Home Ed group started with the most amazing rainbow and a sudden downpour, then dry and sunny for the rest of the day. This made for super slippery muddy paths and puddles! On the menu was porridge with cinnamon and mulled grape juice, plus raw carrots to snack on. Ashleigh Adventurer had hidden envelopes all over the site, and in each one was a chocolate coin to celebrate Advent beginning! Games were wide ranging and involved facilitators as well as children, with a very muddy playhouse being the prison for one game, both Maisie Mouse and Po Primrose were prisoners at some point. Tommy Two-Hats was the chaser in one of the games, and he also worked with people to plant yet more trees! At lunch we played "Would You Rather " with a Christmas theme, and in the closing circle everyone spoke about how they enjoyed playing with their friends. ![]()
We only have two weeks left, then we're on a break, but we're going to fill the last two weeks with warmth and community and nature connection.![]()
#homeed #homeeducation #forestschool #community #waveneyvalley #beccles #outdoors #winter #forestschoolleader #outdoorcooking #rainbow #treeplanting #freeplay
Look at this wonderful article about Forest Bathing Brunch!![]()
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We are so grateful to Phoebe Ozanne from the EDP for wanting to write about what we do and helping us to spread the word.![]()
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www.becclesandbungayjournal.co.uk/news/24760975.beccles-forest-school-embraces-japanese-forest-ba...![]()
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Forest Bathing Brunch Quick Info:![]()
- Wednesdays (see dates via link)![]()
- 9:30am to 11:30am![]()
- on The Wild Meadow by Beccles Common![]()
- a session for adults![]()
- with Forest School Leader Po![]()
- £10 single ticket, or £8pp Bring a Friend Discount AND discounted block booking available![]()
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Booking link: bookwhen.com/becclesforestschools/e/ev-s16n-20241113093000
Forest school goes all Japanese with new bathing brunch scheme
www.becclesandbungayjournal.co.uk
Beccles Forest School in the wild meadow by Beccles Common is embracing Japanese concept with a new session called "forest bathing brunch"...
At Stay and Play we got creative with wool and willow and made little reindeer. The children then asked for paint and beautiful items were created. One child wanted to make a trailer for the train so helped Po hammer a nail in. Porridge and mulled grape juice was served warm from the fire, and we sung a song about pine trees and talked about our Christmas trees! Jo and Po will be here for 2 more weeks of Stay and Play- don't miss out!
Tomorrow morning we have a wonderfully seasonal Stay and Play session planned for you all! ![]()
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- Warm your fingers with a special hot drink mulled on the fire.![]()
- Make a Christmassy craft with natural materials.![]()
- Learn a wintery song with Forest School Leader Po.![]()
- Enjoy sensory play in the mud kitchen.![]()
- Cosy up in the book corner.![]()
Plus all the usual fabulous opportunities provided on The Wild Meadow.![]()
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More info and booking: bookwhen.com/becclesforestschools/e/ev-sd5v-20241202093000Would you and your little one like to come along to Stay and Play this half term? Sessions can be booked individually, or sign up to the whole block for a discount!![]()
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Quick Info:![]()
- Mondays (term time, dates via link)![]()
- 9:30am to 11:30am![]()
- on The Wild Meadow, by Beccles Common![]()
- with Forest School Leaders Po and Jo![]()
- for ages 0-6* with attending adult![]()
- discounted block booking available![]()
(*0-6 years is the suggested age range, but we welcome siblings.)![]()
- £10 per child, discounted block booking available![]()
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Booking link: bookwhen.com/becclesforestschools/e/ev-sd5v-20241111093000
Forest School Kindergarten 🌱![]()
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The children at Forest School Kindergarten were highly engaged in a variety of activities today, displaying curiosity, creativity, and teamwork. Upon arriving at the site, they discovered an abundance of ice that had formed overnight. The ice was particularly thick, and some pieces displayed intriguing variations in color, sparking excitement and fascination. Building on their previous experiments, the children explored how paint interacted with the ice slabs. They applied different colors and observed the dynamic changes as the ice began to melt, noting how the paint spread or blended with the water.![]()
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Later in the day, the group focused on planting trees across the site. They used trowels to dig holes and carefully placed posts next to the young trees to provide support and protection. This activity prompted rich discussions about tree species, their lifespans, and their importance to the environment, with the children demonstrating keen interest in the natural world around them.![]()
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In preparation for the festive season, the children embraced their creativity by crafting Christmas wreaths. Using materials such as willow, rose hips, and conifer branches, they assembled beautiful, nature-inspired decorations. This activity encouraged fine motor skills and a sense of accomplishment.![]()
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To cap off the day, the children indulged in some messy play, joyfully splashing through a large muddy puddle. Laughter filled the air as they navigated the slippery terrain, with one child even losing a shoe in the process, adding to the fun and adventure.![]()
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Overall, the day was filled with hands-on learning, exploration, and festive creativity, leaving the children energized and enriched by their experiences in the natural setting.![]()
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We have limited spaces available in Forest School Kindergarten. Get in touch to book a taster session!
There's nothing that makes us feel part of the community of Beccles like this does. The Hungate Christmas Tree festival has trees decorated by the schools that visit us, the groups that use our site, and of course, our tree! The decorations were all made by facilitators and group participants, aged from 3 to 63. If you're in Beccles this weekend you must go, it's only on for a few days, then all the trees go to the groups that decorated them. Huge thanks to the church volunteers who make this possible!
If you are planning on shopping online for anything in the next month, please consider using EasyFundraising and selecting us as your cause! I have it as an extension on my Chrome, and it flashes up 'would you like a donation' every time I shop online! It is so easy. There is also an app. We have raised £400 since we signed up for this, it costs you nothing and everyone who comes to Forest School benefits from your donations!![]()
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You spend, brands donate to Beccles Forest School.
www.easyfundraising.org.uk
Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.
Just to confirm that Forest Bathing Brunch is NOT on today, due to the weather, but will return next week.
This week is National Tree Week, and today we planted 20 Hazel, 10 Oak, 10 Aspen and 10 Goat Willow with the Home Ed group. Only 13% of the UK's total land is covered in trees compared to an average of 46% in Europe. We've made a start on changing that figure! It was an amazing sunny day and by lunchtime all the coats were off and play was wide-reaching and fluid. We cooked muffins and crumpets on the fire and mud featured very highly on the list today! We welcomed a new member of the group and all got very excited when we saw a Grey Heron landing next to our dyke! #NationalTreeWeek #GrowATree #treeparty #treeplanting
Stay and Play got reeeeeally messy today, in all the right ways. The mud kitchens were chaos, the paint was spread and printed all over the paper, the crumpets were dribbling butter over chins, and mud was squelched in all over! Po taught them the "I'm A Nut" song which they were, well, polite about. 🤣 ![]()
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Stay and Play is for parents/carers and their little ones, and is every Monday in term time. Check out our website for more details!
Quite unlike the soggy Saturday we are currently having, Monday morning is due to be dry and bright!![]()
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Bring your little ones along to The Wild Meadow for a morning of nature-play, snacks by the fire and hopefully some marvellous mud-bathing after this weekend!![]()
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More info and booking: bookwhen.com/becclesforestschools/e/ev-sd5v-20241125093000Would you and your little one like to come along to Stay and Play this half term? Sessions can be booked individually, or sign up to the whole block for a discount!![]()
![]()
Quick Info:![]()
- Mondays (term time, dates via link)![]()
- 9:30am to 11:30am![]()
- on The Wild Meadow, by Beccles Common![]()
- with Forest School Leaders Po and Jo![]()
- for ages 0-6* with attending adult![]()
- discounted block booking available![]()
(*0-6 years is the suggested age range, but we welcome siblings.)![]()
- £10 per child, discounted block booking available![]()
![]()
Booking link: bookwhen.com/becclesforestschools/e/ev-sd5v-20241111093000
Forest School Kindergarten 🌱![]()
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Today, the children had an engaging and exploratory day filled with hands-on learning opportunities. ![]()
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They began by investigating the ice found around the site, smashing it in the mud kitchen, building ice towers, and examining the frozen pond and dyke, which led to discussions about temperature and why water freezes. ![]()
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Later, they created clay mushrooms while learning about different parts, such as the cap, stalk, and gills, and discussing various types of mushrooms. This inspired a walk across the common, where the children used clipboards to search for fungi and plants, warming up along the way. A stop at the park allowed for active play on swings and slides, further balancing the day with physical activity. ![]()
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During snack time, the group passed around a talking stick, confidently sharing their favorite animals with growing independence and enthusiasm. To end the day, they revisited The King’s Pudding, demonstrating impressive memory and comprehension as they retold details from last week’s story.![]()
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We have limited spaces available in this incredible group! Get in touch to book a taster session.
Beccles Forest Schools, in association with Beccles Town Council have adopted and planted two very rare Black Poplar trees, at a secret location 🤫 Nathalie and Po chose a spot which we think they'll love.![]()
Black Poplars don't grow well from seed, and were over-harvested, so in Norfolk (at another secret location) they clone the trees and release them in small, controlled numbers to secure locations. The location of the trees is registered using what3words and we have to carefully monitor their progress. ![]()
We take the role of caretaker of the site very seriously and are always thinking about how to improve it.
We are really excited to be preparing decorations for our tree in the festival again. As ours are prepared outdoors in the coldest wettest time, they are naturally mud-spattered and smelling slightly of woodsmoke 🙂 but we enjoy the process and being part of the Beccles Community. This year we are celebrating the Animals of the Common.![]()
The Lights Switch On is on the Friday, and you can view the trees over the weekend too. There can be queues so do wrap up warm to wait your turn to get in.