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.
Go to https://tinyurl.com/mutftay7 to book, or WhatsApp 07540075991 or email hello@elementsschool.net
Elements began in 2020, in the teeth of the pandemic. We are now 4 years old. It has been QUITE the ride. We have had now run scores of sessions, held numerous holiday schemes, put on festivals and birthday parties and even had a wonderful time exploring the world of arts and crafts
We have held our sessions all over Northern Ireland – from – Loughgall to the Waterworks. We have even run courses for others interested in Forest School.
We have introduced over 500 children in different ways to the wonders of nature.
All the while we have stayed true to the ideals of nature being a part of ourselves. Our sessions bring in art, science, gross and fine motor skills. We tell stories. We make sure there’s food. Ans speaking of food…
We have been always been big on foraging and cooking with what we find. But I must let you into a little secret: children love food cooked on an open fire. Whether it is the novelty or the taste of the smoky wood, or the novelty, we have never had children which had said to us they did not like what we prepared.
As the year plays out, we are so pleased once more to be running an after school at the Holywood Steiner School, birthday parties at the Quarries, Easter and other holiday schemes as well as another Wild About Learning programme with the Fostering Network. It has been a truly fulfilling and inspiring ride.
Thank you to EVERYONE who has been along for it!
Stephanie and Jemma
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!!!
Call 07540075991 or email hello@elementsschool.net
Yes, we had weather – for a bit, but then the sun came out and we reveled in the gorgeousness of Crawfordsburn Country Park. I think we can safely say there is no other place like it… waterfalls, rapids, river to play in, magnificent train bridge, blue flag beach, meadows and of course FOREST and to cap it all off a geologically inspired playground! We had such a blast! Here are some of the pictures… but not all cos we were super busy the entire time!
Day 1
We walked to the waterfall… and enjoyed looking at the wooden sculptures along the way. There was a burning question… what are turkey tails… well, now everyone who came on Monday knows…!
On the way back
It is impossible to overstate the beauty of this railway line built in that 19th century that spans the burn. One of the questions was, what runs over this bridge? Many said people. I said, yes people, but what are the people in? Cars? Walking? Then someone said, Trains! And a few seconds later a train went over the bridge, right on cue.
Day 2
Day 3
And that was us! Easter 2024 was over, just like that! I heard that children slept soundly that night!
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
I’ll update what we have been up to later on!
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?
Well, here’s a run down.
We ran a five-day Summer Scheme in Oakfield Forest in Carrickfergus at the start of summer.
We started the After School in Holywood Steiner School, and are once again fully subscribed.
We ran the last of the Fostering Network sessions in Gosford Park.
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.
For more details call 07540075991 or email steph@elementsschool.net
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.
We also kept on with our After School although there were so many Bank Holiday Mondays in May and June!
Goddess Workshop
Stories, drumming journey and making 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
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!
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