What's on...

Family Fun Day

Caterpillar Music sessions

30th August, Bank Holiday Monday

 Every Weds from 23rd June (except 25th July 2010)

10-5.30pm

10.30-11.10am

Lots of activities for the whole family from nature activity walks and craft sessions to story-telling and gardening talks.  Face-painting, music sessions, butterfly pageant for the best dressed butterfly fancy dress, butterfly treasure hunt and much more.  Children under 16 wearing butterfly wings can flutter in free of charge.

Wonderful sessions for 0-4 year olds with music, stories and puppets. £5 per session and as a special offer one accompanying adult can stay at Butterfly World for an outing for half-price (£3).  For more details click here or call Anna Fryer on 01727 753413.

Wildlife Action Awards Workshops - we are running six different workshops to enable you to win your RSPB Bronze Award through 27 July - 19 August or just as individual workshops for you to learn and enjoy.  All sessions cost £15 each; £25 for two children; £75 for the six sessions.  All ages welcome.  From 10.30-2.30:

1. What's that flower? workshop - come on our wildflower nature walk and identify the wildflowers for yourself.  Press your favourites in a flower press and create an identification guide.  (First point towards your bronze award) - 27th July or 4th August

2. Minibeasts close up - make yourself a sweep net and catch some insects to identify!  Create an identification guide using your drawings and photographs. (Second point towards your bronze award) - 28th July or 5th August

3. Counting Butterflies - use our butterfly guides to identify and count the butterflies in the gardens and meadows.  Draw the butterflies you find and record their favourite flowers for your guide.  (Third point towards your bronze award) - 29th July or 10th August

4. Making insect homes - learn about where insects live and how you can improve their habitat at your own home.  Make homes for ladybirds, beetles, earwigs and bumble bees to try out in your garden. (Fourth point towards your bronze award) - 3rd August or 12th August.

5. Feeding birds - try out our different recipes to make some delicious homemade bird feeders.  We will make a monkey nut kebab, tasty pine cones, and a speedy bird cake tree hanger. (Fifth point towards your bronze award) - 11th August or 17th August.

6. Make a display - put on an exhibition in our Insect Study Centre to show all the information you have collected.  We can laminate your pictures and show all the things you have made.  (Congratulations you have a bronze award) - 18th August or 19th August.

Please book in advance here to avoid disappointment.

Creative art sessions with ArtsKool Kids

Mondays and Fridays

Pre-bookable creative sessions - to create a butterfly canvas or clay model - £12 per session or £20 for two.  From 12.00-2.00pm and 2.00-4.00pm. Please book at artskool08@aol.com

Pop-in sessions running from 12.00-4.00pm - on a different theme each time eg create butterfly wings, a butterfly model with gemstones - £3 per session

The Natural World - drop-in nature sessions with environmental education specialist Sally Munn

For children up to 10 years old.  Under sixes to be accompanied by an adult. £3 per child.

Wednesday, 21^st July - 10.30-11.20; 11.45-12.30; 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

"I Spy" - Play Nature Detectives and discover the world about you.

Taking the children on a walk around the site and using the five senses to discover their surroundings:

On an activity sheet:  What can you see?  What can you hear?  Touch something smooth/rough.  What can you smell?  Taste - to be decided!

Can you find something:  red/blue/yellow (draw in boxes and name items)

Can you spot something:  moving/making a noise/being quiet/flying (draw in boxes and name items).

Followed by a related craft activity.

Tuesday, 27th July - 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

Bees - Looking at the workings of a hive (with example). Going on a walk to see how many different species we can find.

Wednesday, 28^th July - 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

Bees - Looking at the workings of a hive (with example).  Going on a walk to see how many different species we can find.

Craft activity:  rolling a beeswax candle. 

Wednesday, 4^th August - 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

Natural History of a Meadow - Walk to the meadow (by the large pond) and look at the flowers and hunt for mini beasts.

Craft activity:   Making a meadow collage -using pressed flowers, tissue paper, craft paper etc showing grass, flowers, birds, mini beasts and butterflies.

 Wednesday, 25^th August - 10.30-11.20; 11.45-12.30; 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

Natural History of a Pond - Walk to the large and small ponds and see what's going on.

Craft activity:  making a frog out of a flower pot

 Wednesday, 1^st September - 10.30-11.20; 11.45-12.30; 2.00-2.50; 3.10-4.00

Food Chains - understanding food chains, bringing in birds and butterflies!

Craft activity:  making food chains

Herts Inclusive Theatre (www.hitproject.co.uk )

Two workshops being hosted at Butterfly World for 4-16 year olds of all abilities, in the Theatre of Insects Garden:

The Rubbish Insect Orchestra - Weds 18th August, 10.30am-12.30pm

Come and discover how a ladybird plays the drums using cardboard tubes, or how a beetle makes maracas from plastic bottles.  Make instruments using recycled materials, become an insect and make an orchestra.  The session will end with a short performance to family.

Become a Butterfly - Weds 25th and Friday 27th August, 10.30am-12.30pm

Come and decorate your own butterfly mask, then learn how to perform whilst wearing it.  Become a caterpillar, a cocoon and eventually a butterfly.  The session will end with a short performance to family

(Free admission to Butterfly World for all participants and accompanying adults go half price) £8 per session (£12 for both)

Book by contacting Herts Inclusive Theatre on:

Mobile: 07983 376734/ Answerphone: 01923 499310

Email: hertsinclusivetheatre@live.co.uk

Caterpillar Music sessions - 0-4 year olds - every Wednesday (as above)

Facepainting every Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm (from Saturday 25th July)

Interactive Storytelling in the Flowerpot, ages 3+.   Fun insect story sessions.  Tues 17th, Tues 24th and Tues 31st August , 10.30 and 11.30

Creepy Crawly Art Workships, ages 4+.  Create your own creepy crawly or butterfly wings. Thurs 22nd July - 10.00, 10.45, 11.30, 12.15; Tues 17th, Tues 24th and Tues 31st August - 1.30, 2.15, 3.00 and 3.45.

Activity sessions with Lenny the Entertainer. Mon 26th July, 16th and 23rd August; 1.00pm Scavenger Hunt, for children of all ages; 2pm Storytime in the Flowerpot, for younger children; 3.00pm An Entertaining Guide to the Lifecycle of a Butterfly, for older children.