One of the kindest things you can do for local wildlife in your garden or allotment, is to create a pond - it's especially important during hot weather. Not only does this create a wonderful space for creatures, insects and plant life to flourish, it also helps teach little ones the importance of these habitats. We've included pond and wildlife activity sheets at the bottom of this page so children can simply download, print and cut out to have some fun learning who lives in ponds.
Adding a pond to your garden doesn’t need to be complicated and you also don’t need a large garden, it can be something as simple as a washing up bowl dug into the ground. Ponds are wonderful for attracting wildlife, make a great bird bath during hot weather and they’re educational for children who can learn about the different species that call ponds home. Help your children connect with nature this summer and give your garden wildlife a boost with a pond.
In the last 100 years, over 70% of the UK’s ponds have been lost due to farming advancements and the reduced need for farm ponds that were once used as water resources for livestock. Ponds are a vital lifeline to many animals, insects and amphibians so without them, there’s been a significant loss: some conservationists are calling it a pond crisis! This is why even adding the smallest of ponds to your garden is pivotal to the on-going health of our eco-system across the UK.
Now is the best time of year to create a pond and it may take a year or two to become truly established. It will provide a haven for wildlife, offering a valuable water source and place to cool off in the summer months. One thing is for sure, it certainly won’t go unnoticed by the local wildlife. You’re likely to attract toads, frogs, perhaps newts if you’re lucky, birds and hedgehogs. It will also provide a refuge to ecologically important insects including damselflies, caddisflies and dragonflies. Ponds are quite literally, life saving to so many. The more we have of them, the better. Let your little ones sit beside your pond to observe who lives there, you can even carefully do a little pond dipping: grab a net and discover an underwater world of insects, fish and amphibians. Ponds are transient places, so be sure to check back every few days to see who else might have arrived!
When thinking about creating a pond, ensure to choose your site carefully. There are a few different elements to take into consideration with site location, and you’ll need to choose a spot that doesn’t have too much overhanging it, and that the pond will benefit from quite a bit of sun exposure during the day. If you have young children or are limited on outdoor space, you might choose to simply dig a washing up bowl into the ground. This allows you to start small without any health and safety risks, and once your children are older you can then consider a larger, deeper pond. Washing bowl ponds can quickly become absolutely teeming with life, so there really is no need to feel like you have to immediately go grand in size in order to make an impact. Small is still significant where the environment is concerned. Make sure your pond has sloping sides and ensure you create an exit ramp for any animals that may fall in such as hedgehogs or mice, a piece of wood typically works well for this. When ponds are created, it’s surprising to see how quickly it will start to welcome wildlife.
A lovely way for your children to learn is to sit beside the pond and watch who comes and goes. We’ve also created a downloadable and printable PDF activity sheet you and your little ones can have fun playing with below.
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