Rosalyn wrote:Do they have the opportunity? My nephew (10) has stayed with me the last 2 years in the summer holiday, he loves to go 'butterflying' with me. He likes to learn new things, anything it seems, I don't think he would be satisfied with 'here's a blue butterfly, here's a brown one' but he seems to like learning the difference between Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. I have been out in the field and pointed out a Green Hairstreak to a youngster, and they have been thrilled. Nick I think your ideas could well spark an interest in the young.
They DO have the opportunity, it's just that they rarely have the inclination. What with the sophisticated gadgetry available these days most kids don't know what 'playing out' is.
When I was a kid, videos had only just come onto the market and you had to go to an amusement arcade to play any of the new-fangled games like Gorf, Asteroids and Space Invaders.
These days, your average 10 year old doesn't need to leave his/her bedroom in search of entertainment. Gone are the days of spending hours outdoors making dens, fishing in the streams with nets and catching butterflies.