1. Much like any creature (humans included!) a foolproof way to tempt feathered friends into your garden is to offer them a nibble of their favourite food. Although ready-made bird feed mixtures are available to buy, it is far more fun to make a bird cake together with your child...

I Want A Pet by Lauren Child (Frances Lincoln, £5.99)Lauren Child's tale of an animal loving little girl and her not-so-keen family has typically witty rhetoric and inventive, sketchy illustrations. Children who find their demands for a menagerie

South East Asia is home to a huge variety of animal and bird species, including elephants, bats and, of course, orang-utans. Bridge & Wickers, the Australian family travel specialist, has launched a brochure offering inspiring holidays in Vietnam

in 1970, Woburn Safari Park is one of the UK’s oldest wild animal parks and offers the chance to come face to face with all manner of exotic beasts hailing from every corner of the world. Established by the 13th Duke of Bedford on the grounds of his family

their nearest pastoral oasis at www.farmgarden.org.uk, the Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens’ website. As well as getting up close to plenty of adorable animals, a visit to a farm provides an opportunity for children to learn about the farming process

1. Collect nuts, berries and pinecones to look for signs of feeding. Follow any trails of food and try to identify which animals have been nibbling on them.2. Find a quiet spot in your local woodland to sit and listen to the sounds of the local

With shades of grey, brown, cream and green, the Olive, Henri & Friends collection has been designed for parents who want to side step gir/boy recognition and take a more neutral approach. The two prominent characters focus on an owl, making the design and aesthetics right on tre...

If snow glistening in the pine trees, stunning views across the countryside and roaring log fires keeping you warm sounds like the perfect Christmas scene, then head to the Cairngorms in Scotland. To get into the Christmas spirit, children can visit the Cairngorm reindeer, join F...

WALL - E (U) Human beings can be a mean old bunch. Having cluttered up the planet with all their junk, they’ve escaped on an enormous spaceship. Meanwhile, poor little WALL-E has to clean up the mess, crunching the junk in his tummy and popping it back out in neat cubes. But this...

PonyGuaranteed entry to the rarefied world of gymkhanas and pony clubs (eek!) but beware the time (they need to exercise every day), money (they are among the most expensive animals you can own), and work (mucking out – and believe me, you’ll end up