The Glade Forest School

The Glade Forest School The Glade Forest School, by Belfast YMCA, offers a safe & inspiring space to explore, discover & connect with nature.

24/08/2026

The Glade Bug Hotel Grand Opening 🐝🐞

Come gather round, the time is here,
Our Bug Hotel is open — give a cheer!
For bees and beetles, bugs galore,
A cosy woodland home to explore.

With sticks and leaves and spaces too,
There’s room for every creepy-crawly crew.
So welcome, minibeasts, come stay —

The Glade Bug Hotel is open today! 🌿🐛🦋

🍂 Tiny wellies, muddy hands and big adventures… Acorns is back this September! 🌿Our Acorns Parents & Tots Nature Play se...
15/08/2026

🍂 Tiny wellies, muddy hands and big adventures… Acorns is back this September! 🌿

Our Acorns Parents & Tots Nature Play sessions are back at The Glade Forest School and we can’t wait to welcome families back! 🌳💚

Designed for ages 1–4, Acorns is a gentle introduction to the natural world through seasonal crafts, songs, storytelling, games, bug hunts and outdoor play.

It’s a chance for little ones to explore, build confidence, make friends and get wonderfully muddy while parents and carers enjoy the fresh air too.

Whether it’s your first time or you’ve joined us before, September is the perfect time to start your next outdoor adventure together.

✨ Come make memories, build core skills and discover the magic of nature at The Glade.

See link in Bio to book your space 🍂👇

Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming 60 families from local Sure Starts to The Glade for outdoor pla...
07/08/2026

Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming 60 families from local Sure Starts to The Glade for outdoor play and Forest School sessions – and it has been such a special part of what we do.

Watching parents and carers get stuck in alongside their children has been incredible. We’ve seen muddy puddle jumping, bug hunting, den building, campfire moments, messy play and lots of laughter!

More importantly, families have been learning about the benefits of playing outdoors, building confidence in nature, and discovering simple activities they can take home and enjoy together in their local parks and green spaces.

At The Glade, we believe that some of the best memories are made outdoors, and it’s been wonderful to see families connect with each other, with nature and with their children in a different way.

A huge thank you to our local Sure Start teams for partnering with us. We’ve loved having your families at The Glade and we’re excited to continue working together so that even more families across Belfast can experience the joy and benefits of outdoor play.

Here’s to more muddy boots, curious minds and happy families! 🌿💚

Little explorers welcome 🌿Our Acorns sessions are perfect for pre-school children and their grown-ups.Discover nature to...
07/05/2026

Little explorers welcome 🌿

Our Acorns sessions are perfect for pre-school children and their grown-ups.

Discover nature together through sensory play, storytelling and gentle outdoor adventures.

Upcoming sessions will be themed around:
> The Hungry Caterpillar
> Superworm
> We're Going on a Bear Hunt

A beautiful way to bond and grow together 🌳

Book your sessions here 🙂 https://www.belfastymca.org/the-glade

🌷 General bookings opened this Monday for our Forest School Summer Camps at The Glade Forest School and they're already...
03/05/2026

🌷 General bookings opened this Monday for our Forest School Summer Camps at The Glade Forest School and they're already HALF FULL! Many popular days only have a few spaces left ⏳

If you want your little ones to share in the Forest Fun over the Summer Holidays, please head to belfastymca.org/glade-summer to make sure they don't miss out! 🌲

This summer… let them explore 🌞🌲We love hearing what families think, and last year’s feedback truly stayed with us. Pare...
23/04/2026

This summer… let them explore 🌞🌲

We love hearing what families think, and last year’s feedback truly stayed with us. Parents shared that their children “loved the Glade sessions and didn’t want to go back to school at the end of the week!” coming home more confident, present, connected, light-hearted, and full of adventure.

Of course, fun is at the heart of everything we do, but it means just as much to hear that children are sharing what they’ve learned about the outdoors, building a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Our Forest School Summer Camp is full of hands-on outdoor experiences, from den building to campfire cooking. No screens, just fresh air, friendships, and memories that last.

Book now as spaces are going very fast 🌳

See link in bio

Mud kitchens, tiny adventures, and plenty of big smiles 💚Acorns is our laid-back forest session for parents and under 4s...
22/04/2026

Mud kitchens, tiny adventures, and plenty of big smiles 💚

Acorns is our laid-back forest session for parents and under 4s, designed to gently build confidence outdoors. Everything is child-led and completely optional.

Some days are all about wandering, discovering, and taking it all in, and that’s absolutely perfect.

Each week brings a mix of storytelling, nature exploration, sensory play, hammock time, and opportunities to develop observational skills. We often gather around the campfire for a bit of simple cooking too!

A lovely space for curious minds and busy little feet to explore at their own pace.

Click the link to get booked in https://activities.bookpebble.co.uk/activity/belfast-ymca-acorns-at-the-glade-belfast-c31aa2ae-26d5-474e-8347-927bc0b35b8d?_gl=1*e1edoh*_gcl_au*MTIyNTE1NDI1NS4xNzY5NDM1NDIzLjE4MjQzMzI1MDcuMTc2OTQzNTU3Mi4xNzY5NDM2MTgw*_ga*MTE3NzY5NjI3LjE3NjE2NTY3NjU.*_ga_Q91F0PQ6V3*czE3NzAxOTY2OTUkbzk3JGcxJHQxNzcwMTk2NzkyJGoyNiRsMCRoMA..

After-Schools bookings for Thursdays are LIVE!Don't take our word for how good these session are.... this is what a Glad...
14/04/2026

After-Schools bookings for Thursdays are LIVE!

Don't take our word for how good these session are.... this is what a Glade parent had to say:

"They both loved everything about it! From my perspective, they played like I did as a child-making a mud bakery, using leaves as money, making perfume, mainly just being outdoors. Whatever you did with them, it was magic!"

Book in for our Thursday After-Schools to give your child the weekly in-nature exposure that we know makes them calmer and happier. 🌳 😀

Click the link to get booked in: https://www.belfastymca.org/the-glade

As we are coming to the end of our Easter Scavenger Camp at The Glade, we can look back at a busy fun filled adventurous...
09/04/2026

As we are coming to the end of our Easter Scavenger Camp at The Glade, we can look back at a busy fun filled adventurous two weeks! 🌳

The Gladers have been so creative in their outdoor exploration & have loved getting muddy, searching for bugs, roasting on the campfire & making dens. 🔥

Our Summer Camp bookings will be open soon or check out our after schools sessions on Thursdays. 😃

If your child is not used to bring outdoors much, please don't let that be a barrier to letting your child join our Fore...
11/03/2026

If your child is not used to bring outdoors much, please don't let that be a barrier to letting your child join our Forest School camp this Easter!

Sometimes it's the children who are least familiar with the outdoors, thrive the most 😃

And you don't have to take it from us, one parent who's child attended our latest camp said

"Our children were made very welcome by the staff & other children & thoroughly enjoyed themselves in a woodland environment which they are not used to. As a result they have shown more independence and eagerness in building dens both in & outside the house 🏠 "

We are also lucky to have a large indoor space available & tons of nature themed games should we face any unsafe weather 🌦

Book now for Easter camp, spaces are limited. See link in bio

Address

56-58 Knightsbridge Park
Belfast
BT9 5EH

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