Last call for Swadlincote’s favourite pre-school nature playgroup
Regional charity Groundwork Five Counties has for the past year been providing free nature play sessions for children of pre-school age in Swadlincote. These groups, known as Wellies in the Woods, have been taking place in blocks of eight weeks since April 2024 and have seen hundreds of families take part.
The last block is set to start from the week of 2nd June at Albert Village Lake in Swadlincote, with registrations now open for sessions on Tuesday and Friday.
Rish Mills, Environment Manager for Groundwork Five Counties, says: “We have really enjoyed delivering this project in Swadlincote to local families, who are having a lot of fun every week.
“Each session includes story time with a different book, and activities are built around the story. For instance, if we’re reading The Gruffalo, we have a scavenger hunt for all the animals that feature in the book, and with Stick Man we create beautiful artworks with sticks, leaves and other natural materials we find in the woods.
“These sessions combine play with education and creativity. Children and their grown-ups can explore how playing in nature is fun, and learning about creatures great and small gives them a new perspective on the green spaces in their community.
“It also helps improve listening, reading, and socialising skills; all of which we have found has been more challenging for little ones born since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Some adults say that the children aren’t interested in nature to start with, but after Wellies, the children often want replicate the activities at home or in a green space. The families also tend to stay in touch with those they’ve met during the sessions and continue to meet up for playtime, which is wonderful.
“Wellies in the Woods is a lot of fun, and is a friendly, welcoming place for all. They take place every week with the choice of attending on Tuesday or Friday, with morning and afternoon sessions. We’re very flexible – if someone can’t make it to all sessions on their chosen day, they can change their day or just skip a week.
“We still have some limited places, so make sure to book your spot quickly!”
To find out more about Wellies in the Woods that are running for pre-schoolers between Monday 2nd June until Friday 25th July and to sign up, please visit: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/wellies
All sessions are free of charge, with funding provided by Derbyshire County Council Public Health Funding.
Groundwork Five Counties is a regional charity who have been supporting communities in South Derbyshire for years, through various projects including children’s services, energy-efficiency advice, employability support, habitat management in local green spaces, and much more. For more information, visit the website: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/
