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…

Stick Man
Date: 2nd Dec | Time: 10:00am
What to expect:
I’m Stick Man, I’m Stick Man, I’M STICK MAN, that’s me! Children will create their own Stick Man characters using sticks, clay, and natural materials, work together to build a large journey map showing Stick Man’s adventures with leaves, twigs, and stones, and decorate family tree templates with natural treasures celebrating family connections. They’ll play hide and seek finding lost Stick Men throughout the woodland, and build cozy homes for Stick Man’s family using sticks, moss, and leaves. A heartwarming celebration of family and finding your way home!

The Jolly Christmas Postman
Date: 9th and 15th Dec | Time: 10:00am
What to expect:
Special delivery! Children will create festive mailbags decorated with gems, set up a woodland post office to deliver letters around the forest, and wrap nature parcels using leaves, bark, and string filled with treasures like pinecones. They’ll build mini sleighs for Santa using sticks and string, and design nature postman badges to wear proudly on their delivery rounds. A joyful celebration of giving, sharing, and spreading Christmas cheer!

Paper Chase
Date: 16th Dec | Time: 10:00am
What to expect:
Follow the paper trail! Children will explore the lifecycle of paper from tree to finished product through a sensory storytelling trail, design and race paper planes testing what flies best, and make friendship letters decorated with natural treasures to exchange with someone special. They’ll create bark rubbings exploring tree textures with crayons and paper, and work together to make colorful paper chains to decorate the forest. A creative celebration of connection, communication, and craftsmanship!

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