting plant specimens
- Creating a garden watering hole p. 30
- Drying flowers p. 252
- Exploring the understory p. 120
- Flight pattern & paths p. 42
- Have a guess p. 165
- How to attract moths by sugaring p. 46
- How to do a line transect p. 56
- How to make & use a moth trap p. 46
- How to make & use a pitfall trap p. 39
- How to make a leaf skeleton p. 256
- How to use a hand lens p. 243
- How to use a pooter p. 264
- Leaf printing p. 257
- Looking at plant stems p. 250
- Making & using a flower press p. 56 & 252
- Making a bark cast p. 256
- Making a bark rubbing p. 119 & 256
- Making a beating tray p. 120
- Making a small wildlife pond p. 277
- Making fungal spore prints p. 254
- Measuring a tree p. 110
- Nest collecting p. 53 & 270
- Photographing wildlife p. 196
- Planning a butterfly & bee garden p. 37
- Plant connections p. 253
- Pond dipping p. 166
- Sharing the garden with birds p. 37
- Soil profile p. 106
- Spiders web hunt p. 27
- Spoon or straw? p. 42
- Taking & growing cuttings p. 260
- Tracking plants
- Tracking snail trails p. 39
- Using a sweep net
- Welly magic p. 259
- What’s in wild water? p. 165
- Where do invertebrates hang out? p. 165
- Woodland layers
Brown, T. Jr. (1983) Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking; and (1989) Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Nature and Survival for Children. New York: Berkley Books.
Inspired 1 activity guide
- Tracking ghosts p. 208
Carss, B. (2020) The Complete Guide to Tracking – Following tracks, trails and signs, and all forms of pursuit. London: Robinson.
Inspired 2 activity guides
- Kim’s game p. 70
- Night noises p. 73
Casey, D. et al. (2019) The Children’s Forest – Stories & songs, wild food, crafts & celebrations all year round. Stroud: Hawthorn Press.
Inspired 20 activity guides
- Animal races p. 177
- Blend p. 32
- Blindfold earth walk p. 252
- Campfire scout p. 32
- Conker rutting p. 243
- Dispersal p. 243
- Extracting the outer fibres from a bramble stem
- Fight or flight p. 212
- Four direction sculptures p. 168
- Gathering plant stems
- Intuition game p. 255
- Lore p. 150
- Making flat bread p. 181
- Making wild tea p. 297
- Plaiting fibres to make cordage
- Recycling the wild p. 139
- Squirrel touch p. 211
- The sacred silence p. 31
- Using wild edible leaves & flowers in salads p. 297
- Who’s watching us? p. 175
Cornell, J. (1989) Sharing Nature with Children II. Nevada City: DAWN Publications.
Inspired 10 activity guides
- Camera p. 104
- Exploring special places p. 97
- Guided imagery p. 92
- Habitat p. 70
- Mystery animal story p. 85
- Nature meditations p. 113
- Path of discovery p. 90
- Sit spot trail p. 76
- Sound map p. 75
- Tree imagery p. 97
Cornell, J. (1998) Sharing Nature with Children. 2nd edition. Nevada City: DAWN Publications.
Inspired 36 activity guides
- Animal blind dates p. 89
- Animal clue relay p. 92
- Animal imitation p. 81
- Animal parts p. 90
- Attracting birds p. 114
- Attracting predators p. 120
- Awareness hide p. 42
- Bat versus moth p. 108
- Blindfold trail p. 27
- Caterpillar walk p. 46
- Earth windows p. 22
- Exploring special places p. 126
- Heartbeat of a tree p. 25
- How old is this tree? p. 80
- I spy p. 42
- Ideal ecological vision p. 28
- Identification activity p. 76
- Imagine p. 33
- Meet a tree p. 28
- Micro-journey p. 50
- Natural colours p. 41
- Night world p. 146
- Photographic memory p. 48
- Plant succession crawl p. 64
- Predator & prey p. 62
- Rabbit in headlights p. 110
- Sit spot p. 140
- Sunset watch p. 142
- The animal activity p. 73
- The pyramid of life p. 54
- The wildlife is watching p. 102
- The ‘fire keeper’ p. 106
- Tree silhouettes p. 82
- Webbing p. 60
- Who am I? p. 75
- Wild symphony p. 40
Cornell, J. (2015) Sharing Nature – Nature awareness activities for all ages. California: Crystal Clarity Publishers.
Inspired 3 activity guides
- Animal clue relay p. 84
- Animal imitation p. 108
- Noses p. 56
Franklin, D. (2019) Put On Your Owl Eyes – Open your senses & discover nature’s secrets. North Adams: Storey Publishing.
Inspired 16 activity guides
- Be a tourist p. 23
- Birding by ear p. 108
- Dear ears p. 107
- Flying kites p. 58
- Habitat map p. 30
- Home p. 91
- Meet a new tree neighbour p. 50
- Mind’s eye imagination p. 60
- One-minute sponge p. 47
- Owl eyes p. 101
- Silent movie p. 118
- Sit spot journal p. 134
- Soundscape
- The lost world p. 80
- The six arts of tracking p. 86
- Your community shared p. 138
Holland, C. (2020) I Love My World – Stories, games, activities and skills to help us care for the planet we call home. 3rd edition. Devon: Wholeland Press.
Inspired 28 activity guides
- Birds nests & foxes p. 160
- Blindfold drum stalk p. 133
- Blindfold trail p. 123
- Capture the flag p. 162
- Dear ears
- Dog nose p. 107
- Edible walk
- Exchange p. 189
- Find my secret spot p. 149
- Intuition & the moccasin game
- Log trailing p. 103
- Making a dream catcher p. 201
- Making a hanging mobile p. 201
- Making a nettle burger p. 80
- Making nettle soup p. 80
- Mandala p. 180
- Music inspired by nature p. 180
- Nature’s dance p. 120
- Owl eyes p. 120
- Passing a knife to another person
- Sleeping fawn p. 140
- Sneaking assault course p. 139
- Sneaking circle p. 138
- Stories inspired by nature
- The hungry centipede p. 214
- Using a match
- Walking in circles p. 142
- Webbing p. 202
Irvine, R. (2019) Forest Craft – A child’s guide to whittling in the woodland. Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
Inspired 4 activity guides
- Coppicing a small diameter green wood stem p. 29
- Log match p. 23
- Making a kazoo p. 80
- Pruning a branch p. 29
Laws, J. M. & Lygren, E. (2020) How to Teach Nature Journaling – Curiosity, wonder, attention. Berkeley, California: Heyday.
Inspired 6 activity guides
Louv, R. (2016) Vitamin N – The essential guide to a nature-rich life. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books.
Inspired 8 activity guides
- Bug out bag
- Indoor sit spot p. 88
- Nature inside
- Still hunting p. 144
- Unplug p. 42
- What’s the weather? p. 182
- Wild time
- Window warnings
McMullen, G. (2011) Discover Nature Awareness – A collection of nature-based games for adults and children of all ages and backgrounds. UK: Pathfinder UK.
Inspired 5 activity guides
- Ambush p. 100
- Blindfold drum stalk p. 79
- Owl eyes
- Spot the hair
- The ‘fire keeper’ p. 53
McMullen, G. (2013) Discover Nature Awareness – Understanding nature through play. 2nd edition. UK: Pathfinder UK.
Inspired 2 activity guides
- Track me p. 16
- Which way? p. 57
McMullen, G. (2014) Discover Nature Awareness – Exploring bird language. UK: Pathfinder UK.
Inspired 11 activity guides
- Be still p. 92
- Concentric rings p. 61
- Contact p. 63
- Egg collectors p. 10
- Fledging p. 51
- Focused vision p. 60
- Hunting hawk p. 53
- Sentinel p. 90
- Silent hunter p. 74
- Sit spot silence p. 58
- What’s on your mind? p. 55
Mears, R. (2020) Wilderness Chef – The ultimate guide to cooking outdoors. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Inspired 5 activity guides
- Cooking an egg p. 67
- Making bannock p. 130
- Making damper bread p. 58
- Making fire bread p. 74
- Seasoning cast iron pans & ovens
Monkman, D. & Rodenburg, J. (2016) The Big Book of Nature Activities – A year-round guide to outdoor learning. Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Inspired 60 activity guides
- Attracting birds p. 276
- Awareness trail p. 269
- Badger trail p. 227
- Barefoot walking p. 99
- Bat versus moth p. 274
- Bird audio p. 165
- Bird count p. 164
- Bird song ensemble p. 165
- Browse or chew mark detective p. 171
- Cache p. 110
- Cloud matching p. 247
- Dear ears p. 270
- Diagrammatic drawing p. 241
- Dispersal p. 127
- Dragonfly p. 290
- Exploring galls p. 177
- Fox walking p. 225
- Fungi scavenger hunt p. 300
- Growing a pollinator habitat from seeds p. 179
- Growing a pollinator habitat with plant plugs p. 179
- Hole / nest detective p. 171
- How to identify a bird p. 32
- How to identify a bird using field marks p. 32
- How to identify an invertebrate p. 295
- How to make a jar terrarium p. 132
- How to make a leaf skeleton p. 131
- How to use a tracking stick p. 169
- Leaf collection p. 130
- Looking for plant patterns p. 40
- Lynx stalks deer p. 113
- Making & using track training pits p. 167
- Making fungal spore prints p. 133
- Meet a new tree neighbour p. 129
- Meet a tree p. 158
- Natural colours p. 96
- Nature collections p. 47
- Nature table p. 47
- Needles p. 181
- Nut & seed detective p. 171
- Phenology p. 64
- Pirate eye p. 269
- Pond dipping p. 294
- Pot plant p. 40
- Providing food for birds p. 108
- Same but different p. 214
- Scat detective p. 170
- Scent cocktail? p. 217
- Scratch & sniff? p. 98
- Seasonal sun tracking p. 135
- Seasonal sunset & sunrise p. 135
- Seasonalbird feeder p. 164
- Setting up a trail camera p. 281
- Sound map p. 215
- Spectrogram p. 155
- Squirrel touch p. 217
- Sundial p. 135
- The silent walk p. 97
- Tree tag p. 132
- Two ears are better than one p. 156
- Winter tree identification p. 184
Robb, M., Mew, V. & Richardson, A. (2015) Learning with Nature – A how-to guide to inspiring children through outdoor games and activities. Cambridge: Green Books.
Inspired 46 activity guides
- Animal yoga p. 27
- Awareness trail p. 66
- Badger trail p. 52
- Bat versus moth p. 49
- Blindfold earth walk p. 77
- Blindfold recognition of leaves p. 37
- Buzzard eye p. 47
- Camera p. 41
- Dear ears p. 59
- Deer stalk p. 64
- Dormouse balance p. 68
- Follow the leader p. 73
- Food chain p. 44
- Fox walking p. 57
- Ideal ecological vision p. 39
- Leaf puzzles p. 38
- Log trailing p. 98
- Lynx stalks deer
- Making wild tea p. 120
- Meet a tree p. 39
- Mobbing p. 51
- Natural camouflage p. 100
- Nature names p. 33
- Nest robbers p. 45
- Noses p. 31
- Nutty squirrels p. 62
- Owl eyes p. 58
- Owls & mice p. 50
- Photographic memory p. 35
- Run rabbit, run p. 46
- Scavenger hunt p. 40
- Seeker p. 72
- Sense meditation p. 60
- Sit spot p. 92
- Sleeping fawn p. 43
- Squirrel touch p. 6
- Stoat & vole p. 69
- The pyramid of life p. 75
- The wildlife is watching p. 55
- Tracking ghosts p. 53
- Treasure hunt p. 74
- Tree tag p. 36
- Using wild edible leaves & flowers in salads p. 120
- Who am I? p. 32
- Wild cat territories p. 63
- Wolves & deer p. 54
Rodenburg, J. (2022) The Book of Nature Connection – 70 sensory activities for all ages. Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Inspired 41 activity guides
- Animal calls p. 30
- Attracting birds p. 16
- Badger nose p. 74
- Badger trail p. 72
- Bat versus moth p. 12
- Bat walk p. 13
- Birding by ear p. 1
- Camera p. 60
- Camouflage animal game p. 44
- Click paths p. 11
- Deer stalk p. 27
- Deer walking p. 62
- Drum stalk p. 27
- Eagle eye p. 60
- Heartbeat of a tree p. 15
- Hunting in hidden habitats p. 54
- I can smell… scent sacks p. 73
- Making & gifting a ‘seed gratitude ball’ p. 105
- Micro-journey p. 59
- Mirror walks p. 58
- Moth trail p. 77
- Pirate eye p. 42
- Scanning p. 58
- Scent of place p. 75
- Scent slide show p. 74
- Scratch & sniff? p. 71
- Shape matching p. 63
- Smell like nature p. 75
- Smell scavenger hunt p. 77
- Sound claps p. 11
- Sound shakers p. 28
- Spectrogram p. 21
- Spirals p. 65
- Spot the difference p. 61
- The heron p. 26
- Tree faces p. 57
- Tree songs p. 14
- Using a bat detector p. 13
- Walking in circles p. 112
- Wild skeletons p. 52
- Wind dancers p. 65
Salisbury, C. (2021) Wild Nights Out – The magic of exploring the outdoors after dark. London: Chelsea Green Publishing.
Inspired 41 activity guides
- Attracting birds p. 80
- Badger nose p. 32
- Badger trail p. 31
- Badger watching p. 90
- Bat versus moth p. 84
- Bat walk p. 37 & 86
- Campfire stalk p. 64
- Dawn chorus p. 162
- Dear ears p. 30
- Deer sneakers p. 50
- Deer stalk p. 49
- Drum stalk p. 66
- Dusk walk p. 45
- Finding & navigating by the north star p. 142 & 145
- Fingertip tracking p. 35
- Fox walking p. 47
- How do you walk? p. 53
- How to make & use a moth trap p. 39 & 94
- Hunting in hidden habitats p. 103
- Lantern stalk p. 60
- Lynx stalks deer p. 51
- Making a foot print tracking tunnel p. 75
- Mammal track matching p. 35
- Nature collections p. 117
- Nature table p. 117
- Navigating by other constellations p. 142 & 145
- Navigating by the moon p. 142 & 145
- Night noises p. 107
- Night predator p. 62
- Night vision p. 44
- Noses p. 72
- Owl eyes p. 29
- Owls & voles p. 76
- Predator & prey p. 58
- Rabbit in headlights p. 56
- Scent slide show p. 32
- Sense meditation p. 28
- Snail trail p. 53
- The ‘fire keeper’ p. 54
- Using a bat detector p. 37 & 86
- Wild symphony p. 30
Trotta, R. M. (2013) Sit Spot and the Art of Inner Tracking. USA: Sagefire Institute for Natural Coaching.
Inspired 3 activity guides
- Dear ears p. 64
- Leaf line up p. 44
- Silver linings p. 98
Van Matre, S. et al. (2019) Earthwalks – An alternative nature experience. West Virginia: The Institute for Earth Education.
Inspired 36 activity guides
- Angles p. 107
- Another world p. 286
- Cord of respect? p. 129
- Hand-washing p. 157
- Hunting in hidden habitats p. 164
- I can smell… scent sacks p. 223
- Ideal ecological vision p. 154
- Intention p. 179
- Kinship? p. 168
- Lighting p. 257
- Meet a tree p. 154
- Micro-journey
- Mirror walks p. 147
- Movie camera p. 187
- Natural colours p. 209
- Natural texture scavenger hunt p. 121
- Nature’s art gallery p. 183
- Nature’s show p. 150
- Pocket friends p. 195
- Prickly-tickly? p. 205
- Returning natural objects to their home p. 213
- Reverence? p. 216
- Scent cocktail?
- Scratch & sniff?
- Slide show p. 175
- Sniffer dog p. 113
- Song of the season? p. 254
- Stories in stones? p. 260
- The heart of nature p. 179
- Touching love? p. 270
- Under-world p. 278
- Unique p. 201
- Unlocking love p. 282
- Wild skeletons p. 230
- Wild symphony p. 263
- Wind dancers p. 294
Walmsley, N. & Westall, D. (2018) Forest School Adventure – Outdoor skills and play for children. Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
Inspired 43 activity guides
- Animal tag
- Awareness hide p. 41
- Bat versus moth
- Deer stalk
- Direction mapping
- Extracting the outer fibres from a bramble stem
- Fire in the wild!
- Flour trailing p. 40
- Gut instinct p. 162
- How to make a tracking stick
- I spy p. 41
- Intuition
- Journey stick
- Making & using track training pits p. 34
- Making a bark water filter p. 94
- Making a plank & cooking on it p. 153
- Making a small tent peg
- Making an incense bundle
- Making charcoal p. 82
- Making clay pots
- Making clay prints
- Making damper bread
- Making resin glue p. 114
- Making wild tea
- Mandala
- Measuring a tree p. 42
- Meet a tree
- Natural camouflage p. 44
- Night vision p. 33
- Photo dash p. 163
- Photographic memory
- Providing food for birds p. 16
- Scavenger hunt
- Seeker p. 166
- Sit spot
- Trail blazing
- Transporting fire p. 86
- Tree spirit
- Tying a square lashing p. 59
- Tying a timber hitch p. 51
- Using a match
- Using wild edible leaves & flowers in salads
- Who am I?
Walmsley, N. & Westall, D. (2020) Urban Forest School – Outdoor adventures & skills for city kids. Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
Inspired 1 activity guide
Worroll, J. & Houghton, P. (2018) A Year of Forest School – Outdoor play and skill-building fun for every season. London: Watkins.
Inspired 6 activity guides
- Animal tag p. 92
- Extracting the outer fibres from a bramble stem p. 27-31
- Gathering plant stems p. 27-31
- Intuition p. 66
- Plaiting fibres to make cordage p. 27-31
- Silent predator p. 66
Young, J. & Morgan, T. (2007) Animal Tracking Basics. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books.
Inspired 10 activity guides
- 50 tracks in a row p. 64
- Best guess p. 71
- Ethogram p. 82
- Human tracks p. 69
- Mind’s eye sketching p. 37
- Movement movie p. 68
- Owl eyes p. 63
- Track drawings p. 71
- Track pattern & gait p. 52
- Track story telling p. 70
Young, J., Haas, E. & McGown, E. (2016) Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature. 2nd edition. Santa Ana, California: OWLink Media.
Inspired 62 activity guides
- 50 tracks in a row p. 416
- Animal calls p. 353
- Awareness
- Back tracking p. 450
- Badger trail p. 305
- Be alone with a tree p. 459
- Bioblitz p. 475
- Bird language scenarios p. 378
- Bird language skits p. 336
- Bird’s eye view mapping p. 450 - 451
- Buzzard eye p. 358
- Capture the flag p. 482
- Exploration group p. 320
- Fire in the wild! p. 394
- Follow the leader p. 376
- Found p. 448
- Fox walking p. 310
- Group sit spot p. 472
- How to identify a tree p. 436
- How to identify a tree by its leaves p. 436
- Ideal ecological vision p. 484
- Invisibility p. 342
- Journal maps p. 329
- Journaling from field guides p. 329
- Journaling from the ground up p. 325
- Log trailing p. 409
- Looking for plant patterns p. 436
- Lost p. 446
- Lynx radar p. 314
- Lynx stalks deer
- Map your home p. 321
- Map your sit spot p. 320
- Mapping activity p. 320
- Medicine wander p. 317
- Meet a tree p. 456
- Meeting poisonous plants p. 439
- Mobbing p. 386
- Natural navigation p. 450
- Nature collections p. 351
- Nature names p. 348
- Nature table p. 351
- Nutty squirrels p. 371
- Owl eyes p. 302
- Photographic memory p. 432
- Pot plant p. 436
- Predator’s path p. 397
- Pronking p. 399
- Run rabbit, run p. 388
- Sensing bird language p. 71
- Setting up a trail camera p. 416
- Silent predator p. 380
- Sit spot p. 292
- Sleeping fawn p. 401
- Song lines p. 445
- Squirrel touch p. 303
- The six arts of tracking p. 306
- The ‘fire keeper’ p. 362
- Track journal p. 325
- Trail blazing p. 450
- Tree tag p. 459
- Who am I? p. 406
- “I lost my stone!” p. 317
People
Brian Mertins.
Dan Puplett – tracker, naturalist and nature connection teacher.
Inspired 4 activity guides
Jay the Jay (Jay Witts) – re-wild’s own activities.
Inspired 1 activity guide
Nick Baker – naturalist and author, including The Complete Naturalist (2015) and The Nature Tracker Handbook (2013), Bloomsbury Natural History; and Gardens & Parks – Fun ideas for things to do outdoors (2006), Collins.
Inspired 13 activity guides
- Building & positioning a blue tit nesting box p. 20
- Building & positioning a robin nesting box p. 20
- Building & positioning a swift nesting box p. 20
- Hand feeding a robin p. 14
- How to make an earwig trap p. 60
- How to measure rainfall p. 24
- Making a bumble bee box p. 30
- Making a dead hedge p. 18
- Making a mammal table p. 78
- Making track traps p. 43
- Mammal map app p. 78
- Providing food for birds p. 10 & 12
- Providing nesting materials p. 26
Paul Brockman MBE – Woodlander Coppice.
Inspired 1 activity guide
Organisations
DD Hammocks – hammock set-up instructions.
Inspired 1 activity guide
Jack Raven Bushcraft.
Inspired 1 activity guide
RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), including Pilcher, H. (2020) The Pocket Book of Garden Experiments. London: Bloomsbury Wildlife.
Inspired 1 activity guide
TCV (The Conservation Volunteers), including The Dead Good Deadwood Survey (2019).
Inspired 1 activity guide
The Wildlife Trusts.
Inspired 2 activity guides
Online
The Forest Educator podcast.
Inspired 1 activity guide