Go wild! Imaginative ideas to get kids outside from the Wild about Autumn Bloggers – NOW CLOSED

In September we launched the Wild About Autumn Blogger Challenge with Going Wild authors Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield.

Our aim was simple: to inspire more families to ditch their screens and get outside with fun and imaginative activities.

We’ve been over the moon with the response from eight enthusiastic bloggers, who embraced the wild autumn weather (and it was pretty wet and damp this year!) to embark on a host of creative activities of their own design, in the park, the woods, down at the beach or in their own back gardens.

Ready to go wild?

Why not check out the adventures of the Wild about Autumn Bloggers. They include loads of fun and imaginative ways to get your kids off the sofa and outside into nature’s playground:

• Adventures at the Octagon by Four Acorns
• Dragon hunting, ninja battles and nature art by Chilling with Lucas
• Wild about Autumn at the beach by Anyway to Stay at Home
• 20 easy ideas for a creative autumn treasure hunt by Wave to mummy
• Foliage artwork, mushroom hunting and more by Life in full flavour
• Shipwrecks, smugglers and building dams at the seaside by Bakes, books and my boys
• Mushroom Hunting in Epping Forest by Jupiter Hadley
• 10 Wholesome Outdoor Activities by Juggling on Rollerskates

What the judges said…

Going Wild authors Jo and Fiona, had the difficult job of picking an overall winner of the challenge to win a fabulous chalet holiday with us. Here’s what they said:

‘We so enjoyed reading all the lovely blogs. All the posts were great, full of easy, fun ideas to encourage families to get out all year round. We felt every one really understood the importance of getting children outdoors away from their screens.

We choose Four Acorns as the winner. From the outset we were drawn into a magical adventure. The photos were beautiful and you could really feel the fun the children had; storming around the woods, armed with their stick swords, protecting the fairy castle from fierce dragons.… The adults were not telling the children what to do or how to do it, they were there to keep them safe, teach them respect for the natural world (such as how to keep the fire small, how not to leave a trace, how to notice the special autumn treasures), but most of all they were there to encourage natural curiosity, creativity and giving them space to let their imaginations run wild and free.

We also loved their suggestion to visit the same place but in different seasons for “micro adventures” illustrating you don’t have to travel miles away from home, or go to expensive parks or events. Nature is free, and magical, you just have to jump in and fly off to wherever your imagination takes you.

This is the message we have tried to get across in all of our books. Wonderful adventures can be had anywhere, anytime, whatever the season, without spending a fortune. It’s the wild times, and the freedom to explore nature that children will remember when they grow up, vital if we want the next generation to respect and protect their planet.’

Getting kids outside and helping them connect with nature is close to our hearts at AliKats and something we believe is vital for the future of our planet.

Awesome books to inspire more outdoor adventures

If you would like to find out more about the Going Wild authors and their wonderful books, please check out their website. From wildlife, bushcraft, imaginary games and adventure activities to wild art, poetry, theatre/storytelling, foraging and cooking, and being creative on a wild scale, there is something to get all kids excited about going outside.

AliKats would like to give a big thank you to all the bloggers who took part in the challenge, it was wonderful to see your ideas come to life and the children having fun in the mud, sand, trees and wild weather.

Photos courtesy of Life in Full Flavour (image 1 & 3) and Jupiter Hadley (image 2)