Woodchips is where the Woodcraft Folk starts, with our youngest members who are under six; an opportunity for you and your young family to get out and about and enjoy the elements.
At Woodchips we play games, tell stories, sing songs and make things, and in warmer weather we go camping with the older groups. We are based at the Community Garden but often run sessions in the other nearby green spaces; Wanstead Flats, West Ham Park, Wanstead Park…
Introducing Woodcraft Folk values
We try to choose activities that help our youngest members begin to absorb some of the ethos of the Woodcraft Folk – equality, cooperation, peace and friendship.
Parents join in too
Because we encourage parents and carers to get involved, rather than using Woodchips as a drop-off playgroup, there are usually more men involved than in traditional playgroup settings.
Parents help out on a rota basis and are encouraged along with their children to get involved in planning our activities.
Everybody’s equal
We encourage the children to play and learn collectively – this is one place where they don’t have to be the best, the fastest or the smartest. Every child is valued equally and this helps the children learn to practice fairness themselves.
What do we do?
These are the kinds of things Woodchips get up to from week to week:
- planting bulbs or seeds
- making lanterns
- making bread
- singing songs and playing instruments, maybe ones they’ve made
- going for walks, perhaps at night to see how different the world feels in the dark
- learning about flowers and insects
- painting and pottery, mask-making etc
If you have photos to share of this project or others please do send them to us…
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