WIth all the computer games and TV to watch, it seems like kids in general (not all) are becoming less and less interested in wildlife and the outdoors and more interested in GTAIV! Now I'm not someone who thinkgs games aren't a good thing, but only in moderation.
How do you think we can get children more interested in wildlife? I think it all starts from a young age, where they are very keen to learn and everything seems new to them. Also talks from people really passionate about wildlife in schools would really help, and the more hands on they get the better. Biology is taught in such a dry way at school that it's no wonder.
I am a teenager at the moment, and I like being interested in wildlife. I dont watch that much TV or play on my PlayStation2 as much as I did a year ago when I became interested.
I think my love for wildlife came from my Nan, as I would always go down to Lake Meadows in Billericay with her when I was young to feed the ducks.
My love for photography, I think came from my nan and my grandad. My grandad gave me my first camera, a film Pentax MZ-50. This was a nice camera to get started with, and I have moved up and bought my own.
I think it is a good idea to get young children into wildife, especially teenagers as it takes them off the streets etc.
I remember when I was little, I was fortunate enough to be given my own little patch of garden where I built a pond and everything and was far more interested in looking at and identifying and learninig about the diferent types of wildlife then TV or dolls! I wish more people were more interested - the world sometimes seems such a sterile place
Catch them when they're young I think is the answer. I remember walking around a nature reserve with a young friend of mine and his little boy in his pram when the little one was only a couple of months old, and as we went around his dad was telling him the names of the flowers that we passed. The little one, who's now 2¾, can now correctly identify many of the most common birds, Robins, Sparrows, Swans, Coots etc, and also some of the mammals, Mice, Rabbits, Seals, last Sunday when I was with them, he was amusing himself hunting for spiders.
Last year my local Wildlife Trust introduced at each of its visitor centres, monthly wildlife tots meetings, play-groups for the under 5s with a nature theme, these have proved to be enormously popular. Each has a waiting list of parents who are waiting for a vacancy to occur so their child can join.
The RSPB have junior membership ,starting from the very young ,i enroled my grandaughter who is 3years old,every 2 months she recieves a package with wildlife posters ,stickers etc ,i think this is a good start to get youngsters interested
My daughter is not quite two years yet and she can ID Jackdaw, Rook, Robin, 'Seagull', Blackbird, 'duck' and has seen White-billed Diver at close range! She has a lot of books that have animals and birds in too.One has jungle animals in and the inside cover has about twenty different types of animal, insect and bird. She knows them all! including Tapir, sloth, beetle, shark, toucan and tarantula! She doesn't stand a chance with me as a Dad!!
Getting them interested at a young age makes it a lot easier in the later years, but I also don't think that UK wildlife is really mentioned in a school syllabus is it?
The RSPB young membership sounds like a good idea. Sticker books and posters are great for kids. Paul, sounds like your doing a great job getting your daughter interested
I like to think so! I want an excuse to start twitching again when she gets older! And a new pair of binos!
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Great picture Paul, she looks like she doesn't want to let go of those binos!
I think that taking kids out on wildlief trips regularly is such a great idea, I would think a lot of the time it will inspire a lasting interest.