Christmas presents for children – from a child’s perspective!

I was recently given a fantastic Bug Hunting explorer kit full of really useful little gadgets to help me study bugs, beetles, and other insects. It contains a hand lens so I can actually see things really close up, a magnifying pot which is good for the things that won’t keep still, and a nest of cardboard pots so I can take some minibeasts back home to ask my Mum what the creatures are. Also included are bug tongs to look at creatures that often fall off leaves when you get anywhere near them, a paintbrush for gentle bug handling and tweezers for after I’ve had some practice! There’s a small notebook to write down my observations of creatures doing things. The kit also comes with a guide by Nick Baker full of tips and tricks for finding wildlife and activities to do. Oh, yes, and a green duffel bag to put all the things in – I suppose so I won’t be seen in the green grass!

The Animal Tracking explorer kit is a good one for Christmas because that’s the best time for seeing tracks in mud and snow – but it’s a bit fiddly so not really my thing! But there is also a Pond and Rock Pool explorer kit for the summer which looks better. I think any of my friends who like wildlife would really like to be given one of these explorer kits for Christmas or a birthday because they’ve got so many things in them!

These kits (c£15) are made by Interplay and sold in lots of places including Early Learning Centre and if you do an internet search you can find them online.