Once again we are at the time of year when schools come to visit us here at Cabragh. Over the past two years we have had about two thousand school children enjoy the delights of nature at the wetlands. Our experience is that children respond enthusiastically to the delights of the natural world. They are stimulated and fulfilled in a way that only nature can evoke.
During a visit to Cabragh which lasts about two and a half hours children explore a number of different habitats.
The field trip starts with a 20 minute Power Point presentation during which the children are introduced to topics which they will later explore. We present information on the pond and pond life, the hedgerow, bird hide, stream and the wetlands in general.
After this presentation the children are taken on a tour of the various habitats to experience first hand the wonderful variety of plant and animal species, and how they all form a delicate and complex web of life. We divide the children into groups but each child has the opportunity to experience each habitat and partake in each activity. Always popular is the pond and the community of life that lives there. Children study the various insects in the viewing tanks and use charts to identify them. A walk through the wetland has beautifully illustrated information boards along the way.
All our activities are based on the primary science programme for primary schools. While the children enjoy a day at the wetland they are also fulfilling part of the school curriculum. The study area is confined and with the supervision of the school's staff it offers a safe environment for exploration of the natural world.
We believe that if we plant the love of nature in our children they will mature into adults who will care about our planet. Children may make follow up visits to the wetlands at any time. For safety reasons they must be supervised by an accompanying adult.
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