The forest school way- forest school day camp for kids
WHERE
London
What it’s like
Days spent carving, building and pottering about in the woods, led by whatever catches your child's interest that day.
This is child-led outdoor learning, not a structured lesson plan. Kids spend their day outside in a natural environment, following their own interests with adults mentoring rather than directing. One of the sessions on offer is wood carving with a master carver, which is a proper skill to bring home and probably the bit they'll go on about at teatime.
The forest school model works best with the same group meeting regularly across the seasons, so this suits a child who'll settle into a routine rather than a one-off day trip. There's no age range given, but the toilet-training requirement is a useful marker: children need to be able to manage going to the loo by themselves, though they will be escorted to an on-site toilet by an adult.
Lunch is on you. Pack a nut-free lunch and a water bottle, since there's no food provided and nuts aren't allowed at all. Drop-off and pick-up times matter here: the group leaves the drop-off point 15 minutes after the stated time, and if you're more than 30 minutes late collecting, a £15 fee can be charged at the manager's discretion. Worth setting an alarm for that one.
It's also worth knowing that sick children may be turned away at drop-off, so a wobbly morning is a genuine reason to keep them home rather than chance it.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Drop-off and pick-up times must be respected
- Sessions run regularly with the same group across the seasons rather than as one-off days
- Sick children may be refused admission at drop-off, so don't chance a rough morning
- Nuts aren't allowed at all, not just excluded from what's provided
Plan your visit
What do the children actually do?
They lead their own play and learning outdoors, with activities like wood carving taught by a master carver. There's no fixed timetable, it follows what interests the child that day.
Do we need to bring food?
Yes, a nut-free packed lunch and their own water bottle. Nothing is provided on site.
Does my child need to be toilet-trained?
They need to be able to manage the loo by themselves, though an adult will walk them to the on-site toilet. There's no age given beyond this.
What happens if we're late for drop-off or pick-up?
The group moves off 15 minutes after the stated drop-off time, so arriving late means missing the start. For pick-up, a £15 fee can be charged at the manager's discretion once you're more than 30 minutes late.
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