Raise kids who love nature – seven ideas for the Easter Holidays in Fife

Lately I’ve been thinking about how I can pass on some of the good stuff I’ve learned about the environment to my children. I’d love for them to appreciate nature in the way I’ve grown up to enjoy it.
The Easter Holidays are suddenly here (they always come before I have a chance to think of any plans for them!). So I thought perhaps there’s some fun and low-cost things we can do together.
Here are the ideas I’ve come up with.
Seven ideas for the Easter Holidays in Fife
1. Take a walk in the woods

Nature provides the best and most cost-effective playground. We recently made a trip to Tentsmuir Forest. My son spent over an hour climbing on a fallen tree. We didn’t even make it to the playpark!
It was the easiest way to entertain him. All the while he was asking questions – why it fell, how tall it was, how old it was, how big its roots were, what might live under it. The list went on!
Here are a few of our favourite woodland spots.
- Wizards Walk, Beveridge Park (free). The park has a play area and sometimes has other activities on too.
- Tentsmuir Forest (£2 cash parking fee). Has a play area and lots of paths. Great for cycling as well as exploring the beach.
- Balbirnie Park (free).
- Falkland Estate (free). There’s a café at the main entrance as well as at the Pillars of Hercules where there’s a play area and farm shop.
- Cambo Gardens (ticketed entry). There’s access to the beach, there are often pigs to visit, as well as events and a play area. There’s also a lovely café and gift shop.
2. Embrace the weather, whatever it may be
Admittedly, when it rains, I’m all too easily convinced to head inside to soft play.

But the best giggles are always had when we just get outside in all weathers.
- Find a big puddle, the muddier the better, and let your kids run wild.
- On a day with light fluffy clouds, spent time lying on the ground spotting shapes.
- Fly a kite in the wind.
3. Get up for the sunrise
At this time of year, sunrise happens at a bearable time of the morning. My kids don’t really sleep much past 6am anyway. Sunrise at Kirkcaldy prom is spectacular. If the tide is out, you can sit or stand on the beach to take it all in. Get there around 15 minutes before sunrise on a clear morning.
4. Plant some seeds
This is the absolute peak time of year to plant some seeds and it’s a brilliant way to show kids how plants grow.
Most seeds are best started off indoors. All you need is some compost, some seeds and a container with holes in. Fruit punnets or yoghurt pots are ideal. You can choose to grow something to eat such as courgettes. Or there are flower seeds that are easy to grow, such as sunflowers, cosmos or calendula. Just follow the packet instructions for best results, keep watered, and plant out around the end of April.
5. Join our Bike, Walk, Move activity day on Saturday 15th April
Come along and join Greener Kirkcaldy’s free spring-themed activity day from 10am – 12 noon at our community building at 8 East Fergus Place, Kirkcaldy. There’s an Easter Egg hunt, a guided walk, a cycle ride and more. It’s suitable for all the family and the perfect way to get outdoors. You can even bring your bike along to get it checked over and repaired, for free! Booking is essential for the guided walk and cycle ride.
6. Have a nature treasure hunt
Make a list of things for your kids to find or spot. You can ask them to take photographs, take rubbings or collect items. You’ll need paper and crayons for the rubbings.
Here’s an example list:
- Take a rubbing of three different leaves. Can you name them?
- Take a rubbing of bark from a tree. Can you name the tree?
- Take a photo of three different spring flowers. Can you name them?
- Take a photo of some blossom.
- Collect three different colours of stones.
- Spot two different types of birds. Do you know what they’re called?
- Spot a wild animal.
7. Get them to help you in the garden
If there’s a wheelbarrow, my son’s there. Add mud, then you just can’t tear him away!
At this time of year there’s lots of tidying to be done including weeding, cutting back, dividing and moving plants. Kids can help with so much of it, giving them a sense of how nature works. My son will inevitably lose interest in the task he started off with. But he’ll happily move on to driving diggers around in the mud and be as happy as can be while I carry on working.
That’s just seven ways to raise kids who love nature and there are countless more. Getting outside is the ultimate boredom crusher – that’s all I need for an easy life!
Check out the Events page for a range of activities for kids and adults.
Audrey Wilson, Media Volunteer
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