Swainswick Explorer Day

Swainswick Explorer Day - Come to us

A stunning, guided walk through stimulating and varied countryside, for up to 5 hours.    Children in walking groups of up to 15, with a Swainswick Explorers leader and school staff.

The children will walk to sites around Swainswick Valley, Solsbury Hill and Charmy Down on a circular route through varied and stunning countryside. Rope swings, campfires and dens are all set-up and taken down in-situ to help facilitate environmental play. Skills such as tool use and fire lighting are introduced with adult guidance and support and with stringent regard for safety.  Certain sites have particular qualities for different types of play, e.g. good locations for mud rich in natural clay, or woodland with good den materials.

Activities: There may be a special emphasis on campfire cookery and wild food if the children have expressed interest in this. Other activities may include digging for clay, building a dam, seeing wildlife, making a camp fire and keeping it going, forest skills, shelter building, using ropes for swings and bridges, tracking techniques, nature awareness and making things from natural materials. Our walks are all year round and all weather except when safety may be compromised e.g. gales.

Choose a focus for the day: We can design an Explorer Day with activities that support your subject or class topic e.g. practical mathes, practical science, geography, local history, Food and Farming.

Cost:

1. £220 per group of 15 children, each group with Swainswick Explorer leader and an experienced assistant.  This ratio allows accompanying teacher to take more of an observing role e.g. chatting informally, documenting or taking pictures. At least 1 additional adult needed, more are welcome.
2. £155 per group of 15 children, each group with 1 leader.  In this instance the accompanying teacher will have certain tasks and 2 additional adult volunteers are needed.   The accompanying teacher(s) may be given certain tasks e.g. supervising a campfire and we also need at least one other additional teacher/parent volunteers per group.  We welcome additional parent volunteers. 

• Cost includes materials, healthy snacks, campfire cookery food e.g popcorn, oil for cooking wild garlic bulbs, couscous, jam making & dough for baking bread
• Children bring a packed lunch. However we can provide all the food for the day for an additional £3 per person e.g. sausages, bread, ketchup, cheese, fruit, baked beans, biscuits, chocolate.
• If you want to book a series of walks throughout the year we can train your staff/volunteers and so may be able to offer discount on our rates.
• Prices can vary according to the needs and ages of your group. Please ring us to discuss your special requirements.

Timing:

Timing is at your discretion but a typical day could be from 9.30am - 2.30pm.

We’ll send you risk assessments for the activities and emergency procedures in advance.

We have CRBs and have teaching, forest school and playwork qualifications.  We are insured with the Institute of Outdoor Learning. 

Swainswick Explorers, Rachel and Edward Leigh-Wood, www.playingoutdoors.org

01225 858251, Rachel@playingoutdoors.org