Embark on a woodland adventure with Mini Foresters, the enchanting forest school experience at Batsford!

Mini foresters is an all outdoor stay and play inspired by forest school theories, brought to you by ‘Mini Mudders‘ on our dedicated forest school site.

Sessions are suitable for ages 2-6 and will run come rain or shine, set in a wooded environment with a heated shelter for those colder days.

Your Mini Foresters will explore the natural environment and learn through meaningful hands-on experiences, problem-solving and getting creative!

What to expect

You will meet the session leader in our top carpark by the Mini Foresters sign, then it’s just a short 30 second walk onto our site.

The activities are designed with children in mind, each week we will take inspiration from books. You can expect anything from den building to tool whittling, to bug hunts, to sound safaris, woodland crafting and of course campfires where your foresters will love exploring the woods, collecting sticks and toasting marshmallows.

We have a magical wooded area, perfect for hide and seek, a mud kitchen for all those mud pies and leaf stews, our wooden tipis are the perfect hideaways and the balance logs prove a fun way for the children to gain confidence and a sense of achievement whilst improving their balance and co-ordination.

All staff are qualified group leaders, first aid trained and DBS checked. It’s a stay and play, so the Mini Foresters remain the responsibility of their grownups throughout the sessions.

Forthcoming sessions…

Superheroes of the Forest – 9th August | 10:00am
Calling all nature heroes! Inspired by Ten Little Superheroes, this session is packed with action, imagination, and outdoor adventure. Kids will create superhero masks decorated with foraged forest treasures, then carve and paint their own “loglet” sidekicks. With their grown-ups, they’ll build secret woodland hideouts, search the forest on a daring rescue trail, and craft mini twig rafts to save creatures in peril. Capes optional—but a sense of adventure is a must!

The Smeds and The Smoos – 18th August | 10:00am & 22nd August | 10:30am
Join us for a cosmic adventure inspired by The Smeds and The Smoos! Children will create magical moon dust sensory bottles and stretchy space slime filled with glittering stars and petals. Together with their grown-ups, they’ll cook up “space soup” in our mud kitchen, build rocket ships from natural treasures, and compete in a friendly meteorite toss game. Whether you’re a red Smed or a blue Smoo, everyone’s welcome on this intergalactic forest playdate!

Dragonfly Dreams & Butterfly Beams – 23rd August | 10:00am & 30th August | 10:00am
Flutter into a magical morning of wings, wonder, and woodland whimsy. Inspired by The Butterfly Dance, we’ll explore the beauty of transformation and symmetry in nature. Children will craft dragonflies using real samara seeds and bright beads, then paint beautiful butterflies from coffee filters and dolly pegs. Together with their grown-ups, they’ll create petal-perfect dragonfly wings on the forest floor, build leafy cocoons, and twirl through the trees in a joyful butterfly ballet. A celebration of all things that flutter, float, and fly!

For more details and to book, visit www.mini-mudders.co.uk/miniforesters