Family Forest School Sessions

For children aged 0-7 yrs and their parents / carers.

Fridays, 12.30-2.15pm
Cuckoopen Woods, Coleshill, on the Oxford / Wiltshire border SN6 7PT.  5 minutes from Highworth and Faringdon, 20 minutes from Swindon and Abingdon. 
(half way between Highworth and Faringdon - click on the link for a map, parking is at Cuckoopen Woods,  point 1 on the map - not in the stable yard at Coleshill) 

For 2019 we will have an ecological focus - inspired by my 2018 expeditions with my own young family to the virgin forest, seas and lakes of British Columbia, Canada and Finland.  We will be developing a true connection to nature for families, encouraging sustainable eco-friendly ways of living with nature and creating eco-friendly crafts we can continue to use in our daily lives such as wax cloth rather than single use paper.  
We have a starry sky first adventure family / toddler camp at the end of term.  

We have a beautiful location in the woods, and start our adventure with a relaxing walk through the woods to our basecamp, as we become absorbed in the sights and sounds of nature.
We learn to recognise bird song, flora and fauna along the way and relax in our natural surroundings.  
Forest animals are hiding in the woodlands for children to find and look after during the session, activating their focus and goal hunting skills.
We greet each session with a song using movement to help rhythm and memory.  
Collecting sticks for the fire is the next task, learning to count and estimate amounts, learning how to tell dry sticks from wet and which will burn.  
We learn to keep ourselves safe around the campfire and encourage appropriate risk taking during all of the session. These are critical life skills to develop.  
A hot or cold drink and a snack is a welcome break as we get social round the campfire and maybe tell a story.  
An optional activity, skill or craft is introduced, or children are free to explore and play as you choose.  
We offer a self-selection of some safe tools and resources which builds up as skills expand and are practised over the term.  
We also offer 1-2-1 supervision of traditional Scandinavian Forest School activities involving safe use of knives and saws.  Believe it or not in Scandinavian Forest School pre-school children use these tools everyday.  
We will play nature games; hide and seek; use the bug hunting kit; climb on the ropes and trees; swing in the hammocks; swing on the rope swing; experiment in the mud laboratory; create a den; balance on the balance trail; make bows and arrows; make natural art... the possibilities are endless and change with each day, season and weather.
This is truly an immersive experience in nature - experience the awe and wonder of nature's seasonal changes through your child's eye as you share these special years together.
We close the session with some nature games and a goodbye song to remember what we have learnt and listen to the children's ideas for next time.  


Payment is for the whole term and will secure your place each week. 

Spring Term: 26th April - 24th May
5 weeks 
£35 for the term for 1 adult and child over 2 years
£25 for the term for 1 adult and child under 2 years
£3 per sibling per session

Summer Term: 7 June - 19 July
7 weeks
£49 for the term for 1 adult and 1 child over 2yrs
£35 for the term for 1 adult and child under 2 years
£3 per sibling per session

Starry Sky First Adventure Camp 12th July Cost TBC


Spring  Term - be one of the few to experience the magic of frost and snow turn into beautiful spring blue skies, discover the first buds and snowdrops with your child, and enjoy clear cool days turn into green leafy woodlands. Keep healthy keep the blues away - there are many benefits to exposure to cold weather as long as you wrap up warm - the scandinavians swear by it! Children are often deficient in vitamin D during the winter months in Britain, it only takes 20 minutes outside to top yourself up for the day!

Summer Term - bask in glorious long summer days under a woodland canopy alive with birdsong while children pay safely and freely.

Booking is easy!

Email vickibrightwood@gmail.com