Once again, the Young Country Diary series is open for submissions! Every three months we ask you to send us an article written by a child aged 8-14.
The article needs to be about a recent encounter they’ve had with nature – whether it’s a marauding toad, a fascinating flower or a garden bird.
Crucially, it doesn’t matter if the child is a nature expert or not – we are especially keen to reach teachers who might like to get their class outside and noticing nature. Note that any child who has their article published will be paid!
The deadline for spring submissions is noon on Monday 4 May.
Four of the entries will be chosen to be published in the newspaper and online – two in April and two in May. (Note that any early birds who submit a piece before the 20th stand a chance of being published in April.)
First of all, we’re looking for children age 8 to 14, so we will need your permission, as parent or guardian. Then here’s what the child needs to do:
Step 1 – Go out one day to where there is some nature. It could be their local woods or beach, their garden, a farm, or simply the nearest park.
Step 2 – Write an article of 200-250 words telling us what they saw and what happened.
Step 3 – Send the article to us using the form below. We ask that you fill in the form yourself rather than the child.
Photos/drawings – These are helpful (especially landscape rather than portrait) but they are not a condition of entry. If you have some, please tell us in the “more information” field, as there’s no way to attach them to the form.
If the child gets stuck and doesn’t know what to write about, here are a few pointers:
Good nature writing starts with the senses – so what did you see and hear? What about smell and touch? Take notes when you’re out and about so you don’t forget
How would you describe what happened? Did it remind you of anything?
It’s great to look up some extra information about what you saw, and tell us about that too. For example, if you find an interesting-looking bug, see if you can find out what type of butterfly it was, how long they live – any juicy details!
You can think big, and describe the whole scene – the sky, the horizon, the landscape. Or you can think small, and tell us some details about the butterfly’s wings or the beetle’s markings.
What did your encounter with nature make you think about? How did it make you feel?
The deadline for entry is noon on Monday 4 May. Anyone can enter their child who is aged between 8 and 14 and based in the UK. You the parent/guardian will be contacted if your child’s piece is selected for publication, and you will be paid on behalf of the child.
For further inspiration, here are a few recent Young Country Diaries:
Henry, 14, on a weary wheatear
Jasmine, 9, on finding a fox skull
Rosie, 10, on bird footprints
Good luck!
Paul, editor of Young Country Diary and Country Diary
We ask that the parent/guardian fills in the form below, rather than your child. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact with you, as parent or guardian, before we publish, so please do leave contact details.
Send us your child's country diary entry
You can post your child's entry here.
Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For alternative ways to get in touch securely please see our
Name
Where do you live?
Tell us a bit about yourself (e.g. age, background, what you do)
Optional
Post your child's diary entry here (200-250 words)
Please include as much detail as possible.
Phone number
Optional
Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.
Email address
Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.
By submitting your response, you are agreeing to share your details with us for this feature.
If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。