Wildlings Forest School

Wildlings Forest School We aim to help children build resilience, connection and environmental stewardship through wild adventure and nature immersion.
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Immersive, hands-on programs across South East Queensland that inspire kids to explore, take calculated risks, and build resilience through free play in the wild, natural world. Wildlings Forest School was founded by Nicki Farrell & Vicci Oliver, friends, former High School Teachers, Home Schooling Mothers-of-two and Children's Rights advocates. LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST HERE
https://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/raising-wildlings-podcast-episodes

Sorry not sorry.Kids don’t need to be entertained, protected from every risk, or seen-and-not-heard.They need autonomy, ...
04/09/2026

Sorry not sorry.

Kids don’t need to be entertained, protected from every risk, or seen-and-not-heard.

They need autonomy, experiences and trust.

Because that’s what builds resilient adults.

Follow along and we’ll unpack more about what we mean by “risky play” and how to support your child over the next few posts.

In classic Brisbane fashion, our September holiday programs are mostly sold out; however, we have a couple of programs w...
01/09/2026

In classic Brisbane fashion, our September holiday programs are mostly sold out; however, we have a couple of programs with room for a few more children who would love some outdoor play and adventure! 🌿🏖️🏹

Swipe through to see what’s left:

🖼️ Nature Print Making with award-winning artist Katie Harris-MacLeod — sun prints, stick frames & a full day on Brighton Beach

🏕️ Cubbies at Rainbow Forest — build your own cubby town and play make-believe under the canopy

🏹 Primitive Weapons at Tillack Park — carve spears, bows & slingshots and feel strong in the wild

All of these remaining sessions are already half full, with 3 weeks to go until the holidays start. Bookings are essential — don’t miss out on your spot!

👉 Book now: www.wildlingsforestschool.com/bookings

29/08/2026

✨ Flashback to last school holidays, when the incredible Katie Harris-MacLeod 🎨 showed our Sunny Coast wildlings how to create their own one-of-a-kind nature prints using cyanotype (a centuries-old sun-printing process once used by botanists 😮)

This school holidays, she’s bringing the magic to Brisbane families! 🌿

📍 Brighton Beach
📅 Monday 21st September
☀️ A full day of eco art & nature printing
Kids will have space and time to play, gather, explore and experiment. Letting their ideas (and their artworks) unfold naturally throughout the day.

No rushing, no right or wrong, just creativity in the sun.

It’s going to be a fantastic day at the beach!

Book early to secure your spot 🌿💙

www.wildlingsforestschool.com/bookings
or head to the link in our bio

Beach Kindy days are the best days! Thanks for having us Country Kids Early Learning & Kindergarten - Brighton🌊Keen to r...
26/08/2026

Beach Kindy days are the best days! Thanks for having us Country Kids Early Learning & Kindergarten - Brighton🌊

Keen to run a Beach Kindy excursion at your centre? 🐚
Get in touch today and we can bring real-world, nature-based experiences to your children. Email [email protected] to book your Beach or Bush Kindy excursion.

26/08/2026

I rewatched Peter Gray’s TEDx talk again recently (it’s a goodie if you’ve never seen it).

We’ve been big Peter Gray fans for a long time and have been honoured to have him on the Raising Wildlings Podcast in the past. Peter is a champion for play.

In any of our sessions at Wildlings, we are always guided by the deep call to protect and preserve the spaces in which play happens in the forest. Not just in the sense of looking after nature, but in making sure children have the time and space to play without adult interruption or direction, because those moments that our children need the most.

Share this message far and wide. We must continue to advocate for more play in our streets, neighbourhoods, schools, p&c, after school care, kindy. Wherever there are children, they need more unstructured play; it’s absolutely essential.

Reel video from Ted Talks: The Decline of Play by Dr Peter Gray.

“Play is where children learn that they’re in control of their own life.

It’s really the only place they are in control of their own life.

When we take that away we don’t give them a chance to learn how to control their own life.

Play is where they learn to solve their own problems and learn therefore that the world is not so scary after all.

Play is where they experience joy and they learn the world is not so depressing after all.

Play is where they learn to get along with peers and see from the other’s point of view and practice empathy and get over narcissism.

Play is by definition creative and innovative.

Of course if you take away play all of these things are going to go down and yet the hue and cry that we hear everywhere is for more school not for more play.

We’ve really got to change that.”
- Peter Gray, Ph.D

Let’s talk about nature deficit disorder and what happens when our children grow disconnected from the natural world. 🌱 ...
25/08/2026

Let’s talk about nature deficit disorder and what happens when our children grow disconnected from the natural world. 🌱

Our award-winning School Holiday Programs are now officially open for bookings!What better way to spend your childhood t...
20/08/2026

Our award-winning School Holiday Programs are now officially open for bookings!

What better way to spend your childhood than in the forest, surrounded by new friends, new adventures and a whole lot of fun!

Here's what September looks like at Wildlings:

🔥 Learn to fire strike with a flint and steel, and gather round the campfire for treats YOU helped cook
🪵 Whittle magic wands and carve with pocket knives and green wood foraged from the forest
🛖 Use hand saws, drills and hammers to build shelters, dens and secret cubby towns in the bush
🏹 Make bows and arrows, stick swords and other primitive weapons from green wood in our forests
⛏️ Play Minecraft in real life at our screen-free Minecraft-themed forest school sessions
📸 Capture nature's magic with award-winning artist Katie Harris McLeod at our Cyanotype Sun Print Making workshop in Brighton
🏕️ Test your survival skills with Rick J Petersen from Season 1 of Alone Australia in Burnside, Sunshine Coast
🥾 Come home with dirty knees, a massive smile and stories for days

Full-day and half-day sessions available.
Drop-off available for ages 7+, across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Spring is our favourite season to be in the bush, and once you've been, you'll know why. 🌿

Spots fill fast! Book early to avoid missing out.
www.wildlingsforestschool.com/bookings

19/08/2026

In all my years in the forest I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t absolutely froth over some freshly popped corn.

It’s such a wonderful, hands on lesson in patience with a tasty reward that captivates kids (and parents) from the first ‘pop’.

Cooking outside really does have an element of magic to it. It always feels a little more special when we do it together in the forest.

Thanks Alycia for capturing this moment around the fire at Forest Kindy on the Sunshine Coast last week.

Would you folks like a tutorial on how to make your own campfire popcorn maker like ours? Let us know 👇

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Sunshine Coast, QLD

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