"Play is the highest form of research."
- Albert Einstein
We run the holiday club from both our woodland kindergarten sites at Foredown Woods and Stanmer Park during the school holidays. Children can join us between 9.30am-3pm ('extra time' sessions until 4pm are available) for a day of adventure and play in nature. At Forest School we cook over a campfire. make friends, learn new skills, get muddy, get active and get creative in the fresh air.
Little ones will be nurtured by our kindergarten practitioners, whilst older siblings and friends will strengthen teamwork and creative skills with our Forest School leaders. Please note, at the moment our spaces for 3-year-olds are only available to children who already attend our kindergarten. All children aged 4 and above are welcome.
Sessions will focus on building children’s confidence, self-esteem and communication skills, strengthening their ability to negotiate interpersonal relationships with peers.
In true Forest School style, we will create a welcoming and friendly camp for children to explore their inner wild side in their own way. At Forest School we are play-based and child-led, with plenty of opportunities to take part in games, challenges, natural crafts, dens, survival skills, pond-dipping, tool-use, wildlife, growing, camp cooking and exploration.
There will be something for everyone, with an emphasis on fun, freedom, play, teamwork, building confidence and making friends – whilst (secretly) learning first hand about nature, science, sustainability, healthy eating and gardening. So if your children enjoy nature and generally mucking about in the woods, this is a fabulous opportunity to get outdoors.
PLEASE NOTE: Our May Half Term 2024 Holiday Club is open for booking and will fill up fast! - Please subscribe to our newsletter so that you don't miss out on hearing about tickets being released.
Drop-off is at 9.30am at Foredown Allotments, Thornbush Crescent, Portslade, BN41 2GW and at the Quiet Garden at Stanmer park
Bee in the Woods holds full Public Liability Insurance. Please be aware that the nature of forest school means that risks are present.
Children are encourage to think about risk and develop their own understanding of safety. Activities take place over rough natural ground and natural hazards are present. Although we take every precaution to ensure safe play, accidents may occur. The staff are all First Aid-Trained, DBS-checked and we risk-assess our site and put boundaries in place to ensure a safe experience for the children. Be prepared that your child will probably come home muddy but they will have had a great day!
Bee Together Family Sessions are open to everyone young or old. We run a mixture of activities, some led, but mostly self-directed. We only charge for the children - adults come free.
Bee Wild Holiday Club is open to 4-8-year-olds. Spaces for 3-year-olds are recommended for children who already attend our kindergarten.
Child Ticket (Ages 4-8) - £45.00
Child Ticket with extra time to 4pm (Ages 4-8) - £54.00
Sibling Ticket (Ages 4-8) - £40.00
Sibling Ticket with extra time to 4pm (Ages 4-8) - £49.00
'extra time' session (3pm - 4pm) - £9.00
Course Discounts also available
We'd like everyone to have a positive experience of Forest School, so it's really important to dress your children according to the weather.
In the winter months the children need to be in layers of warm clothes, waterproof trousers and coats and snow boots or outdoor walking boots. Wellington boots can get very cold in the winter months, so please invest in warm socks or snow boots. (We love Wet Wednesdays or Mountain Warehouse often have good deals). Name their hats, scarves and gloves. Waterproofs are recommended during the winter months, even if has not been raining, as they enable the children to play in the mud freely - and you don't have to worry about the washing!
In the summer months the children need to wear protective footwear (no open toe sandals or crocs) and a summer hat. Long trousers are ideal out in the woods to prevent stings. Please also apply insect repellent and sun cream lotion to your child before the session starts. We will ask the children to apply suncream themselves during our Bee Wild clubs. If they have a specific suncream they need to use, please make sure it is packed for them on the Bee Wild day.
We try to go ahead in most weather conditions and have a shelter/tarps that we use if it's rainy. However, horizontal rain is never fun and for safety reasons we are obliged to cancel if winds of 30mph or above are forecast. This is often a tough call and a decision we don't take lightly, but your and your child's safety is always our first thought. If high winds are forecast we will do our best to contact you via text or email to let you know of the cancellation on the morning of the session.
In the event of adverse weather, we will offer alternative dates for those booked on. If an alternative date cannot be agreed on, a full refund will be offered.
Holiday Clubs
We ask for one week's notice of a cancellation for a full refund, to give us the opportunity to fill the space. A 50% refund will be offered if a cancellation is made 72 hours (3 working days) before the event. We are unable to refund events that are cancelled any less than 72 hours (3 working days). We will offer a refund if our Holiday Club is cancelled due to the weather. In case of a refund requested by you, we will have to deduct the payment processing fee.
We provide a snack and a drink for children (different each week) during our Bee Wild club. There is also tea/coffee available for adults (for sessions where adults participate). Please let us know if your child has any special dietary requirements/allergies on booking and we will do our best to accommodate them.
We have a NO-nut policy so please do not allow your children to bring ANY foods containing nuts.
Please do not bring your child to Bee Wild if he/she has been sick or has had diarrhoea within the previous 48 hours. We wish your child a speedy recovery and we will happily offer another session at a later date. If your child has either of the symptoms whilst at Bee Wild forest school, we will call you so you can collect your child.
Our staff are not authorised to give any medication to your child/children, however, we are able to assist with epipens and inhalers. Please advise the Forest School leader about the use of inhalers or epipens and make sure the booking forms have all the details we require.
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