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Birds, bugs and bees

Birds, bugs and bees

This theme is about understanding how wildlife works together with plants, the weather, and the landscape to form a bubble of life called an ecosystem. In this theme, you’ll explore why animals are useful and what they need to live.

You’ll get stuck in by improving local habitats (places that animals and plants live) to make sure lots of different plants and animals can live there happily. You can focus on birds, bugs, or bees – it may depend on where you do your sessions.

There are five steps to this community impact project:

  1. Step one: identify the need >
  2. Step two: plan action >
  3. Step three: take action >
  4. Step four: learn and make more change >
  5. Step five: tell the world >

Earn stage one of your Community Impact Staged Activity Badge by understanding and contributing towards biodiversity in your local area.


Step one: identify the need

Try out both of these activities to learn about biodiversity and investigate the challenges faced by birds, bugs and bees. You could do them one after the other, or in separate sessions.

Web of life

Play a fun game to explore how the natural world is connected like a beautiful spider’s web.

Takes: 30 minutes

Play web of life >
Natural treasure hunt

Head outdoors and explore the beautiful biodiversity on offer. What will you discover?

Takes: Up to 1 hour

Go on a nature treasure hunt >
Life under leaves

Visit some woodland and discover what lives among the trees.

Takes: 1 hour

Find life under leaves >

Step two: plan action

Now it’s time to decide what issue you should take action on and what you want to change.

Feed the birds

Learn about the natural world by making a bird feeder packed with delicious treats for our feathered friends. Who will visit?

Takes: 1 hour

Feed the birds >
Snug as a bug

Everyone needs somewhere to call home, and invertebrates are no exception.

Takes: 1 hour

Try snug as a bug >
Bee prepared

Build a bee hotel and welcome these crucial critters to your meeting place or garden.

Takes: 1 hour

Make a bee hotel >

Step three: take action

To complete stage one of your badge, youll need to spend at least four hours taking action, over three months.

Community birdhouses

Choose your birdhouse and build a new home for our feathered friends.

Takes: At least 3 hours

Build community birdhouses >
Bug-ingham Palace

Make a bug hotel fit for royalty for your neighbourhood minibeasts.

Takes: At least 3 hours

Make a bug hotel >
Flower power

Make homemade seed bombs and grow a beautiful wildflower space.

Takes: At least 3 hours

Make seed bombs >

Step four: learn and make more change

After you’ve taken action, discuss what you’ve learned, how you have made people’s lives better, the skills or knowledge you’ve developed, and what you could do to help even more people in your chosen community.

Evaluation postcards

Make postcards to reflect on what you’ve learned, what you’ve achieved, and what your next steps could be.

Takes: 25 minutes

Make evaluation postcards >
The chit chat

Revise and recount a recent adventure to the rest of the group, with the help of some picture prompts.

Takes: Up to 1 hour

Try chit chat >
Video diaries

After taking action on social issues, it’s time to interview each other on camera so you can reflect and share what you’ve learned.

Takes: 1 hour

Make video diaries >

Step five: tell the world

Finally, it’s time to share your actions far and wide. Help other people to understand why the issue you took action on is important, what you did and how they can help.

Share to inspire

After taking action on social issues choose the best method to tell people what you’ve done, then get stuck in.

Takes: 1 hour

Share to inspire >
Write here, write now

Make it newsworthy and share a story you’re passionate about with the world.

Takes: 1 hour

Share a story >
Community Impact: the movie

Share your community impact project with the world by making a short film.

Takes: Up to 2 hours

Share your Community Impact story >