These dark spaces hold the promise of adventure for children and can promote fun, learning and creativity, says Marianne Sargent.

Those of us who were fortunate to live near or visit a cave as a child will remember those feelings of trepidation and excitement upon first entering that dark and mysterious place. How deep might the cave go? What kinds of creatures might we encounter? Will we be lucky enough to find any carvings or cave paintings? The following activities aim to capture that sense of anticipation and exploit the children's interest in these exciting spaces.

This activity is best planned for the start of a term so the cave is built before a holiday to allow time for potential inhabitants to move in.

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