Ponds

Ponds can be a brilliant resource for home, school, early years settings and Forest School. The learning opportunities are wide.

Divided into sub sections with links to pond guides; pond dipping; ponds & learning; pond safety.

Outdoor Hub

Pond guides

Ponds in schools and nurseries

Options for and photos of a range of pond options for your setting, and points to consider when planning your own. Creative Star Learning, 2011.

Make Your Own School Pond

Clear, simple pack covering planning, building, maintaining your pond, and health & safety. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

Creating & Maintaining Ponds

A useful summary and tips. Grantanlls Learning Rooms.

School Ponds

Photographic examples of a range of pond options for primary schools. Women with Waders.

Garden Pond Advice Hub

"Create a garden pond to provide a home for freshwater wildlife and give us pleasure and enjoyment. Use our step-by-step guide to provide the best habitat for wildlife and enjoy seeing plants and animals in your new garden pond.." From the Freshwater Habitats Trust.

Creating Garden Ponds for Wildlife

Free 32-page leaflet full of helpful advice about creating and maintaining garden ponds for wildlife. Pdf download from ARC (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) & Freshwater Habitats Trust, 2023.

Mini ponds

Build a mini pond

Activity from RSPB.

Nature Activity - Make a Micro-Pond

Written tips & step by step video on making a mini pond at your setting or at home. We Be Kids, 2020.

Pond dipping

Big Pond Dip

What's living in your pond? This simple survey will allow you to do a mini health check on your pond, find out what is currently thriving under the surface and learn a bit more about what species you find. Freshwater Habitats Trust.

Pond dipping: how to pond dip

What you need - where to go - how to pond dip - what to look for - how to make a net - safety tips. Woodland Trust, 2019.

Pond Dipping: The Simple How To Guide

What you need - when & where to go - 5 steps for pond dipping - Curriculum links & water safety. Practical Forest School.

A guide to pond dipping: things to know before you go

Featuring a kit list - 10 tips for pond dipping responsibly - how to pond dip in 4 easy steps. WWT, 2019.

Pond dipping

What you will need - step by step guide - video. RSPB.

How to pond dip

video - what you'll need - common pond insects - where & when to go. Natural History Museum.

Pond Dipping - illustrated guide

Illustrations of the creatures you might find when you go pond dipping. Froglife.

How to go pond dipping

Includes the essential rules of pond dipping - what species will you find - you will need - 4 pond dipping steps. Discover wildlife, 2023.

The NHBS Guide to Pond Dipping

What you need - when and where to go - what to do & more. NHBS, 2020.

A Beginner’s Guide to Pond Dipping with Kids

Nice guide including: gear - find a pond - how to - pond minibeasts (free ID sheet) - returning your finds - safety notes & resource suggestions. Backyard Mama (Canada), 2019.

Ponds & learning

Activities to Learn about Life and Creatures in Ponds

Facts, activity ideas and links to videos, worksheets and more. Twinkl.

Education Pack - Life in Ponds

Notes for a pond dipping session & water quality investigation, with teachers notes, record & activity sheets and guides. Access via free membership of STEM Learning.

Pond Study Guides

Useful free pond dipping and study guides for foundation level and KS1 and KS2. Creative Pond Covers.

Using the school pond as a learning site

Case study from a project renovating a school pond in Indiana (US). Eco Schools.

Pond safety

School pond health & safety information sheet

Practical considerations to consider before installing a pond or making improvements to your existing pond. RHS Campaign for School Gardening

Wildlife Ponds Safety Guidance For Schools

Looking at location, design, management. SWCAA.

Pond safety advice

Featuring the RoSPA Water Safety Code. Freshwater Habitats Trust.

Pond dipping

Safety tips for site managers and teachers or those in charge of taking children pond dipping as an educational activity; hazards & risk control. RoSPA.

Safety and the school pond

Covering size, depth, construction style, edging, location and security. ASE Assoc for Science Education, 1987.

Pond safety in Primary Schools

From CLEAPS: information for primary teachers of science, technology, art and design. Most schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have membership via their local authority.

There are a number of other related documents including Model pond policy - Planning a pond - Building a pond & Pond Dipping. All accessible to members only.

How to make a pond safe for children

Reducing risks from a garden pond. flowerpotman.com.