Wildlife Activities with Lakeside Primary School

Skanska’s Sustainability Team recently spent a day at Lakeside Primary School, delivering a series of fun and educational nature-themed activities to all 280 pupils from Reception to Year 6. The event was designed to spark curiosity about the natural world and show how construction and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand.

The morning kicked off with bug hunts and habitat-making, where children explored their school grounds to discover mini beasts and learn how to create safe spaces for them. These hands-on activities helped pupils understand the importance of biodiversity and how even small actions can support local wildlife.

In the afternoon, the children became Wildlife Architects. Led by Skanska’s environmental experts, the session introduced pupils to the real-world work of protecting animals during construction projects. Children learned how specialists survey land for species like badgers, bats, and birds, and how they design and build new habitats to keep them safe.

Each child chose an animal and designed a bespoke shelter, from underground tunnels for badgers to tree-top bat boxes and cosy hedgehog homes. They then placed their creations on a map of the Mindenhurst development, connecting their ideas to the real-life setting of their school.

“We had a fantastic day with the team at Skanska! The activities were thoughtfully planned and gave our children a deeper understanding of the importance of nature and how it’s carefully considered in new developments. Thank you for such a memorable experience — our children absolutely loved spending time with you all!”
— Stacey Wilkinson, SENCO, DDSL & Senior Mental Health Lead

A Big Thank You!

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Lakeside Primary School for welcoming us so warmly and for making the day so much fun. Our team had an incredible time working with the children, their enthusiasm, creativity, and thoughtful questions made the experience truly memorable. We left feeling inspired and hopeful for the next generation of nature champions!