Wee Skelfs holiday club

School holidays can be tricky times, juggling child care with the knowledge that your wee one just wants to run around in the fresh air. We might just have the answer!

Our Wee Skelfs holiday club is designed to let kids play in the woods and explore their natural surroundings. Our club is a little different than you might expect. We believe in risky play, an approach that encourages kids to use their imaginations, assess risk, and solve problems, which helps in all areas of childhood development. That means that we let our Skelfs run free in our woodlands - within a defined area - and find their own ways to entertain themselves. Each day starts with a run-through of the rules and a walk around the boundary, then the kids decide what they do. They might choose to build a woodland playground, make something in the greenwood workshop, paint something (or each other!), play long games across the site, or simply run riot in the mudpit. We end each day with a hot chocolate, and marshmallows toasted in the fire, giving the Skelfs a bit of time to chill out before heading home.

The holiday club is child-led, meaning that we don't pre-plan what each day will look like. We also don’t supervise the Skelfs 100% of the time, or provide one-to-one support. There are tools available for use in the workshop; Skelfs are shown how to use them, and encouraged to ask questions and seek advice if they want to make something in particular. Our leaders are on-site to provide inspiration, support creativity, and to make sure everyone assesses the risks involved in activities they are doing. They bring experience in the full range of green woodworking, arts and crafts.

Wee Skelfs is for kids aged between 6 & 12 and runs from 9.30am - 4.30pm weekdays throughout the school holidays. Each session costs £40, and we offer a 10% discount if you book three or more places at one time.

If you have any questions, check out the FAQs below, or drop us an email on hello@greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk.

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What is risky play?

Risky play is simply defined as activities that could contain an element of risk for children. This might be using sharp tools, climbing a tree, or mixing with a new group of people. Risky play introduces children to risk in a managed way, which helps them develop confidence and resilience, enhance their motor skills, and build their decision making and problem solving skills. We firmly believe that risky play is an excellent way to engage children and young people to nature, and to make them interested in the world around them.

You can find out more on the Play Scotland webite.

FAQs

Risky play is an approach which gives children the opportunity to access risks and manage situations. This is importnat because understanding risk is essential to development. Kids learn how to cope when things don't go to plan, and can learn how different approaches can lead to different results. This gives them motivation to keep trying, and a sense of pride, excitement, achievement, and joy.
We work with small groups of children (up to 16 each day) and always have two staff on site. Our staff are experienced with working with children and vulnerable adults, and are excellent crafters and teachers. All staff working with the children are registered with the PVG scheme.
We’re a woodland-based site with shelters and workshops set up within the woods. We have composting toilets and handwashing facilities. We always have drinking water on site.
Each day is different, as it’s up to the Skelfs what they get up to. We have basic tools available in the Toy Shop for all Skelfs to use; older Skelfs can use knives to whittle, under supervision. There are always plenty of sticks to play with. We also have den building equipment, paint and wool. Skelfs can visit the mud pit, and we go as a group if that’s what a number of people want to do. There’s also axe throwing, again under supervision. Skelfs often play long games, making the most of the area they have to explore.
We have a set boundary, and the Skelfs are free to roam anywhere within that boundary. As part of the regular routine, we walk the boundary with the group each morning.
Each day starts with a chat around the campfire, where we discuss the general risks in detail, along with how to avoid them. This includes things like tools, log piles, and the fire. When a Skelf (or group) want to start a new project, one of the staff will chat through how they plan to approach what they want to do, encouraging the Skelf to identify what might go wrong and how that might be avoided. We have a cymbal in the main shelter, which is a signal for Skelfs to return there.
All Skelfs will need appropriate clothes and shoes for a woodland site in Scotland. In summer, we recommend some midge spray and sun cream. A spare set of clothes and an old towel is helpful for cleaning up after the mudpit. Skelfs should also bring food and snacks for the day. A cup is also required for the hot chocolate at the end of the day.
No. All Skelfs should come with enough food to get them through the day. We have drinking water on site. At the end of each day, we sit around the fire for hot chocolate and marshmallows.