Forest School courses, outdoor activities, parties & events

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Why not get outside and try something a bit different with your baby?

• What?

Forest Babies are outdoor, woodland activity sessions, run by me (a qualified Forest School Leader) and based on the Forest School ethos. Each session is tailored to meet the needs and interests of you and your baby.

• When?

Forest Babies will return in the Spring/Summer of 2025. 

• Where?

Sessions take place in the beautiful Pine Woods in Harrogate 

• Who?

The activities are aimed at babies who may be sitting and/or crawling but not yet walking: roughly between 5-10 months of age. 

• How much?

£45 for the 5-week block

To book your place or find out more, please use the contact form or email enquiries@beyondthefootpaths.co.uk 

How Forest Babies came to be

I created Forest Babies because I couldn’t find it! I wanted to spend quality time outside with my daughter before she could walk but I couldn’t see any classes or courses that offered me the opportunity...so I made my own! A group of friends agreed to join me and, following the ethos of the Forest Schools’ guiding principles, we headed to the woods with our little ones.

As a Forest School Leader I aim to follow the guiding principles of Forest Schools. Both play and choice are at the heart of the Forest Schools ethos and you and your child are at the heart of every session, so I won't provide a definitive list of what will happen each week before we meet! However, here is an indication of the type of activities that we might choose to do:

• Nature 'walks'
• Den building and play
• Natural art and crafts
• Mindfulness activities
• Learning about forest flora and fauna
• Using tools to create toys for your baby
• Making and playing woodland musical instruments
• Bringing a book to life
• Teddy bears' picnic

I look forward to seeing you and your little ones for our woodland adventures!

What are the benefits of spending time outside with my baby?

1. The woods provide a naturally sensory rich environment to support your baby’s cognitive development
2. Exploring the outdoors improves your baby’s motor skills
3. Research suggests that spending time outside in the day can help your baby to sleep better at night!
4. We can promote language development and communication skills by tapping into our babies’ natural curiosity about the world around them
5. Weather permitting, receive an all-important dose of Vitamin D
6. Foster a lifelong love of nature in your child
7. Happy parents are essential for happy babies! Spending time outside, building connections to nature and learning new skills in a supportive environment can improve your own sense of wellbeing

Want to learn more about the theory? Try these links:

https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/why-spend-time-outside-with-your-baby-or-toddler/

https://www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk/blog/why-do-babies-need-time-outdoors

https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/games-and-play/benefits-outdoor-play-for-children