You may remember me telling you in the past about the Mission:Explore activity book and the Mission: Explore Food ebook, both of which are packed with fun, educational and just plain silly ideas for getting your kids out and about, interacting with and discovering the world they live in. Well, the Summer Holidays are almost here so you'll be pleased to know that they have a new Virtual Summer Camp, packed with ways of keeping the kids entertained during the long summer months. Read on for more information :
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We have all heard the cries of 'I'm bored' and 'I've got nothing to do' during the long summer holidays, but this year is going to be different. There's a new website that has come to your rescue.
Providing a daily dose of adventure, the Mission:Explore virtual Summer Camp challenges children to explore nature in your local neighbourhood, park or holiday destination. Can you photograph an alien invasion, cross a park without being caught out by a squirrel or travel 100 metres without being seen? These are just three of the quirky and creative challenges that can be found on www.missionexplore.net, a new FREE website that makes the most of wild places where you live.
"Using the site is easy" explained Tim, a 9-year-old Mission:Explorer. "There is a map that you can explore to find missions to do. I chose one that I wanted to do, then went outside to do it. Yesterday I went exploring wearing a mask, pretending that I was someone else. Once I'm done, I share a mission report on the website and collect badges".
By visiting the site you can sign up for daily outdoor activities, which are e-mailed to you, or browse a wide range of badges that your children can collect.
Daniel Raven-Ellison is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and one of the people who has made Mission:Explore.
"Many of the activities on the site can seem a bit ridiculous - things like becoming a unicorn, climbing the height of a mountain on a staircase or making yourself a nest... but there is a serious side to what we are doing. Our activities inspire children to explore, play and learn outdoors and in nature. They can benefit children's health and education as well as help busy parents by providing lots of ideas for things they can do with their children".
The Mission:Explore virtual Summer Camp runs for 100 days until September and includes activities that have been created by National Geographic, The Great Nature Project, the John Muir Trust, City Farmers, Thames Water, UK National Parks, the RSPB, Ramblers Wales and a growing number of outdoor exploration and education organisations. Over 100 inspiring activities are available on the website.
If you have children, join the Summer Camp (www.missionexplore.net) - complete some missions today, and banish boredom forever!
21 ways to fight holiday boredom from MissionExplore.net
1. Discover the most beautiful poo - Go outdoors in search of the most beautiful poo you can find. When you discover it, take a picture of it.
2. Go on the wetter run - Do you get wetter if you run or walk in the rain?
3. Culinary cartography - Draw a map of where your local free food supplies are.
4. Keep a poo diary - Keep a record of what you eat, drink and poo. How does what goes in change what comes out?
5. Low view - What's at the lowest point in your village, town or city?
6. Get lost ... - Use your trail finding skills to find your way back home.
7. Build a nest - Build a nest that is big enough for you and your eggs.
8. Label unseasonal food - Design an 'out of season' food label, then try and persuade your local supermarket to use it.
9. Be a caterpillar - Use a sleeping bag to disguise yourself as a caterpillar.
10. Point confusion - Point at something and hold your pose. How many people stop to see what you are pointing at?
11. Be on TV - Put on a performance for a CCTV controller. You could improvise a short play, show off a dance routine or hold a full blown talent show.
12. Make a dragon - Make a dragon from found things.
13. Meet your meat (or veg) - Find out where your meat (or veg) comes from and arrange a visit. Take a picture of the farm you go to.
14. Go the mint stint - How far can you travel while sucking the same mint?
15. Experience promnesia - Make it feel like you are experiencing déjà vu.
16. Put OAPs in the hood - Ask some old people you know to hang out in hoodies on a street corner.
How do people react to them?
17. Hold a Dry Swimming Race - Use some skateboards to hold a dry swimming championship.
18. Sing a Street Song - Write, perform and record a song using words in street signs.
19. The last bear - Imagine you are the last bear in Britain. Explore a wood as if you're that bear.
20. Does rain fall evenly? - Put identical containers outside in different places when it's raining... does one fill more than the other?
21. Geovate - Find something that is broken, wrong or missing. Work out the best solution then take action.
This is a compilation of missions that have been created by various Challengers on the Mission:Explore website. Many more are available on the site with more being added all the time.
You can see a set of missions right here :
There are also four Mission:Explore books that are published by Can of Worms Kids Press, including Mission:Explore, Mission:Explore Camping, Mission:Explore on the Road and Mission:Explore Food.
The RSPB, National Geographic Kids, National Geographic Education, The Great Nature Project, Ramblers Wales, The John Muir Trust, Thames Water, UK National Parks and City Farmers are all creating challenges and reward badges in the Summer Camp, with more joining all the time.
Website: www.missionexplore.net/summercamp
Twitter: @MissionExplore
Hashtags: #MEScamp #SummerCamp
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There are some great ideas on there, my kids would love the poo related ones the most.
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