Educational summer activities: the wonder of wildlife

by Emily

Exam season is nearly over and the summer holidays are but a pipsqueak away. If you're dreading weeks of boredom in your household, don't worry. It needn't be this way! The UK is full of places to enjoy an educational day out, and each week we'll recommend our pick of the bunch.

Our very first recommendation for you is the London Wetland Centre. For anyone who thinks that wildlife can't survive, let alone thrive, in the ultimate urban environment, the London Wetland Centre is here to prove them wrong.

Head to the LWC and you'll find a lively nature haven in the heart of the city with beautiful walkways set amongst lakes, ponds, meadows and reedbeds. It plays home to a wide variety of wildlife, with more than 180 species of birds, water voles, amphibians, bats, grass snakes, slow worms, butterflies and moths to gaze at.

This is a must-visit for any mini Attenboroughs with an interest in Biology, especially if they live in the city and rarely get to see wildlife close up. In fact, the LWC has six hiding spots to allow visitors to get up close to the wildlife. There is also a collection of rare birds to see, an adventure area for younger children, a bat house and a duck pond where you can feed the ducks (this makes a nice change from many parks, where duck-feeding is banned).

For more information on the London Wetland Centre visit www.wwt.org.uk/london