Stomping Grounds Forest School
We had absolutely gorgeous weather for our Beltane celebration last Sunday! We wove Beltane hearts, May queen headdresses and decorated green man masks. We lit a special Beltane fire and made offering sticks, learning how to safely place them into the fire. After enjoying a delicious lunch of wild garlic and nettle pasta we decorated the oak tree with green man faces and danced the woodland maypole. It really was a relaxed and heartening day and everyone took home Beltane wishes on wildflower seed paper to plant at home and watch grow.
Would your family enjoy being part of our seasonal celebrations? Please click the link for more information and to book: https://bookwhen.com/stompinggrounds/e/ev-sffd-20220703110000
Would your family enjoy being part of our seasonal celebrations? Please click the link for more information and to book: https://bookwhen.com/stompinggrounds/e/ev-sffd-20220703110000
Stomping Grounds Forest School
At Stomping Grounds we are proud of belonging to a wonderful Forest School community, and are delighted to wear our hearts (almost) on our sleeves! We know that a lot of you like to share the Stomping Grounds love, so if you would like to order a hoodie, sweatshirt, or t-shirt, please use the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDGeZ_VXkcp1TSBuwcqzxsXt0Fgl5XkBST9LNnKRnX2GYByA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Please order by Friday May 19. Some of the products do not have weblinks - if you would like a spec sheet for size and colour information please email mel@stomping-grounds.org
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDGeZ_VXkcp1TSBuwcqzxsXt0Fgl5XkBST9LNnKRnX2GYByA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Please order by Friday May 19. Some of the products do not have weblinks - if you would like a spec sheet for size and colour information please email mel@stomping-grounds.org
Stomping Grounds Forest School
How does Forest School help us feel well?
We all know access to green spaces improves our mental health and wellbeing, but there’s so much more!
At Wellness Wednesdays this week we celebrated. There were 4 birthdays to mark, which warranted a campfire Victoria sponge. It was genuinely one of the nicest sponges I’ve tasted. Prepared and cooked by these young people on the campfire. We celebrate young people every week. We celebrate success, effort, energy, empathy, negotiation and being a good friend. We celebrate getting there and contributing. Each young person is valued and we meet them where they’re at.
The pace at forest school supports some of our group to improve their wellbeing. Some like to take their time. Their achievements are unhurried, thoughtful, well planned. They have time and space to try things their own way and reflect on success.
Some prefer to whizz speedily around the woods, being chased or doing the chasing, taking rapid breaks to focus on a task before whoosh they’re off again burning off energy and meeting their body’s need for movement.
Collaboration and shared goals support friendships and builds community, which defies age, language and disability. Our human need for connection is met when we work together with others and develop empathy, compassion and enjoy each other’s company.
One of the highlights of our week, we’re excited to extend our offer to Fridays.
Suitable for Home Ed, flex schooled, EOTAS or as a school intervention. Book here or pm for more details
https://bookwhen.com/stompinggrounds/e/ev-s0bi-20220610093000
#wellbeing #naturetherapy #therapeuticforest #forestschool #autism #adhd #alternativeed #homeed #northeast
We all know access to green spaces improves our mental health and wellbeing, but there’s so much more!
At Wellness Wednesdays this week we celebrated. There were 4 birthdays to mark, which warranted a campfire Victoria sponge. It was genuinely one of the nicest sponges I’ve tasted. Prepared and cooked by these young people on the campfire. We celebrate young people every week. We celebrate success, effort, energy, empathy, negotiation and being a good friend. We celebrate getting there and contributing. Each young person is valued and we meet them where they’re at.
The pace at forest school supports some of our group to improve their wellbeing. Some like to take their time. Their achievements are unhurried, thoughtful, well planned. They have time and space to try things their own way and reflect on success.
Some prefer to whizz speedily around the woods, being chased or doing the chasing, taking rapid breaks to focus on a task before whoosh they’re off again burning off energy and meeting their body’s need for movement.
Collaboration and shared goals support friendships and builds community, which defies age, language and disability. Our human need for connection is met when we work together with others and develop empathy, compassion and enjoy each other’s company.
One of the highlights of our week, we’re excited to extend our offer to Fridays.
Suitable for Home Ed, flex schooled, EOTAS or as a school intervention. Book here or pm for more details
https://bookwhen.com/stompinggrounds/e/ev-s0bi-20220610093000
#wellbeing #naturetherapy #therapeuticforest #forestschool #autism #adhd #alternativeed #homeed #northeast
Stomping Grounds Forest School
Out exploring this week at Stomping Grounds Forest Kindergarten at Gibside - National Trust where Spring has sprung and children have noticed. There's a different colour palette all around us, under the cover of trees a ceiling many shades of green - the perfect set to play adventuring Pirates hiding treasure; whilst out in the open sprinklings of blossom floating from the sky "it's snowing!" Twirling and twisting, ducking and diving - the 'Blossom Dance'. We're inspired to move and express ourselves through play, our imaginations and our surroundings.
Does this sounds like a place your child would enjoy? We have places available for 2-7year olds Mon-Fri offering both full and half day sessions. Please fill in the form below to express an interest.
https://forms.gle/oFPyffNCChkSYLoa6
Does this sounds like a place your child would enjoy? We have places available for 2-7year olds Mon-Fri offering both full and half day sessions. Please fill in the form below to express an interest.
https://forms.gle/oFPyffNCChkSYLoa6
Stomping Grounds Forest School
All three of our youth groups have been in action this week, offering Forest School for young people aged 8 to 18. The younger (Monday) group enjoyed decorating wood cookies, playing games, exploring, and swinging in hammocks. They also loved to ever popular cheese toasted wrap, not a scrap remained. Young people of Chopwell came together on Wednesday for our very first session for 14-18 year olds. They scouted out the site, worked together to try and save a partially broken tree, hauled benches, cooked some epic hot dogs and experimented with flying techniques off the hammock. Finally, at RISE we started with a good game of floor is lava whilst one member had great fun trying out our giant bubble wand. With talk of mock exams and GCSEs coming up we fully embraced some relaxing time in hammocks and socialising in our tree house before digging into campfire cooked vegan sausages in buns and homemade mint tea. Finishing the session discussing some new inclusive logos our staff and young volunteers will be wearing on our hoodies and tops with some great feedback given by the group!
Do these sound like the kind of session your young person would enjoy? For more information and to see the sessions we run, please visit: https://www.stomping-grounds.org/book/
Do these sound like the kind of session your young person would enjoy? For more information and to see the sessions we run, please visit: https://www.stomping-grounds.org/book/
Stomping Grounds Forest School
We were thrilled to be back in the woods last week at Prudhoe West Academy, with both of our after school groups. On Tuesday, we were joined by the resident woodpecker throughout the session and spent time trying to spot his location with binoculars. Highlights were helping to rehydrate, name, and rehome a bee named Matty Bee; and investigating the woods after a long break due to storm damage. Everyone was so happy to explore and parting words were "I wish we could stay in the woods all night". On Thursday, we explored our new boundaries and reunited ourselves with favourite haunts. We made woodland creatures out of clay, mined the cliff, constructed bear barriers, and hung in the hammock. We heard and spotted not one, but two greater spotted woodpeckers, using binoculars to identify them. We enjoyed special forest school sandwiches while discussing plans for next week.
Is this something your school would be interested in? We offer bespoke packages for each school setting. Please see our website to get in touch: https://www.stomping-grounds.org/get-in-touch/
Is this something your school would be interested in? We offer bespoke packages for each school setting. Please see our website to get in touch: https://www.stomping-grounds.org/get-in-touch/