The BEING Outdoors CIC team work collaboratively with STREETGAMES and DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL to run Healthy Activities and Food (HAF) holiday programmes -we like to call these BEING FREE!
BEING FREE is a fully funded holiday club for young people on free school meals. Our therapeutic experienced team recognise the benefits of building a community in our outdoor woodland site at SHIELD TREE WOOD. We offer 3 full and busy days of child-led play based holiday club excitement, we therefore do not let drop-in/out days, so only join if your child is able to attend all 3 days.
Each day has a regular pattern; we meet around the fire circle, discuss what the young people may wish to experience on that day, discuss the menu and ask for volunteer chefs to cook on the fire.
Each morning we offer breakfast followed by free woodland play. Here we have soothing hammocks, exciting swings, sensory mud kitchen/cafe, surrounded by beautiful trees and shrubs. Our woodland site contains two tented shelters and one open fire circle parachute, the remaining space is outdoors. The young chefs, supported by our team, prepare hot lunch, for the community to eat around the open campfire.
Then, in the afternoon, free play in our outdoor woodland dell again. The natural woodland has a beneficial impact on our senses, sounds, smells and textures, and our practitioners use their experience and skill to encourage, where necessary, our young people to nurture their imagination and craft stories, develop child-led games, experience natural dye making and painting, nature journals, weaving and nature craft and tool work (whittling) too.
This is supported child-led free play and learning. Along the way, personal development of sharing, considering others, risky challenges and negotiating also occur. The BOCIC team’s aim is to develop the young person’s self-worth and encourage engagement within a new environment and new community. We are inclusive and recognise children’s needs as exclusive to the young person.
Run in collaboration with:
BEING Outdoors CIC 