Children's News

Children's workshop - September 2011

On 11 September the Friends and the Greensand Trust held a workshop for young people to make bat boxes for Knolls Wood. Kits consisting of pre-cut panels, nails and screws were supplied by the GST and a dozen or so youngsters wielded hammers and screwdrivers to assemble 15 boxes with the help of committee members (at some risk to their fingers!). Everyone was pleased with the results and each child wrote their name on the box they had made so they can locate them once the boxes are fixed to trees. They look like bird boxes, but without the entry hole – the bats will squeeze through a small gap between the sides, just large enough for them but too small for bluetits etc.

Afterwards the children made black bat finger puppets to take home.

Children's event - September 2010

Children's event - September 2009

The Friends of Knolls Wood and The Greensand Trust held another successful children's event on 13th September. We joined up to part of the “Bug Lab Tour 2009” which were held all over Leighton Buzzard through the summer. This gave the children an opportunity to go bug hunting in the wood, armed with a net and some pots to capture their bugs the
children were soon bringing back plenty of finds to have a closer look at under the microscopes. They also got a chance to make their own “Junk Bugs” where they could let their imagination run wild and come up with their own design of bug, make it out of bits
of cardboard, plastic and other odds and ends and take it home.

The Bug Lab Tour 2008

We were fortunate to have sunny weather for our Children’s Event on 14 September. More than twenty youngsters turned up with their parents for a ‘bug hunt’ and, armed with nets and jars, set off into the undergrowth in search of creepy crawlies. They returned with a variety of insects and other creatures – spiders, beetles, millipedes, snails, and even a toad – which they examined under a microscope or through a magnifying glass. Seeing them close up caused great excitement. Afterwards the children made their own favourite bugs out of cardboard and pipe cleaners, and everyone received a special Bug Hunter certificate when they went home. Thanks go to John Creasey of the Greensand Trust for organising the event and providing the equipment and bug-making materials.

Working with Marvellous Maps 2008

This event, organised by Erica Pratt of the Greensand Trust at Dovery Down School, was a successful example of a local partnership project with the P3 (Parish paths partnership) initiative, 
the Friends of Knolls Wood and the Greensand Trust. The year 4 pupils had lots of fun in the 
process! Over two separate days, they learnt about types of maps, and used maps to look closely at 
the local environment, the school grounds, Knolls Wood and the Ouzel Valley.

• The objectives were to help pupils understand the changes that are occurring in their local 
environment and involve them in the planning process
• To raise awareness of the local environment and encourage ownership in young people
• To raise awareness of the local rights of way and to encourage children to use them with 
their families
• To help pupils acquire the geographical skills of map reading and investigation;
• To explain and promote local distinctiveness to young people
• To strengthen links between the school, parish council and other groups in the community

Bird boxes & finger puppets 2007

On September 16th local children turned up for an afternoon of making bird boxes, bird feeders and finger puppets under the guidance of John Creasey, our Greensand Trust Ranger. John was assisted by members of the committee who, after a bit of training, helped the youngsters with hammering in nails to construct the boxes, and drilling holes in plastic tennis ball tubes for the bird feeders – a creative way of recycling them! The younger children were kept busy cutting bat shapes from black paper to make finger puppets.

The children wrote their names on the wooden bird boxes they helped to make, and these will be put on trees in Knolls Wood, ready for nesting time in the spring. The warm sunshine and refreshments provided by the Friends helped to make it a very enjoyable afternoon for everyone. Thanks go to John for supplying the materials and the ideas.
   
 

Knolls Wood Association (KWA) logo painting Competition 2006

The KWA committee organised a painting competition, open to children at Dovery Down and Heathwood Lower schools, for a new KWA logo. We sought sponsorship from local businesses and are very grateful to the following for their sponsorship: