Earlier this year, my family got back in touch with a friend, Jen Keil who used to bring her son Sam to my Craft Club. We found out that she was running Woodland Wonders Forest School and offered her our smallholding in Sidlesham as one of her sites. Jen was contacted by Kirsty Lester who wanted to know about the suitability of forest school activities for children with special needs as her 5 year old son Alexander is disabled. Kirsty came to meet Jen here and after looking around the farm we told her about my Craft Club.
We then decided to offer Alexander and his friends and parents a full day here at Applefield at the beginning of July and named it Wheely
Wonders! When the families arrived they went to meet our goats, Jigsaw and Puzzle and give them some leaves to munch on. Then they fed the chickens and looked to see if there were any freshly laid eggs. After this they all went to our woodland where Jen and her helper Jane had set up a hammock and swing in the trees. The children went on a bug hunt and played in the mud kitchen as well as making wooden medals. On their way round they picked up feathers and leaves on a Journey Stick to remember the visit. Rosemary our donkey and Applejack, Nutmeg and Pepper the ponies were very pleased to be visited and given carrots as the families all walked past on their way to the fire circle in the field where marshmallows were toasted! After a picnic lunch everyone came to my art studio for Lizzie’s Craft Club. We painted photo frames, decorated musical shakers and made personalised bracelets. It was lovely to see the parents all relaxing and enjoying making things and having fun with their children.
We ran a second Wheely Wonders day for children with physical disabilities in August and were extremely happy to welcome a new family who had seen it advertised online. This time during the Forest School morning the children went on a colour hunt, collecting leaves, flowers and berries to match the colour of the square on their sheet and stuck these on with double sided tape. Back at the fire circle they made bird food to take home. At Craft Club in the afternoon everyone painted a farm scene and added foam stickers to create an image of their day as well as using stencils and fabric paint and pens to make a personalised bag. As it was a lovely sunny day we finished up with tea in our garden which our dogs loved; Holly our Beagle enjoyed lying under the apple tree with Kirsty and Alexander!
In September we had the third day and again were thrilled to find we had more new families booked in. Chris North came to join in the fun
with a car full of musical instruments, parachute and balls which he used to entertain everybody with at intervals throughout the day. Wellspring Secretary Debbie came to help with Craft Club and Chris’ support was invaluable. Forest School activities included sawing to
make medals and stringing conkers to make necklaces and making a mini fire in a shell. The children took home an autumn collage and a painted leaf shaped wind chime from Craft Clubwhich was held in the field this time. Chris brought his hedgehog and badger puppets
to see what was being painted and they caused lots of laughter from the children. Before tea we all enjoyed a spectacular bubble show from Chris and Fin who had come to enjoy the day with his brother. While we had tea around the camp fire we sang songs with more puppets followed by a fabulous magic show where all the children were asked to join in with the magic words and helping Chris to hold things while he performed his tricks. It was absolutely wonderful to see the parents and children all laughing and relaxing together.
In October, Jen and I ran our first day for children with additional needs called Curious Minds. We met more lovely new families and the children enjoyed playing outside all day. Jen helped them to make magic wands with sticks, feathers and leaves as well as wooden necklaces and spinners. I really enjoyed visiting the fire circle to see all the children trying to light their own mini fires and hearing their excitement when they saw that they had managed to make flames appear! My Craft Club session was held in our glasshouse on the field which felt very warm despite a cool breeze outside. The children got very involved with making snails, hedgehogs and other creatures using clay, conkers and pine cones. They also created beautiful autumn collages finished with foam and felt stickers which one mother said was perfect for her visually impaired son.
We have just run A Wheely Wonders Halloween and Jen and I both did spooky activities in our glasshouse due to the wet weather. Everyone enjoyed mess free pumpkin decorating and made frightening collages! We are already looking forward to more days next year!
Here are some thoughts from Kirsty: “We’ve been to a few Wheely Wonders Forest School and craft sessions, we have found them very inclusive and everyone is so friendly and helpful. Alexander enjoys meeting and feeding the animals; being outside and exploring nature
- he especially likes lying in the hammock and seeing the trees move and hearing the wind rustling between them. For me, it’s really lovely that we get to take things home as a reminder of the day, often sensory and themed. We have decorated a special tote bag in Craft Club which we can now use for trips out, along with shakers and photo frames. I am so glad we found out about these and have had lovely days making memories and new friends at Applefield.”
As well as running Wheely Wonders and Curious Minds days with me, Jen runs Little Wonders Farm Adventures, a parent and toddler group here at Applefield on term time Wednesday mornings 9.30 – 11.30am. During school holidays and half terms, Woodland Wonders run themed Forest School mornings and afternoons both at Applefield and Nuthurst near Horsham. Birthday parties are also available.
If you would like any more information or would like to book a special day for your group please get in touch with us!
Tel: 07786 368800
Email: [email protected]
www.woodlandwondersforestschool.co.uk www.facebook.com/woodlandwondersforestschool
Lizzie’s Craft Club runs during term time on Saturday afternoons from 2.30-4pm in my accessible art studio. I welcome children of primary
school age of all abilities. Each course follows a theme and children take home all crafts at the end of term. All materials and refreshments are provided. Free places for children with special needs and/or siblings funded by Wellspring West Sussex.
www.lizziebaily.com/craftclubintro.htm www.facebook.com/LizziesCraftClub
Lizzie Baily 2017
We then decided to offer Alexander and his friends and parents a full day here at Applefield at the beginning of July and named it Wheely
Wonders! When the families arrived they went to meet our goats, Jigsaw and Puzzle and give them some leaves to munch on. Then they fed the chickens and looked to see if there were any freshly laid eggs. After this they all went to our woodland where Jen and her helper Jane had set up a hammock and swing in the trees. The children went on a bug hunt and played in the mud kitchen as well as making wooden medals. On their way round they picked up feathers and leaves on a Journey Stick to remember the visit. Rosemary our donkey and Applejack, Nutmeg and Pepper the ponies were very pleased to be visited and given carrots as the families all walked past on their way to the fire circle in the field where marshmallows were toasted! After a picnic lunch everyone came to my art studio for Lizzie’s Craft Club. We painted photo frames, decorated musical shakers and made personalised bracelets. It was lovely to see the parents all relaxing and enjoying making things and having fun with their children.
We ran a second Wheely Wonders day for children with physical disabilities in August and were extremely happy to welcome a new family who had seen it advertised online. This time during the Forest School morning the children went on a colour hunt, collecting leaves, flowers and berries to match the colour of the square on their sheet and stuck these on with double sided tape. Back at the fire circle they made bird food to take home. At Craft Club in the afternoon everyone painted a farm scene and added foam stickers to create an image of their day as well as using stencils and fabric paint and pens to make a personalised bag. As it was a lovely sunny day we finished up with tea in our garden which our dogs loved; Holly our Beagle enjoyed lying under the apple tree with Kirsty and Alexander!
In September we had the third day and again were thrilled to find we had more new families booked in. Chris North came to join in the fun
with a car full of musical instruments, parachute and balls which he used to entertain everybody with at intervals throughout the day. Wellspring Secretary Debbie came to help with Craft Club and Chris’ support was invaluable. Forest School activities included sawing to
make medals and stringing conkers to make necklaces and making a mini fire in a shell. The children took home an autumn collage and a painted leaf shaped wind chime from Craft Clubwhich was held in the field this time. Chris brought his hedgehog and badger puppets
to see what was being painted and they caused lots of laughter from the children. Before tea we all enjoyed a spectacular bubble show from Chris and Fin who had come to enjoy the day with his brother. While we had tea around the camp fire we sang songs with more puppets followed by a fabulous magic show where all the children were asked to join in with the magic words and helping Chris to hold things while he performed his tricks. It was absolutely wonderful to see the parents and children all laughing and relaxing together.
In October, Jen and I ran our first day for children with additional needs called Curious Minds. We met more lovely new families and the children enjoyed playing outside all day. Jen helped them to make magic wands with sticks, feathers and leaves as well as wooden necklaces and spinners. I really enjoyed visiting the fire circle to see all the children trying to light their own mini fires and hearing their excitement when they saw that they had managed to make flames appear! My Craft Club session was held in our glasshouse on the field which felt very warm despite a cool breeze outside. The children got very involved with making snails, hedgehogs and other creatures using clay, conkers and pine cones. They also created beautiful autumn collages finished with foam and felt stickers which one mother said was perfect for her visually impaired son.
We have just run A Wheely Wonders Halloween and Jen and I both did spooky activities in our glasshouse due to the wet weather. Everyone enjoyed mess free pumpkin decorating and made frightening collages! We are already looking forward to more days next year!
Here are some thoughts from Kirsty: “We’ve been to a few Wheely Wonders Forest School and craft sessions, we have found them very inclusive and everyone is so friendly and helpful. Alexander enjoys meeting and feeding the animals; being outside and exploring nature
- he especially likes lying in the hammock and seeing the trees move and hearing the wind rustling between them. For me, it’s really lovely that we get to take things home as a reminder of the day, often sensory and themed. We have decorated a special tote bag in Craft Club which we can now use for trips out, along with shakers and photo frames. I am so glad we found out about these and have had lovely days making memories and new friends at Applefield.”
As well as running Wheely Wonders and Curious Minds days with me, Jen runs Little Wonders Farm Adventures, a parent and toddler group here at Applefield on term time Wednesday mornings 9.30 – 11.30am. During school holidays and half terms, Woodland Wonders run themed Forest School mornings and afternoons both at Applefield and Nuthurst near Horsham. Birthday parties are also available.
If you would like any more information or would like to book a special day for your group please get in touch with us!
Tel: 07786 368800
Email: [email protected]
www.woodlandwondersforestschool.co.uk www.facebook.com/woodlandwondersforestschool
Lizzie’s Craft Club runs during term time on Saturday afternoons from 2.30-4pm in my accessible art studio. I welcome children of primary
school age of all abilities. Each course follows a theme and children take home all crafts at the end of term. All materials and refreshments are provided. Free places for children with special needs and/or siblings funded by Wellspring West Sussex.
www.lizziebaily.com/craftclubintro.htm www.facebook.com/LizziesCraftClub
Lizzie Baily 2017
