It has been almost five years since we started with Elements… this year we have been focusing on our weekly Forest School sessions as well as our work with the Fostering Network.
Since we began, more and more, the evidence points to the need for children of all ages to ‘touch grass’. Get out and away from screens, unplug and unwind, to get lost in nature and learn how to engage in deep play.
Our mission is to bring Forest School to whomever needs it – be they adults, children, families, schools, after schools or classes. As experienced teachers and practioners, we are not a box ticking exercise. Anyone who attends an elements session can be sure that they are getting a bespoke encounter which has been created specifically for the participants in mind.
If you are interested in finding out what we can do for you, please get in touch with us. Call 07540075991 – myself, Stephanie Sim, or email me at steph@elementsschool.net . You can also check out our Facebook page for up to date information on what we are doing.
Our Easter Scheme is ready for booking!!! We have a limited number of spaces so book soon!
There will be outdoor cooking, beach school! Easter Egg making, Easter Egg Hunt on the last day, kite flying, stream walking, birdsong ID and much much more!
Being out in the elements with elements! It doesn’t get better than this.
We are beyond excited… we now have our own fleeces and a banner… elements is now 4 years-ish old… we started in September 2020 – in the middle of Covid… and kept going.
See what forest school can do for you… the best part about elements is that it comes to YOU!!!
It has been, once again sooo busy. We began the year with a half term session with the Fostering Network and will be working with them over the coming months once again.
Meanwhile the Easter holidays are here and we have 2 more spaces left on Wednesday and 1 more space on Friday. Thursday is completely full. To book go to http://tinyurl.com/yc56buv2
There is literally NO EXCUSE for having such an out of date website, but we have been very busy. What has happened since we last updated with our session in Glasswater Woods?
Thank you note from parent of child who participated in the Glasswater session
Well, here’s a run down.
We ran a five-day Summer Scheme in Oakfield Forest in Carrickfergus at the start of summer.
We made nettle fibres for our activity in Carrickfergus
We started the After School in Holywood Steiner School, and are once again fully subscribed.
Some very cheerful after schoolers!!
We ran the last of the Fostering Network sessions in Gosford Park.
We gathered fungi and made leaf art using a felt cutting at Gosford Forest.
And we started the New Moon Goddess Journeys in Bangor – our next session is fully booked out!
Finally we have a birthday party coming up…
And the feedback has been great!
Oh yes, and Stephanie attended the Regional Forest School gathering at Monaghan and learnt all about mushrooms!
We have decided to hold a New Moon Goddess Journeying session every month – our second meeting will take place on June 18th at 5 pm.
New Moon Goddess Journeying – 18 June 5 – 7 pm –
Quarries Farm, 403 Gransha Road Bangor
Bring something to share and a couple of quid for the hire of the space. We will drum and journey, share our New Moon stories and connect to the many incarnations of the Goddess. Celebrate the New Moon and the Summer Solstice – and make a new start. No need to reply, just turn up.
Hard to believe that 2 months have passed and we have been up to loads!
As usual we have had two excellent sessions with the Fostering Network. We worked with the Antrim and North Down sectors and delivered 2 four week sessions in Ballymena People’s Park as well as Glasswater Woods.
The Green Man… we made masks celebrating summer!Fairy doors were just adorable!Blown away by the beauty!
We also kept on with our After School although there were so many Bank Holiday Mondays in May and June!
We got loads of fun out of the new archery set we bought!And our new slackline also got a premier! Water festival!
Goddess Workshop
We held our Goddess Workshop in Newtownards…
Stories, drumming journey and making horses
Siuban put together wire frames for the horses…
Macha is Mother. Is every aspect of mother. She brings her ferocity. Her assurance. She says, you are enough. More than enough. We are all that … and some.
As we enter the height of summer, we dance with her, for her. We no longer doubt. Everything is possible. Everything exists here – for us- in this time.
We have had a most busy 2023 to date. We started with a return to our After School at the Hol;ywood Steiner School, the first of our Goddess workshops as well as a session with the Fostering Network, promoting our Easter Holiday Scheme for 2023 and developing a Forest School training day with GROW NI.
Here is a snapshot of how we’ve got on.
After School – Holywood Steiner School
Discovering Physics through pulleysIt’s cold in March!
Our After School sessions are full with a waiting list. Children engage in deep play while developing their bushcraft skills. Running around is essential to stay warm while cooking over an open fire keeps our spirits up.
If you are interested in starting an After School with us, why not give us a call on 07540075991 or email us hello@elementscshool.net.
Fostering Network – Belfast
We spent a remarkably unseasonal warm three days in February at Belvoir Park Forest doing not just forest skills, but history, plant ID, bird song and geography. We are very lucky to have such a beautiful forest in the middle of Belfast and for a few of the participants, it was the first time they had been there!
Birthday Party
It was a beautiful return to the Quarries where we held our first birthday party of the year! We had 11 children and a very happy birthday boy. Party games were played and we celebrated another year around the sun.
If you are interested in booking a party with us email us on hello@elementsschool.net. Each child is £12 with a minimum of 10 children. The party games are an hour with another hour at the Quarries in their traditional Tea Barn.
Sometimes dream do come true! We held our first goddess workshop at the Navan Centre which worked with the Goddess Brigid and looked at the Maiden in ourselves. The day was bright and beautiful and the moon guided us back to amazing dreams! Our next one is on 14 May when we work with Macha. You can sign up for it here!
New year new things!
We spent nearly £400 on new equipment, including a slackline, target, arrows and lots and lots and lots of rope and tarp – AND a kelly kettle!!!! We are a REAL forest school now 🙂
Well that’s us all caught up for 2023! With our next outing which is the Fostering Network in Antrim, Easter Holiday Scheme, GROW NI workshop and more goddess workshops, it looks to be a very very busy year!
This article from March 23, 2022 outlines not just why and how kids are better in nature but how you can do it and it doesn’t have to cost a million squid (hint: urban spaces are nature too.)
Find out how you can get Elements Forest and Garden School to give your child a great time while learning without learning… if you know what i mean…
