All About Ducks is a nicely presented, free, resource from the Canal & River Trust, designed to encourage families and educators to explore local waterways. With more than 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales, the inland waterways are one of the UK’s most accessible and engaging outdoor study environments — ideal for introducing children to wildlife, geography, and environmental science in a hands-on way.

The booklet combines creative, practical, and observational activities suitable for children aged around 6–11 (Key Stage 1–2). It supports curiosity-led learning and encourages children to make real-world connections between what they see and what they learn. While the tone is playful, the content provides a sound foundation for topics such as habitats, life cycles, and human impact on nature.

Activities include:

• Wildlife spotting challenges – identify and tick off common canal birds, from mallards to moorhens, building observation and classification skills.

• Canal collage and drawing tasks – use found natural materials to create artwork inspired by the canal environment, encouraging creativity and fine motor skills.

• Photo safari – a practical, inquiry-based task that blends technology with fieldwork, perfect for visual learners.

• Egg-to-duckling quiz and food sorting – a fun way to reinforce understanding of life cycles and animal nutrition.

From an educational perspective, All About Ducks is a well-balanced mix of outdoor exploration and simple written tasks. It encourages children to look closely, ask questions, and record what they see — all essential early science and geography skills. The language is clear and age-appropriate, though adult guidance would help younger children make the most of some sections. Activities could easily be extended into a broader unit of work, such as waterway mapping, local history, or conservation projects.

Overall, this is an excellent introductory nature study resource, perfect for home educators looking for low-preparation, real-world learning.