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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Tree shake surprise

Who's been hiding in the branches? Give a branch a gentle shake over a white sheet and see who drops in.

  • 15 min total
  • Low mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Outdoors
  • Spring to autumn
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 2 min to set up · 11 min to explore · 2 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • An old white sheet or pillowcase
  • A magnifying glass, optional

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Spread the sheet under a low branch of a tree or hedge.

  2. Grown-up job

    An adult gently shakes the branch a few times.

  3. Look quickly! What landed? Spiders, beetles, caterpillars?

  4. Count the creatures and look closely.

  5. Tip them gently back under the tree.

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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