Autumn in the Air

πŸ‚ DEFINITELY feeling a bit of a chill in the air on my dog walk this morning BUT loved seeing all the plants, fruits, seeds and nuts of late Summer/ early Autumn – some like the Rowan berries are going over; these are fab for making jewellery with as there’s no stone in the berry, the meadowsweet and willow bay herb both with medicinal properties are going to seed, the hawthorn looks amazing as does the rose hip with cobnuts, acorns and crab apples 🍎 coming along 🐿 🍁 πŸƒ πŸ‚

πŸπŸ‚πŸπŸƒLOOKING forward to returning to school this week BUT there is still lots going on at The Outdoor Classroom with Sonia Williams running Explorers Clubs Northampton sessions and Beth Allen running wonderways at Bradlaugh Fields and hopefully squeezing in a session here too, there will be some clearing at the site – dates to be posted – with a maintenance schedule being agreed with the landowners. πŸŒ³πŸπŸ‚πŸŒ²πŸŒ³

πŸπŸ‚πŸπŸ‚πŸƒTHE Autumn equinox falls later in September and I will keep you posted about a equinox session at Top Ardle Wood, Ravensthorpe πŸπŸ‚πŸπŸ‚πŸƒ and Sonia, Beth and myself are hopefully going to get our heads together for some October half term fun session πŸ’šπŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸπŸ‚πŸ

πŸπŸ‚πŸHOPING that whatever changes/ returns that we may all have heading our way go well for everyone πŸ’šπŸπŸ‚πŸƒπŸ‚

Picnic Snap

πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸ’šLOVELY to see so many yesterday at our Forest Friends picnic – it was great to have a catch up and a play. The children were all amazing and naturally showed us that they didn’t need anything other than the natural environment, some imagination and collaboration to keep themselves happily busy playing for a couple of hours. Can’t wait until the next one πŸ’šπŸ’šπŸ˜ŠπŸŒ³πŸŒ²

Community


πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸ’šπŸŒ³A BIG part of the Forest school ethos for me was creating a COMMUNITY. During the sessions I would not often have the chance to chat so I am really looking forward to seeing some of YOU lovely lot this afternoon …. this is NOT a session and no activities will be set out BUT I am bringing the fire pit for us to chat around and some hot water and a selection of teas etc should we feel the need for a cuppa β˜•οΈ. PLEASE bring a blanket, picnic and whatever else you and your family may need. I haven’t been to the site for a week or two so imagine that there will still be nettles tho they may be going over πŸ˜ŠπŸŒ²πŸ’šπŸŒ³

New Logo


🌳🌲🌳A sneaky peak at the new logo I can use once my course finishes (it may change a bit) …. πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸ’š. Looking forward to working with the Woodland Trust to deliver these sessions πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸ’š

Sound of Summer

Camp Kin – Weekend 3


πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸ’šOUR last weekend at Camp Kin! Beth Allen and I have had an AMAZING time meeting so many lovely adults and children and have been totally inspired by them all! πŸ’šπŸŒ²πŸ₯°. We have been SO busy putting up slack lines and hammocks, teaching tool use and safety, giving natural art possibilities, chatting and cooking around a fire, creating and making potions and mud pies, hoisting up shelters (rapidly!! 🌧), bug hunting, resting and meditating, leading mindfulness games and activities and enjoying the site and views on the Kelmarsh estate to name a FEW of the lovely activities that we got up to. There are SO many lovely moments with no two sessions the same, following the flow of the session and the interests of the children attending. An amazing experience. πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸŒ³πŸ’š

Camp Kin – Weekend 2

🌲🌳🌲ANOTHER lovely weekend working at Camp Kin, Kelmarsh. Beth Allen and I have had a great time meeting lots of lovely inspiring children and adults, enjoying playing together, creating craft together, using tools together and then coming together round a fire for conversation and reflection. 🌲🌳🌲

🌲🌳🌲I have loved being back at the Outdoor Classroom for the Woodland Adventures Northampton Summer sessions and there are sessions being planned by the lovely Sonia Williams and Beth Allen working alongside Sustrans with the focus on community and being able to provide sessions to learn alongside Nature. Watch this space for sessions, dates and times. IN the meantime – don’t forget our Forest Friends get together at the Outdoor Classroom on Wednesday 25th August- a chance to chill and chat. Save the date! Details to follow πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸŒ³πŸ’šπŸ˜ŠπŸ’š


Camp Kin -Weekend 1


🌳🌲🌳OUR first weekend at Camp Kin, Kelmarsh …. Wow! Flew by in a whirlwind of potions and mud stations, bug hunting 🐜 πŸ› πŸ•· and clay bug making, bug and tree identification, natural art and jewellery making, fairies houses and fairies, a LOT of tools, clay, dens, slack lines and hammocks, CHILD LED exploring and taking the activity possibilities wherever they wanted finishing each day with a totally magical Well-being session exploring Forest bathing and sit spots, mindful crafting, fire and food. SOOOO many thanks to the lovely Beth Allen for being my partner in crime in this 😘😘😘. WE may have a LOT of bites 🦟🦟🦟 BUT we also have a lot of lovely moments to reflect back on. Can’t wait for next weekend…. 🌲🌳🌲

🌳🌲🌳IN the meantime we are now prepping up for the Woodland Adventures sessions running next week at the Outdoor Classroom, Brampton Valley Way, a space that means a lot to me. I shall be posting videos tomorrow on Facebook giving a flavour of what the activity possibilities MAY look like … πŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸ’šπŸ’šπŸ˜Š

Woodland Adventures Summer Camp!

πŸ”†Spending Summer Days as a family, trying new activities , mastering skills in the sun and shade of the trees..

πŸ’•β€¦ meeting new friends and catching up with old friends whilst crafting, dancing, then perhaps chatting and cooking around a campfire, and being a part of, oh many more summer woodland adventure possibilitiesπŸ’šβ€¦.

πŸŒ·πŸŒΈπŸŒΌβ€¦.If this sounds like your kind of start to Summer, then Jenny Flude Buckley, Beth Allen and Sonia Williams would love you to join us for the Woodland Adventures Northampton 3 Day Camp! πŸ’šβ˜€οΈπŸŒ³

Email us at woodlandadventurescamp@gmail.com for pricing options amd more info!

Every Day a Wild Day!

30dayswild

🌲🌳🌲WELL I knew I’d never remember to post every day 🀦🏻 …. BUT every day is a WILD day πŸ’šπŸ˜Š. FROM planting and weeding 🌱🌱, mud pie and sandcastle making, barefoot water splashing πŸ’¦ to crown making, den building, sitting staring at the light coming through the tree canopy, sitting in a tree 🌳 or hammock to tracking games, stick whittling and wand making and LOTS of hide and seek – a FAB first week back and loving the sunshine 🌞.

πŸŒ³πŸ’šπŸŒ²πŸ’šBut the BEST thing of all has been the look of JOY on faces as we listen, share, communicate, practice our fine motor and gross motor skills, as we negotiate the rules of the game, as we take turns and share, as we work in teams and solve problems, as we have the confidence to try new things and develop a curiosity of the world around us, as we are engaged and motivated, growing in self confidence and able to get it wrong and try again building up our self esteem and relationships with others as we play πŸ˜ŠπŸŒ³πŸŒ²πŸŒ³πŸ’š

🌳🌲Happy Friday everyone! 🌳🌲🌳