Pond Dipping: A recount of a boy and his mother esploring their local pond (Collins Big Cat Phonics)

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All sorts of interesting creatures can be found living in ponds from the dragonfly nymph to great diving beetles!

Approach the edge of the pond and demonstrate the pond dipping method; demonstrate how to dip with the nets, standing sideways to the water with both knees bent. Ask all the children to practice this position where they currently stand, and emphasise that standing face on to the pond makes it easy to lose balance and fall in. You’re ready to start dipping! It’s time to move your net through open water with the whole of the net bag under the surface. Swirl your net through the water and try to make a figure of eight as you do it. Different creatures prefer different depths of the pond so make sure you sweep from the surface to towards the bottom. Pond dipping is a fun and natural way to teach children how to safely manage and take risks as well as teaching them about the different overlooked creatures that make up a pond. It is important for children to learn the value of conserving the natural environment. Like any activity that takes place in nature. It is so important to always be safe and ensure the safety of the pond dippers as well as the safety of the wildlife you will be handling. It’s also important to be considerate of nature and leave an area as you find it. This set of ten Bug Pots is perfect for pond dipping, as well as general nature studies. Each pot has a 2.5x magnifying lid and a measurement grid of 5mm squares on the base. They are ideal for storing and observing specimens.

Pond dipping kit – what you need

The best time of the year to go pond dipping with your child is from May to August. That’s when ponds are at their peak activity. Of course, there is no bad time to go pond dipping. There is still plenty to see in the early spring and fall too. My suggestion is to go pond dipping a few times from early spring to early fall and see how ponds change from week-to-week and month-to-month. Step 1: Gather your gear. On the day, before the students arrive, fill the observation trays with pond water to a few centimetres deep, and spread them out around your pond, at least 3 metres away from the water’s edge.

A tray or tub to put creatures in and observe the creatures you find. (Preferably a white one to make your creatures easier to observe.) A pond is home to many creatures, big and small. Birds like ponds and so do tiny little critters that live under the water. I like to call these critters pond minibeasts. The small pond in Dunorlan Park, situated near the playground, is available to groups for educational pond dipping activities. Book pond dippingIf you do spot something, scoop some water into one of the observation dishes and transfer the invertebrate to the dish using the plastic spoon. Do this gently, don’t tip the creatures in from height as it may harm them. If you are taking children pond dipping then make sure that they are always kneeling or lying flat on their stomachs when reaching into the water with a net. A pond is small, still and shallow body of water that can be made by people or by nature. Look for a pond that is easy to access and that kids can easily dip nets into without falling in. When you have found a pond find a spot near the edge to set up all your gear.

Important! Please keep in mind that it is illegal to take wildlife away from their habitat to your home, so be sure to return all minibeast into the pond before leaving. A Few Pond Dipping Safety Notes:If you’re not in a public park or green area then please make sure you’ve got permission from the owner of your chosen pond. What you will need: Ask them to stand in their groups of three, behind the equipment and facing the pond. This keeps them away from the water’s edge until you have carried out the Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2022-01-31 01:07:53 Associated-names Howell, Gill; Brychta, Alex Boxid IA40338501 Camera USB PTP Class Camera Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Return everything you catch when you have finished identifying them. Hold the container just under the surface of the water and slowly remove making sure all the creatures have been returned.With an aluminium telescopic handle and knotless fine mesh net bag, this pond net will not harm specimens and is guaranteed not to run if holed. Not suitable for heavy-duty use. Anyone can take part in pond dipping, it’s simple and doesn’t cost much at all. This popular outdoor learning activity for children can be taken part in at school and at home. It is also a great way for adults to practice mindfulness and reconnect with nature. We had lots of fun pond dipping together. This ‘Pond Dipping’ kit can be used to do just that, or more accurately, to carry out a freshwater invertebrate survey of ponds and small streams, and for pond/stream water sampling by a class of school children, led by a teacher. The equipment is suitable for use across a range of habitat areas. You will need (for a class of 30):