Little Sticks Forest School
BEST FOR
Ages 2+
ENTRY
from £32.50
WHERE
Wigan
What it’s like
Woodland days for little ones from age 2, with real tools, a camp fire and snacks eaten outdoors whatever's going on with the weather.
This is childcare that happens outside. Kids get dedicated woodland areas to explore, they use real tools under supervision, and they cook over a camp fire rather than just looking at one. Snacks happen around the fire circle, and there's a job for them too, helping manage the woodland, which is a nice way of saying they get stuck into proper outdoor work rather than just messing about.
It's open to children from age 2, and that's a hard line, they're only registered from that age so don't expect a baby group tacked on. Sessions run Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, with a half day option if a full day out in the woods feels like a lot for a 2 or 3 year old. A full day is £65, half a day is £32.50.
If you're using 3 or 4 year old funded hours, there's a separate Forest School session fee on top, since the funding rate doesn't cover the extra staff ratios, kit and insurance that outdoor sessions need. It stings a bit when you're expecting funded hours to mean free hours, but it's clearly explained as the cost of running proper forest school rather than a hidden extra. They also offer 2 year old funding, tax-free childcare and childcare vouchers, and you can split funding across settings if your child goes elsewhere too.
It runs 50 weeks of the year, closed only for two weeks at Christmas and bank holidays, so it's not a term-time-only setup you have to work around.
Need to know
- Best for
- 2 to 4 year olds settling into woodland routines
- Only registered for age 2 and up, so no under-2s provision
- The Forest School fee is separate from 3/4 year old funded hours, budget for it as an extra
- Half day sessions are a gentler option for younger children
- Closed just two weeks a year at Christmas plus bank holidays
Plan your visit
What age can my child start?
From 2 years old, that's the youngest they're registered to take. Funding can kick in from the day your child turns 2.
How much does it cost?
£65 for a full day, £32.50 for a half day.
Can I use funded hours?
They take 2, 3 and 4 year old funding, tax-free childcare and childcare vouchers, and you can split funding with another setting. There's an extra Forest School session fee on top of 3 and 4 year old funded hours though, since that funding doesn't cover the outdoor staffing and equipment costs.
What are the session times?
Full days run 8am to 5pm, half days are either 8am to 12.30pm or 12.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Is it open all year?
Open 50 weeks a year, closed two weeks at Christmas and on bank holidays.
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