Make the most of the summer break...

We're now just over the half way stage...



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? 

"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.

As Dan Raven Ellison says:

"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!

Check out some of the missions you may have missed....

  1. Shuffle exploration - Explore while you listen to music on shuffle. Each time the music shuffles, shuffle your way of exploring.
  2. Find something... - Find something hard, soft, sticky, crumbly, silly, cool, brown, tiny, massive, smelly, mean, round, flat, strange, normal, straight, flying, underneath and something new.
  3. Squirrel skirmish - Cross a park without being seen by a squirrel. 
  4. Become an extreme stair climber - Climb to the top of the world's highest places without leaving home.
  5. Walk straight! - Visit a wood. How far can you walk in a straight line without bumping into a single tree?

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