Our flagship nature mentoring programme for children and young people, Monthly Nature Club, happens every second Sunday of the month throughout the year. We take nature education to a whole new level as young people develop a range of skills from whittling to wildlife tracking. Our experienced leaders also encourage a sense of belonging and confidence in the great outdoors that can last a lifetime.
About Monthly Nature Club
Spending time outdoors in nature is a way for children and young people to connect with themselves and others, build confidence, and develop skills. Above all, it’s a chance to be themselves and have fun! We call it ‘mentoring’ because our approach is based on a model of teaching that allows children to follow their individual passions and interests in the outdoors. It promotes self motivation, genuine curiosity and empowerment. With a strong theoretical framework this programme brings learning through exploration, play and hands-on experience, taking nature education to a new level.
Our mentors inspire young people to want to find out more and experiment for themselves whilst providing careful supervision and support. Each session builds on the last to give young people the chance to really develop their skills and deepen their sense of self-esteem and confidence as well as build friendships within the group. Getting to know a particular place throughout the seasons brings its own magic as we learn to notice and engage with the changes and cycles at play.
Practical Information
We run a Nature Mentoring programme for children aged 5-12 at our beautiful Knott Wood site near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. The programme takes place on every second Sunday of the month from 10.30-3.30
On the day we split into two groups based on age. Our ‘Squirrels’ group is for children aged 5-8 and ‘Foxes’ is for 8-12s.
Sessions involve seasonally inspired and age-appropriate activities in small groups that invite curiosity, learning and fun.
Activities include…
Fire making, foraging for edible & medicinal plants, and campfire cooking
Wild crafts, whittling & creative play
Tracking, nature knowledge & ecology
Group games, Exploring, Story, Song & Chill Out Time
The model we use has been developed using our learning and experience with ‘the art of mentoring’. A number of groups using this model exist around the country thanks to ‘Cultivating Curiosity’ in Sussex who supported us to set up our Nature Mentoring programme in 2017.
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