Hidden Nature Challenge

This activity is all about taking first steps to nature connection and building confidence in outdoor learning. Learners will develop digital and data skills and reflect on how they feel spending time in nature. Take your class outside and discover hidden nature on your site in this twenty-minutes-or-less activity! Upload your findings to our online map, where you’ll be able to see hidden nature being revealed across the country.

Have your images displayed at RHS gardens or the Natural History Museum

In the Hidden Nature Challenge activity, children and young people can take photos of their findings. Throughout this year, a selection of images will be chosen to be displayed in RHS Gardens and the Natural History Museum in London for our visitors to see during summer 2025. We’ll be in touch if your images are chosen to go on display!

Getting to know your space

< 30 minutes

All ages

Preparation

What you need

Smartphones or tablets – alternatively, you can take photographs and then upload them here after exploring your site
Optional, or if you are completing the activity without digital devices: clipboards and Hidden Nature Challenge worksheets
Optional: kneeling mats, or tarpaulin or bags to sit on

Access the Hidden Nature Challenge

No writing needed

This version of the Hidden Nature Challenge doesn’t require learners to type their responses, and features simplified prompts – suggested for younger learners or SEND groups.

QR code for Hidden Nature Challenge - writing needed

Add your written thoughts

This version of the Hidden Nature Challenge asks learners to tell us about their explorations via text boxes – suggested for KS2+ or those more confident with reading and writing.

Scan the QR code or use the buttons below on a phone or a tablet to open the Hidden Nature Challenge. It will automatically open in your browser without the need to download anything.

No writing needed Add your written thoughts

The Hidden Nature Challenge uses your location from your device, so make sure that you enable this, or zoom in and add your point to the map manually. If you do not have Wi-Fi connection or mobile data available: use the Survey123 app, or use the worksheets below and upload your findings to the map after exploring outside.

Location

Outdoors

Useful guidance

Nature-based discovery - for guidance and reassurance on preparing learners and taking learning outdoors
Health & safety - for guidance on ways to keep learners stay safe when exploring outdoors
3 Ways to...Share your Findings - take a look at these ideas for sharing what you discovered with others

Resources

Hidden Nature Challenge Worksheet Text-Free.pdf 147.49 KB

Hidden Nature Challenge Worksheet KS2.pdf 179.96 KB

Hidden Nature Challenge Worksheet KS3.pdf 146.22 KB

Which worksheet?

The text-free worksheet features simplified prompts and doesn’t require learners to write, although there is space to do so. This worksheet is best suited for EYFS-KS1 children.

The KS2 worksheet features more detailed prompts for each Hidden Nature clue, but includes hints to help learners answer the sensory exploration. The KS3+ worksheet doesn’t include these hints.

Step by step

Take learners outside and introduce the clues that they will be looking for around their site. They could explore the prompts individually or in pairs. Can they find one (or more) of the following?
A plant in an unexpected place ; a place without nature; a repeated pattern in nature; the smallest sign of nature; something new to you
If using a device, learners can take a photograph to share what they have found.
Use the further prompts to encourage exploration and reflection on what hidden nature has been discovered. Learners are invited to use their senses to describe their findings, as well as reflect on how they feel after engaging with nature.
The ‘no writing needed’ version of the survey doesn’t require learners to type any answers, but they can discuss or reflect on their experience.
Add your findings to our online map and see how your local environment compares to others!
If you are using the prompt sheets or have taken photographs to upload later, you can add your findings to the map when back inside by visiting the Hidden Nature Challenge map on a browser and clicking ‘Add record’.

Note: All photographs taken as part of the Hidden Nature Challenge are reviewed before inclusion in our map, so please be patient as your contributions may not be visible immediately! If any photographs contain recognisable people or faces they will be hidden from the online map.

Reflection

Learners can be guided to think about the following questions:

What conclusions can you draw from the information on your school's map?
What types of things did you find most of? Were there any things you struggled to find?
How did you feel about places with no nature, compared to places with nature?
Explore the map for the rest of England – what patterns do you notice?
What is the most interesting thing that someone else has found?
Have other schools found similar or different things to you? Why do you think that is?
What do you think all the schools, colleges and nurseries in England can do for nature?

Curriculum links

This activity can be used to support curriculum knowledge and skill development in science and geography, alongside enhancing nature education, with age-appropriate adaptations.

What to try next