On National Play Day 2014, the Seven Lochs Wetland Park hosted a children’s nature play afternoon at Bishop Loch local nature reserve. A number of organisations were involved in making the day a success including TCV, Forestry Commission Scotland, Glasgow City Council Ranger Service, Buglife and OPAL. The activities on offer were all aimed at showing children and their parents that there is a wide range of fun things to do in the outdoors, many of which you don’t need any equipment for.
On the day, around 30 children and their parents came along to take part in shelter building, natural art and bug hunts; with free nature play packs available to take home filled with more fun ideas. Everyone involved had a great time and most went home with handmade tree cookies. In the evening we worked in partnership with PEEK project to host a screening of documentary film Project Wild Thing. We hired a theatre space for the screening and PEEK provided food and drink for everyone. Children and their families were invited from across east Glasgow with many ignoring the rainy weather forecast and taking a bus. Project Wild Thing aims to inspire families to spend more time playing and enjoying the outdoors rather than screen time, judging by how many children were playing tag outside on the grass afterwards it looks like they didn’t need much convincing!
