Activity

Homes for amphibians

Create a winter den for frogs, toads and newts. Amphibians like to hibernate in a cool, dark and damp shelter that is safe from predators.

A Common Toad perched on a moss covered rock.

This Helping Nature activity can be completed as part of Schools Wild Challenge.

Season: All year

Instructions

Choose your location

Pick a shady, secluded spot where you can dig 30-45cm deep. You don’t need a pond, but if you do have one, picking a spot within a hop and a leap of the pond would be ideal. If you've already dug a damp ditch for diversity, you could use part of the bank you created for this.

A Common Frog sat in a hollowed out, damp log, with a long worm in front of it.

Dig a round hole with a flat bottom

It needs to be about the depth of a welly boot. Fill it with stones and logs. You want the rocks to be stable and not collapse, but don’t pack it all down. A higgledy-piggledy pile will create a brilliant underground maze of holes.

Partnering with

The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International.More