A5 booklet - Car Travel Games

A SURVIVAL GUIDE TO
i n d e x
Preparation
page
check list
4-5
water
6-7
Safety
jelly fish
8
tides
9
sun
10
Activities
rock-pooling
11-18
beachcombing
19
crabbing
20
sandcastles
21
surfing
22
what to eat
23
Picnics
p r e p a r a t i o n
check list
g a m e s
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boules
frisbees and beach tennis
beach cricket
balls
sandcastle stuff
buckets
spades
decorations
moulds
c l o t h i n g
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skirts and sarongs
combat trousers and shirts
waterproofs
online shop
http://www.rain-togs.co.uk/
jumpers incase it gets cold
a change of clothing incase of accidents (or even deliberates!)
hats
beach shoes (good for rockpooling)
online shop
http://www.kakadookids.co.uk/Beach_Shoes1998.htm
http://www.kids-kaper.co.uk/system/index.html
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http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/
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sun suits (UV clothes)
online shop
swimming costumes
surf and skate board shorts
wetsuits
Nappy swimming costume
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online shop
http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/products/nappy_costume.htm
Earplugs
page 4
sunglasses
t h i n g s
boogie boards
kayaks
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f o r
t h e
s e a *
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p r e p a r a t i o n
check list
inflatables (see page 6 and 7)
buoyancy aids (see page 6 and 7)
snorkelling equipment
surf skis
nets
crabbing lines
o n
t h e
b e a c h
towels
something to sit on (either rugs or chairs)
windbreaks and / or beach tents
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online shop
http://irvine.forgecom.co.uk/Chulmleigh/results.cfm?ctref=8095
online shop
http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/products/sun_shades.htm
buckets and spades
suncream of correct factor for your skin
Jungle Formula Insect Repellents
anti-histamine for insect bites and stings
picnic blanket
online shop
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http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/products/picnic_blanket.htm
cool bag
online shop
http://www.ishop.co.uk/ishop/962/shopscr265.html
hampers
online shop
http://www.picnicaccessories.com
picnics and numerous snacks in finger portions to avoid sand
drinks in drink bottles to save spillage
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Car window sun screens
buggy covers
check out the weather online
page 5
weather http://www.met-office.gov.uk/
b e a c h
s a f e t y
water
For water safety always remember FLAGS when at the beach:
F ind the red and yellow flags and swim between them
L ook at the safety signs
A sk a lifeguard for advice
G et a friend to swim with you
S tick your hand in the air and shout for help if in difficulty
Always follow the 4-point water safety code
Spot the dangers
Check out the beach when you arrive
Take care when bathing and swimming
Beware of rocks, piers, groynes / breakwaters
Be aware of dangerous rip currents
Don’t go alone
Swim with a friend – Never go on your own
Make sure there are other people around – you never know when help
might be needed
Take safety advice
Swim where there is a lifeguard on patrol and within a zoned area of
red/yellow flags
Look out for information – warning signs and flags
Never swim where a sign says not to, or when a red flag is flying
Listen and take advice from lifeguards
Learn how to help
page 6
If you see someone in difficulty, tell somebody, preferably a lifeguard if
there is one nearby, or Go to the nearest telephone, dial 999 or 112, ask
for the coastguard. You can learn lifesaving and rescue skills
NEVER ENTER THE WATER WHEN YOU SEE A RED FLAG FLYING
water
b e a c h
s a f e t y
Flags
RED AND YELLOW
flags mark the safest places to swim, they are patrolled by lifeguards
BLACK AND YELLOW
flags mark areas for use by boats and crafts...it is wise to avoid these
areas
RED
for DANGER do not go in the water when the red flag is flying
ORANGE WINDSOCK
indicates dangerous wind conditions do not take an inflatable out and be
aware of balls and rings etc that could blow away and be chased after
Inflatables
Inflatable toys can be great fun in a pool, but the RNLI strongly advise you not to
use them in the sea. They are vulnerable even to slight gusts of wind, and using
these toys in surf conditions can be extremely hazardous. One particular danger is
where a wind blowing off the land makes the sea look calm, flat and apparently
safe, but it can actually sweep an inflatable – along with your child – out to sea
very swiftly.’
If you wish to take inflatable toys of any type into the sea, take the following precautions to minimise the risks:
£
Never use an inflatable toy in the sea when the wind is offshore (when the
wind is blowing from the shore out to sea) – check flags, smoke and clouds
to spot the direction the wind is blowing.
Children’s inflatables should always have a strong rope connected – held
securely by an adult on the shore.
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Make sure children are visible and within easy reach at all times.
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If possible, only use inflatables between the red and yellow flags.
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Always follow the advice given by the lifeguard.
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Never use inflatables in strong winds or when you see large waves, or
near rivers or inlets with strong currents.
If you notice someone is being swept out to sea on an inflatable, tell a
lifeguard or dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard immediately.
page 7
£
b e a c h
s a f e t y
weaver fish & jellyfish
The effect of a jellyfish sting can vary from a minor rash to extreme swelling and
discomfort. Below is a list of ones found on our shores in recent years.
Lesser Weaverfish
COMMON
Up to 14cm in length, Weavers lie half buried in the
sand and if trodden on can inflict a painful puncture
wound causing considerable pain and swelling.
TREATMENT Place the affected area in water as hot
as you can stand
Barrel Jellyfish
COMMON
Up to 100cm in diameter, usually harmless but can
sometimes cause a minor sting
TREATMENT None should be necessary
Blue
QUITE RARE
About 30cm diameter, usually harmless but can sometimes cause a minor sting
TREATMENT None should be necessary
Portugese Man-of-War
RARE
Up to 30 cm long on top and 15 cm in height out of the
water its tentacles can cause painful lesions
TREATMENT Do not rub. Lightly spray with seawater
and if possible apply something cold. (ice-lolly, cold
drink etc)
page 8
Compass
COMMON
About 30cm diameter, usually harmless but can sometimes cause a minor sting
TREATMENT None should be necessary
Lions Mane
COMMON
About 50cm diameter, usually harmless but can sometimes cause a painful sting
TREATMENT None should be necessary, but do not
rub and lightly spray with seawater and if possible
apply something cold. (ice-lolly, cold drink etc)
waves & tides
b e a c h
s a f e t y
Tides
Always be aware of how the tides operate in your area, it is very easy to get
engrossed in a game or go for a long walk and find that you have been cut off from
land. Tide tables are usually readily available at the seaside and will tell you exactly when high and low tides will occur
Waves
Waves are formed by the wind blowing across the surface of the ocean. The size
of the wave is determined by three factors
The intensity of the wind
The length of time for which the wind blows
The distance for which the wind blows
There are 3 type of waves: surging, spilling and dumping.
SURGING
Surging waves may never actually break as they approach the waters edge, as a
result of the water being very deep beneath them. They do not lose speed or gain
height. Surging waves can knock swimmers off their feet and carry them back into
deep water. For this reason they can be very dangerous especially around rocks.
SPILLING
Spilling waves occur when the crest (top) of the wave tumbles down the face(front)
of the wave. As the tide gets lower and the sandbank on which the waves are
breaking becomes more shallow, this type of wave will form tunnels or "tubes".
Generally, spilling waves are the safest waves.
page 9
DUMPING
Dumping waves break with a tremendous force and can throw a swimmer to the
bottom. They usually occur at low tide, when the sand banks are shallow and there
is less water for the waves to break onto. This wave is dangerous and is a common cause of spinal injuries.
b e a c h
s a f e t y
sun protection
Ultraviolet rays (UVR) contained in sunshine can be harmful to skin. Therefore we
need to understand how to protect our skin from UV radiation when outside. It is
important to enjoy the benefits of fine weather and all outdoor activities without
being at risk.
The sun’s rays are most harmful between about 11.00am and 3.00pm. It is important to provide extra protection if outside during the midday hours. Skin specialists
advise everyone to go indoors or under some shade during the hottest part of the
day. This can be shade from a tree, canopy, parasol and hat. This is especially
important to remember during the summer months or when on holiday.
S
M
A
R
T
£
£
£
£
tay in the shade 11am - 3pm
ake sure you never burn
lways cover up
emember to take extra care with children
hen use factor 15+ sunscreen
Cover your skin if possible by wearing protective clothing. There are
many UPF factor garments available on the market.
Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect the face
Wear wrap-around sunglasses
Use sunscreen with a high SPF factor to protect you and remember to
re-apply them often - at least every two hours. And more frequently if it
is washed, rubbed or sweated off. You must apply suncreams thickly.
Nearly everyone puts them on much too thinly and so they don't get as
much protection as is specified on the bottle
Remember that you can be sunburnt on cloudy days as well as clear ones and that
water can reflect UV rays. Take additional care on windy days, you may feel cool
but the UV rays can still burn you.
page 10
Children and Babies and Sun Protection
Children and babies, in particular, should be protected from the sun. Research
shows that over exposure to the sun in the formative years leads to a high risk of
skin cancer in adulthood.
Young babies should not have sunscreen applied to their skin as it is suggested
that their bodies may not be able to tolerate the chemicals in sunscreens but,
many brands of sun protection cream have special ranges for babies and toddlers.
These offer high protection and are suitable for sensitive skins. Alternatively they
should wear protective clothing and hats and be kept in the shade.
REMEMBER SUN DAMAGE CANNOT BE UNDONE
rock-pooling
Res pons ib le
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r o c k -p o ol i ng
:
Cause as little disturbance as possible. Always return rocks
to the exact position and the same way up as they were
found.
Watch carefully and quietly - many seashore creatures are
hard to spot and they will conceal themselves from view if
they think you are a threat.
You will find things on top of rocks, in cracks and crevices,
under stones, on seaweeds and in rockpools. In you lift a
stone to see what if underneath, make sure you put it back
down
Remember that every tiny detail of a rock pool is very impor
tant to the survival of one creature or another. Therefore,
leave everything just as you found it and the rock pool crea
tures will be there for next time.
The coast can be a dangerous place, make sure an adult
accompanies you.
Seaweed is slippery. Beware of the incoming tide!
Check the weather before you go, a lot of wind can bring the
tide in very quickly.
Check if there are any sewage outlets at the beach. If there
are, never eat your lunch there, it may be contaminated.
Never put your hands in or around your mouth after handling
creatures, seaweed etc...
Rock Pooling is a fascinating pastime for children. They love exploring the creatures and weeds of the rock pools that are exposed by the receding tide.Look for
rocky ledges which will provide great rock pools where children can discover some
"secrets" from the hidden world of the sea.
When you go out to the shoreline to see the living things the best time is when the
tide is right out. This happens twice a day at different times each day. The tide
page 11
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a c t i v i t i e s
a c t i v i t i e s
rock-pooling
goes out furthest when there is a full moon or a new moon. To find out when these
times are, look at a tide table, ring the coastguards or the tourist information office.
The best place to go is to a rocky beach where most species are anchored to the
rocks and seaweed
What to take:
£
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Some good shoes or boots - ideally waterproof ones. (Going barefoot on
the rocks is not a great idea as there are lots of crustacea with sharp
pointy shells that can cause cuts and discomfort).
A bucket to put any finds in, don’t forget to put them back
A net to avoid damaging anything you want to examine more closely
What you might find?
F l o w e r
l i k e
a n i m a l s
Look into any rock pool and you will probably spot an anenome sitting in the water
with its petals swaying to and fro. Anenomes are not actually flowers at all but
hollow, jelly like creatures belonging to the same family as jellyfish. Their beautiful
petals (used to to attract and catch small prey such as shrimps) are really tentacles
with special stinging cells activated by a hair like trigger which when touched shoots
a barbed thread into the victim that enable them to poison their prey and suck them
towards their mouths. As the tide goes out many anenomes are reduced to blobs of
jelly to avoid them drying out. Always be careful with anenomes - their structure is
quite delicate and does not like being poked, jabbed, bashed or left out of water.
page 12
Anenomes
Anenomes live on rocks and use their tentacles to
attract and catch small prey such as shrimps which
are then ingested in the centre of the anenome.
a c t i v i t i e s
rock-pooling
Starfish and Brittlestars
There are many different Starfish on almost any sea
shore and some may get stranded in rock pools.
They have hundreds of tube feet on their underside
enabling them to move around and grip onto the
rocks. Starfish and brittlestars are closely related the
main difference being the central disc is clearly
demarked with 5 thin arms, their tube feet are also
suckerless
Common Starfish
Interesting facts
Starfish can grow new arms and as long as
the central disc is intact they can keep
regenerating themselves
Some starfish can split their bodies in half
and grow new legs to make a totally new
starfish
Sand Star
Starfish are the only animals that can turn
their stomachs inside out
Brittlestars often shed their arms when
handled (as a means of escape) and just
grow new ones later!
Sun Star
mouth
underside of starfish
Brittle Star
Goose Foot
page 13
eyes
rock-pooling
a c t i v i t i e s
F i s h
Some fish will get stranded in rock pools at low tide whilst others will live there.
You might find gobies and blennies on the floor of the rock pools or you might see
immature wrasse swimming freely in the pools. Most of these small fishes stay in
the same pool all their lives.
Blenny
The colour of the Blenny, or common Shanny,
varies according to the habitat but they are normally a dull brown with a distinctive dip in the middle of
the fin on its back (dorsal fin).
up to 16cm
Sand Goby
There are thousands of species of Goby, the sand
goby has a sandy brown body covered with fine
spots and faint bars across the back. The male has
a dark spot surrounded with white on the first dorsal fin. It hides itself in the sand with a flick of the
fins.
Common Goby
Found all around the coast the common Goby
swims in shoals near the bottom and its sand
coloured markings make it quite difficult to spot. Its
large pear shaped eggs are often attached to the
hollow of a discarded shell or rock to stop them
being washed away by the tide.
95mm
64mm
page 14
Goldsinny
A member of the Wrasse family, the Goldsinny has
a dark spot on the front of its dorsal fin and upper
tail and is a golden, orange colour.
up to 20cm
rock-pooling
Butterfish
Butterfish are so named because of their slippery
bodies. Distinguished by a row of dark spots along
the back they are common beneath stones in pools
mainly in the North Atlantic.
Clingfish
A powerful sucker on its belly enables the little
clingfish to hang on to rocks and camouflage itself
well in the seaweed with its rubbery scaleless skin.
a c t i v i t i e s
up to 25cm
up to 64mm
Pipefish
Related to the seahorse, pipefish can be almost
invisible hiding amongst the eel grass and seaweed fronds, which it matches in colour.
up to 15cm
Sea-Scorpion
When frightened the Sea-Scorpion raises its
spined gill covers to ward off predators Although it
can grow quite large it is difficult to spot as it
changes its colouring to match that of the
surroundings
up to 18cm
15cm
page 15
Sand Smelt
These tiny fish have a distinctive silver line along
their sides and can be found in rock pools in small
shoals
rock-pooling
a c t i v i t i e s
Stickleback
The Stickleback can be easily identified by a row of
about 15 short spines running down its back.
up to 15cm
Pogge
A very distinctive fish which can be identified by its
body armour and bony plates covering its entire
body
15cm
Corkwing Wrasse
The colourings of this fish varies according to the
habitat but it has a distinctive dark spot infront of
the tail fin and the males have one behind their eye
15cm
crustace a n s
Crabs
Crabs are always a popular find for kids - it's a combination of the sideways walk
and the menacing pincers that seems to appeal. Crab tend to live in gaps under
stones and in crevices in the rock.
Interesting Hermit Crab Facts
page 16
Hermit crabs are crustaceans (hard shelled
animals that live in the sea)
Hermit crabs have a soft belly which they
need to protect so they use an empty shell
(often a whelk). As they grow, they have to
search out larger shells for their protection
rock-pooling
a c t i v i t i e s
The two claws of hermit crabs are different sizes. Each species of
hermit crab has the largest claw on the right or left
Most hermit crabs live in the sea, but there are a few species that spend
almost the whole of their life on land
Land hermit crabs must return to the sea to breed. The female crab
lays her eggs into the sea where the larvae develop before they change
into miniature hermit crabs, find a shell to protect them, and clamber out
on to the land
Hermit crabs, like all crustaceans and insects, must shed their shell in
order to grow. The new larger exoskeleton grows underneath and
needs to time to harden and protect them. This process is called
"moulting"
Prawns and Shrimps
Prawns and shrimps are common in rock pools but they are quick to take evasive
action when humans are investigating their territory - a swift flick of their tail and
they can be lost to all but the keenest eye.
l i v i n g
s h e l l s
You will find limpet shells all over the rocks, they
trap a little water under their shells as the tide goes
out and cling to the rock for dear life. Limpets stick
to the rocks using a suction pad in a huge muscley
"foot". They are herbivores who move over the rock
surfaces very slowly and use their rasping mouth to
eat the weed that they find there. You should not
dislodge the limpets from the rocks.
page 17
Limpets
rock-pooling
Winkles
Winkle gathering has been done
commercially for centuries but it has made
no difference to their abundance. They
feed by scraping seaweeds from the rocks
or browsing on dead vegetation. Unlike
most Winkles, the common Winkle has
black bands on its tentacles.
Barnacles
page 18
Barnacles are tiny white crustacea which cling
to the rocks - there are thousands of them
everywhere. At low tide they appear to be just
a shell but when the tide is in they put up a
miniature fan shaped "hand" from the top of
their shells and collect passing plankton to
feed on.
Goose Barnacles have a shell made up of 5
shiny white plates with a tough brown stalk
and can be seen attached to floating debris.
They are often washed up on the shore line
and may find their way into rockpools. Goose
Barnacles were once thought to be young
geese waiting to hatch. In the middle Ages the
it was therefore classed as fish rather than
fowl and could be eaten on Friday!
a c t i v i t i e s
beach combing
a c t i v i t i e s
B e a c h c o m b i n g :
Twice a day the sea rises and then retreats again leaving behind it a wealth of interesting treasures. For those of you that want to do something a bit more energetic
than gaze into rockpools or if the weather is just a bit too chilly beachcombing is the
perfect way to spice up what would otherwise be a boring old walk (and let's face it,
most children reckon walks are pretty boring things).
It’s at its best after a good storm when the sea has washed up all sorts of odds and
ends. It is extremely rare to find anything of value on the beach and despite the occasional horror stories, it is also rare to find anything dangerous. Nevertheless, it is
sensible to supervise beach combing just to be on the safe side.
The key to beach combing with children is to use your imagination:
See who can collect the most of a certain shell, collect pebbles and or shells to make
a necklace or a bracelet, imagine the dried out banks of seaweed are giants cornflakes, is it just an old bit of wood or has it come from a pirate ship, was someone
made to "Walk the plank" on it? etc etc. As soon as they're fired up, children can
spend hours happily participating in a good hearty walk without a single moan!
Look out for:
Mermaids purses (Dog fish egg cases)
which are often washed ashore.
how did the mermaid loose it and
what was she carrying? The cases
with horns instead of tendrils
belong to skates and rays
Mermaids Sponges (Whelk egg cases)
why has she left her sponge
behind? a very common find on
the beach, each pocket once contained a tiny fully formed young
whelk
Feathers, Shells, Sea Urchin shells (or tests), Cuttlefish bones, Polished pieces of
glass, interesting bits of seaweed.
page 19
Giants Fingernails (Razorfish shells)
the empty shell can be found on
most beaches try and find both
sides still attached with a hinge
A c t i v i t i e s
crabbing
C r a b b i n g :
page 20
Crabbing is a wonderful way to occupy children for hours - they absolutely love it
and the enjoyable part for adults is that the children are happy and occupied. It
involves dangling a baited bit of string or fishing line into the sea and pulling up
angry scrabbling crabs which are usually then plonked unceremoniously into a
plastic bucket. The suspense of sitting waiting for a great big crab to take your bait
and then dropping it into the bucket before it nips you has children squealing with
excitement and fear all rolled into one.
Where should you go crabbing?
Anywhere you can dangle a line into
still water, a pier is the perfect spot
When should you go?
High tide.
What do you need?
A long piece of string or fishing line
with a hook attached, a weight, some
bait and a bucket.
Important facts
Most crabs you will catch off a pier are
inedible so should be returned to the
sea when you’re finished. Make sure the
catches don't overheat crabs like the
cool sea water that they have just come
from so on hot summer days you should
add fresh water every now and then.
How to do it
The string or line should be at least long
enough to dangle on the bottom. The
weight (which can be anything heavy
enough to sink the line to the bottom crabbing is not a delicate business)
should be tied to the end of the string by
the hook and the bait attached. For bait
you can use anything meaty or fishy bits of uncooked bacon rind are perfect
but crabs are not fussy and anything
meaty will attract them.
Adults should accompany children crabbing due to the usual risks of water,
the sea etc. (Check tide times)
building sandcastles
h e a d i n g
S a n d c a s t l e s :
You may think that building a sandcastle is very straightforward stuff but with a bit of
imagination and forward planning you can build something fantastic
Site
The site is important, find somewhere flat and near a water source or dig a large hole
down to the water table...dry sand will produce something that will disintegrate
before you’ve even made it and water is the glue that holds the sand together.
Techniques
Carving, most sandcastle experts start with a large mound of wet sand and carve
into it to produce a castle.
Dribbling, get a handful of very wet sand and let it drip in fairytale towers
Building, get a handful of wet sand and squash it into a hand sized brick and use
these one on top of the other to make a tower. When you’ve got to the height you
want fine tune it with your hands.
Always start at the top and work your way down
Equipment:
Bucket
2 spades
Some simple carving tools such as lolly sticks
Challenges
1. Who can build the tallest sand castle within a given time.
2. Use the sea to get your moat filling with water as the waves come in
2. See who can decorate their sand castle with the most naturally found items as
possible, that is pebbles empty shells etc - don't pull up living plants or animals.
page 21
3. When you’ve finished see how easily you can destroy it or see who’s castle gets
destroyed first by the sea
a c t i v i t i e s
surfing
Surf i ng:
We’ve all felt the exhileration of whizzing up the shore on the perfect wave and if
you’re at a beach with a bit of surf then you’ll probably find the children want to do
very little else. However it can be quite scary for parents trying to keep site of one
or more children disappearing under the waves so its important to set a few rules.
Find a landmark and agree if anyone gets disorientated and cant find their way
back to your base to meet there, or even better make your base very distinc
tive with a bright umbrella or towel so it can be easily spotted from the sea.
Remind everyone of currents and show them how you can be swept down the
beach without even realising it and make sure that they uses the landmark to
check they aren’t drifting.
Remind everyone not to go to far out, it is very easy to go much further out to
sea than you are comfortable with when you are chasing a wave. We have a
rule that no one is allowed out beyond chest height
Arrange a sign which everyone knows means “all out “ so if you can’t make
yourself heard you can attract them visually
Etiquette
• If somebody is already on a wave it is their wave, don't try to paddle around
them.
• The person closest to the breaking wave has the right of way.
• If there are local riders pay them some respect as it is their break.
• Be patient and your wave will come.
• Learn to share and avoid stealing waves.
page 22
Most beaches have shops close by that sell body boards but if not you can have
just as much fun using just your body and a lot of heavy duty kicking.
As with all seaside activities be aware of the currents and the tides and take
notice of any signs and flags
picnics
h e a d i n g
P i c n i c s :
The one most important thing about picnicing with children is minimising sand! It
gets everywhere and to avoid crunchy sandwiches there are a few things you can
do to make sure the entire picnic isn’t thrown away.
Before you start eating make everyone swill their hands in the sea
While they are doing this shake out the towels and lay a sand free area for
them to sit on
Make absolutely everything mouthful size so it doesn’t have time to attract the
sand, suggestions are:
cherry tomatoes
grapes
cucumber wedges
carrot battons in single mouthful sizes
bite size sandwiches
squares of cheese or cheese triangles
a slice of ham rolled up and secured with a cocktail stick
mini sausages
breadsticks
hard boiled eggs
mini biscuits
page 23
Give everyone individual drink bottles with the sealed spouts to keep the sand
out
©Alyson Hartley 2003