Top 5 for Families this May

May is an beautiful time to discover the wonder of wetlands. Warmer weather and brighter days bring new life bursting forth in a green landscape.

With wild flowers blooming, butterflies in the hedgerows and ducklings on the water it’s a memory-making day out for everyone. Here are some suggestions to get the most from your family day out at Arundel Wetland Centre this May.

1. Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake and WWT trail

Come and enjoy summer wetland adventures of imagination, inspiration and illustration with the artworks of the UK's best loved illustrator as your guide. Collect an illustrated trail map complete with Quentin Blake’s drawings and see wetlands in a whole new light! The trail opens on May 18.

2. Search for New Life

Look out for newly hatched greylag geese goslings, mallard ducklings and coot chicks around the pathways and ditches around the centre. Kingfishers are nesting in the bank across from the family Discovery hide. Watch here or find another nest box around the reserve to watch for a while – can you see birds going inside with nesting material or food for chicks?

Greylag goslings at Arundel Wetland Centre Photo: James King

3. Take a Pond Dip

Join our Learning Team at the Raised Pond to uncover incredible underwater life with a net and tray. Family dipping sessions for up to six people run in the morning and afternoon on weekends and holidays. Book at the admissions desk - a £3 donation per family to help us cover costs would be gratefully appreciated.

Book a family pond dipping session for up to six people at our admissions desk when you visit.

4. Find Secret Spots

There places around our site that are perfect little 'dens' that children love to spend time in - like the new Reedbed Willow Sphere. Enter this artwork and surround yourself with wildlife! Woven from willow, a traditional wetland material, this work has hidden harriers, lapwing, sand martins, herons and dragonflies. Challenge the kids to find them all!

In the Wildlife garden is a secret glen of log stump seats around a wooden throne called Peter's chair. Children love this secret space - great for picnic lunches, looking for insects in the leaves or closing your eyes to listen for bird song.

At the end of the Tranquil Trail near the Lapwing hide is a lovely Willow Arbour. This pretty shelter has a bench inside - chill out here while the childen go butterfly hunting on the wood chipped trail outside. There is also a min-trail along the water nearby - take a seat and wave at the passing Wetland Safari boats.

In the middle of the Reedbed Boardwalk is the Reed Chamber. This pointy building of thatch is a great spot to wait out a rain shower. Bird watch out the doorway - and look for birds nesting inside the thatch!

At play in the Reed Chamber - photo @mamatoldyouso and In the Willow Sphere - Photo @Kids_and_me_adventures

5. Quill writing, brass rubbing and bird sketching

During summer half term (May 27-June 4) drop into the Outlook In building for artistic and creative family fun. Learn to draw and write with an ink quill pen made from a real feather! Smaller hands may want to try taking a rubbing from our brass plates of wildlife or colouring in a Quentin Blake picture from 10 am-12:30 pm and 1-3:30 pm each day. More info here.

Children 7-12 may enjoy the Learn to Sketch a Bird workshop. Book it on the day for £2 per child - the workshops srtar a 11 am and last an hour on Mon 29 May, Wed 31 May and Fri 2 June.

These activities are part of the Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake & the WWT programme of events.

Bonus - Pop into Pelican Cove

Say hello to our incredible Dalmatian Pelicans – the largest pelicans in the world with a 10 foot wingspan! See how do you measure up on the pelican wings sign. Meet one of our friendly Keepers at Pelican Cove each day a 2 pm. While feeding the birds they will talk all thing pelican and answer your questions about any of the amazing birds in the living collection at Arundel Wetland Centre.

A Dalmatian Pelican makes a splash while trying to catch fish - photo by visitor Tony Siddorn

A visit to Arundel Wetland Centre is a full, fun, family day out. Bring a picnic for outdoor eating or try the Water’s Edge Café with children's sandwich boxes or sausage hot dogs. Browse gorgeous gifts, books, toys and bird care in our WWT gift shop.

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