The world under your feet!

Local resident Kate Fromings has written this guest blog about the world living under your feet. 

Here’s a fun way to connect with nature, whatever your age. You just need half an hour, a pencil and some paper! If you enjoy doing this activity, we suggest using a notepad so you can regularly keep track of your findings.

Choose an area of ground to study that is about a metre square. Try this method if you want an easy way to measure the space. Stand with your feet apart, a little wider than your hips. Mark where your feet are, take a large step forward and mark again. This area is going to be your micro world!

At first glance you might look down and think there’s nothing there. Maybe you decided on cracked concrete, a patch of grass at the park or somewhere in the woods covered in soil. Wherever you have chosen, don’t worry; there is definitely something to discover!

Crouch down, kneel or even lie on your front – where it’s safe to do so.

Now look closely at what’s in your square. Are there any tiny beasties roaming around? How many? What do they look like? Can you see any seeds in the soil? Are there any plants? Is there any man-made material, for example metal or plastic? Is the surface wet or dry? Bumpy or smooth? Make a note of everything you see.

Next you can have fun and start mapping your mini world. You can be scientific about it and copy exactly what’s there, or you can let your imagination run wild and turn the lumps and bumps into mountains, the soil into a desert and the creepy crawlies into aliens… After all, you make the rules. This is your universe beneath your feet.