What is Wild Warriors?

Wild Warriors is our exciting outdoor nursery, which has a large hut, a fire area, den building area, small world area, mud kitchen, story telling area and plenty of space for playing and exploring. It also provides children with opportunities to use real tools, learn how to light fires, build dens and observe changes to the natural environment throughout the seasons. In addition to this children are involved in planting and caring for our home grown produce. Each day, regardless of the weather, we spend sessions here.

Wild Warriors is influenced by the forest school ethos, where learning through play and hands on experiences is promoted and encouraged. It offers children time and space to develop a range of skills through different activities in a natural environment. It helps to promote self-esteem, emotional well-being, independence, social skills and risk taking, which are all vital in creating successful lifelong learners.

Our sessions begin underneath the tree canopy by completing our daily calendar board which prompts discussion about the days of the week, the weather, the season and the months of the year. This is followed by a story which often relates to the children’s current interests or links to the outdoor environment.

Although learning and development at Wild Warriors is mainly child-led, activities are planned and linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). For example, activities such as collecting sticks for the fire and sorting them in to piles according to their size can support mathematical development.

After a session of playing, exploring and learning, the children gather around the fire for snack time and singing. We make hot chocolate and often make food, such as popcorn, bread, porridge and of course toasted marshmallows!