BULWELL Community Toy Library has teamed up with an art gallery for a new project to get children and families enjoying the great outdoors.

The toy library and Nottingham Contemporary are working together as part of the Play On The Wildside project to help people make greater use of the woods at Bulwell Hall Park.

Artists Sian Watson and Gillian Brent will get creative so families can explore and enjoy playing in the woods. Their work is due to be completed in October and available for families to borrow from the toy library free of charge

It will include a storybook on experiences of playing in the woods, hands-on play activities for children and creative maps designed by children to give a child's eye view of the woods.

Steve Parkinson from the toy library said: "The aim is to encourage more local children and families to get outside and play in their local woodland.

"This kind of natural play has loads of benefits. For example, it improves children's health but also their confidence, wellbeing, development, behaviour, social skills, respect for nature and concentration levels."

He added: "By teaming up with Nottingham Contemporary, we'll be able to produce some really imaginative, fun, useful resources. They will be absolutely relevant to local people, because they'll be designed by local families.

"We want to show children and parents that the woods are just as exciting and entertaining as playing computer games or watching TV."