 The summer holidays are here and there are plenty of ways to enjoy Sheffield, whilst doing your bit for the environment. We've pulled together some of the best sustainable and fun things to do in the area this summer, with suggestions from local parents - best of all, much of it is free or low cost!
 People's observations of nature and wildlife are really important to conservation organisations, and there are some great citizen science projects which can be brilliant fun for kids to get involved with, such as:
Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count is running until Monday 31st July, so if you can catch some sun before then, spend 15 minutes counting butterflies.
The People's Trust for Endangered Animals have a living with mammals project, which encourages wildlife watchers to report the numbers of animals they see around them. This tells them about the health of green spaces and whether a species is in trouble.
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust encourages people to take part in bee walks to survey bumblebees. Bumblebees are declining across Britain, the survey helps to understand where the remaining bees are, how many there are, and what they’re doing.
 Follow in the footsteps of the great Kids Against Plastic and have a fun litter pick, or just collect the litter you find when you're out and about. You can borrow litter picking equipment from Sheffield libraries, we suggest you call ahead to check availability and make sure that your children are closely supervised and know how to stay safe whilst picking.
The £2 bus cap is good for individuals, but several bus companies have group tickets which can sometimes be better value for families and groups. You can find out details at Travel South Yorkshire. Don't forget that your tickets are also valid on the Sheffield Connect service around the city centre, which is free for valid pass holders and passengers with any bus ticket for the day of travel (£1 otherwise).
Stagecoach and Hulleys of Baslow both have open top bus services traveling around the Peak District, including Chatsworth, Castleton and Bakewell. The £2 bus cap means tickets to each destination are capped at £2, except the Stagecoach Peak Sightseer, which costs £6 for a day ticket (a group ticket is £15 for five people, or Stagecoach Gold group day tickets are also valid, £20).
Summer weather is unpredictable so we've got some rainy day activities too.
Crafting is a great way of reusing your household waste or wildlife finds. If you need more, Scrap Dragon is a brilliant answer to your sustainable crafting needs. Located in Pitsmoor, it is open once or twice a week (days vary) and sells donated craft supplies at a very low price.
If it's cookery or baking that fits the bill, Food Works' markets supply surplus food for a fixed minimum donation (give more if you can afford). They also sell low cost prepared meals to eat in their cafes or ready meals to take and cook at home.
No summer holiday is complete without at least one visit to the library. Sheffield's libraries have a range of activities for kids and, as well as books, they also have a great selection of DVDs, ebooks and games to borrow.
Activities include the Reading Challenge, which is free to take part in from all ages up to 11 years old, and all children who complete the challenge in libraries will receive a medal, a certificate, and a limited-edition copy of the book of Rebel Girls Kick It: World Champions Take the Pitch-and You Can Too.
 Sheffield is proud of its green and open spaces, from our parks and community gardens to the Peak District, its the perfect setting for amazing walks and bike rides. Why not walk, cycle or jump on a bus to explore what Sheffield has to offer?
If you're getting outdoors, everything that you can do to minimise your impact on the environment helps. If you can, cycle or get the bus instead of driving, protect our wildlife from fire by being responsible and not using disposable BBQs or open fires and, if you're out in the local area, take your rubbish home with you.
General Cemetery Celebration
 To celebrate the completion of major restoration and conservation works at the General Cemetery, a picnic is being held on Saturday 12 August. The General Cemetery is an important wildlife sanctuary, designated local nature reserve and local wildlife site, and the restoration has been designed and delivered with conservation in mind.
Bring your own picnic and enjoy free activities for children including a magician, orienteering, a circus workshop and printmaking with grass and leaves.
Get there by bus from Sheffield on bus number: 4, 65, 81, 82, 83, 83a, 88, 272.
 Welcome to Sheffield and Our Favourite Places have pulled together their cultural holiday highlights for what's on in Sheffield. From kids’ classics on the big screen, a family disco, drama sessions, videogames and lots more, there's plenty to do for everyone. Most of these are easily accessible by public transport, and the bus and tram is often half the fun for kids.
 Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust care for 15 wildlife reserves across Sheffield and South Yorkshire and campaign to protect wildlife, as well as working hard to connect local people to nature. They hold free events and have activities for families in different locations across Sheffield throughout the summer holidays.
Green Estate's Manor Lodge has activities for children, from Monday to Thursday, throughout the holidays, as well as beautiful wildlife friendly meadows and grounds for all to enjoy.
The National Trust's Longshaw Estate is just outside the Sheffield boundaries and has plenty to do for families, including Summer of Play events throughout the summer. It's easily accessible by bus from Sheffield (65, 65A and 272) and also a gentle 1.5 mile walk through the beautiful Padley Gorge from Grindleford Station.
 Join Sheffield Cycle Tours and learn all about Sheffield's history - from stories behind our most famous buildings, to why Sheffield was so famous for steel.
There are group and private tours available, tour guide Steve, or parents, can take children along for the ride in the cargo bike, and kids can ride along too on some tours. Head to the website to learn more.
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