Ideas for party activities instead of den building and fire making.
Woodland Learning offers birthday parties in the woods at Stanton Park, Stanton Fitzwarren, near Swindon and Cuckoo Pen Plantation at Coleshill, between Highworth and Faringdon or another location of your choice. The parties are great fun. They can be centered around any activity but the most popular ones are den building and cooking on a fire.
Adult woodland parties usually involve cooking on an open fire and learning a woodland craft. Please discuss details and costs with Ruth Parsons directly on 01285 750679 or e-mail ruthparsons@woodland-learning.co.uk
The children’s parties last two hours. They are for up to 12 children and cost £15 per child with a minimum fee of £150.00. This is payable before the party. This includes food and a drink and the invitations. The amount is refundable except for £20 if a cancellation is made 7 days before the party. The children are given a short health and safety and caring for nature talk before they go into the wood. In the wood they are shown how to do the chosen activity. They all go off and do the activity. We all then come back together and collect sticks and make a fire. We make hot dogs and toast marshmallows and make hot chocolate. Parents are very welcome to bring along anything else simple they may like to cook. People have brought bananas and chocolate and bread to toast in the past. We all sing happy birthday and if the parents bring a cake this is when it is cut. There may be some time for playing and climbing trees. We put the fire out and it’s time to leave.
We ask at least one adult to stay at the party. (2 for 6 – 8 year olds). Woodland Learning supplies the invitations. The invitations include a reply slip where parents can let us know about any health or behaviour problems or dietary requirements the children may have and give us emergency contact details.
Ruth Parsons, who leads the parties, is a fully qualified and experienced Forest School leader. She is CRB checked. She is a trained first aider and has basic food hygiene and tree safety certificates. She has £5 million public liability insurance. Each party is risk assessed, there is always a first aid kit on site and a mobile phone. Please note there are no toilets in the wood. Children have to go behind a tree. They tell an adult when they are going and when they get back. There is always toilet roll and a spade available. There are no hand-washing facilities. Everyone is given antiseptic gel to clean their hands before cooking and eating.To organise your party:

There are loads of wonderful appropriate things you could buy for party bags at www.kidsloveearth.co.uk