Forest Cubs (Dempsey) Trial

About

We meet at the Outdoor Classroom at Coastal Playgrove. At Forest Cubs we provide a nurturing and enriching experience for children aged 24 to 48 months, as they continue on their life journey in connection with the great outdoors. Forest Cubs serves as a stepping stone to our Sunbirds programme for children aged 4yrs to year one. Our programme considers the development of the whole child, we provide immersive nature playtime with carefully constructed, authentic, and sustainable guided activities outdoors. The goal of Forest Schools is to foster self-confidence, develop resilience, spark curiosity, empower the child, and cultivate a deep connection with the natural world. Each session is led by our experienced instructors and planned by our Senior Forest School Leaders, offering your little ones the chance to take on supported outdoor challenges and explore the enchanting environment of Wildlings, all with the loving support of their caregiver. What to Expect: Sensory-rich experiences with the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of nature. Arts and crafts using natural and sustainable materials. An early introduction to tools and fires experiences and to risky and adventurous play. Exciting outdoor activities to develop fine and gross motor skills. Immersive nature play with water, mud, wildlife, sand gravel and even edible plants! Wet weather sessions made comfortable in our all-weather outdoor classroom and the adjacent nature play garden, providing a safe and stimulating environment for your child's adventures. Our Forest Cubs Programme: We start with 15 minutes of free-play settling in time and arrival time whilst your young child gets prepared to start the class, followed by: Warm welcome circle and song. Warm-up activity which is usually game based and physically active. Exploration time! Guided activities around the theme for the term. Nature Playtime – essential child-led playtime to empower the child and give adults a chance to model social skills. Mindful breathing or activity, to calm us down before story time to close. Optional 30-minutes of extra playtime for those who want more! Please Keep in Mind: Please read our accompanied handbook before your first session. The handbook will be emailed to you. To ensure a focused and enjoyable experience for all, we kindly request that only one adult accompanies each child.