Dragon Tales Forest School

🍂🎃✨ The leaves might not have started falling yet, but there is already lots of seasonal magic to look forward to at Dragon Tales Forest School! As we head towards autumn and winter, we have some very exciting family events planned, from Halloween adventures and woodland rambles to cosy campfires and Christmas magic! (And visits from special guests- think sleigh bells!)🔥🌲🦇🎄

Here’s what’s coming up...

🦇🎃 Bats and Beasts Bash
Saturday 31st October

A spooky-but-not-too-spooky Forest School Halloween adventure for all the family! Expect a pumpkin hunt, bat crafts, a seasonal snack cooked over the fire and a Halloween story around the campfire. 🔥📖🎃

🎟️ Book Here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halloween-bats-and-beasts-bash-tickets-1997572350674?aff=oddtdtcreator

🍂🐻 Children in Need Countryfile Ramble
Saturday 7th November

Pull on your walking boots and join us for a scenic family ramble around beautiful Kinver Edge, raising money for Children in Need along the way! 🥾🌿🐾

🎟️ Book Here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/children-in-need-countryfile-ramble-kinver-edge-tickets-1997584206134?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎄🔥 A Very Forest School Christmas
Saturday 5th December

We’ll be finishing the year with a very special festive Forest School session! Make Christmas tree decorations, help plant our Forest School Christmas Tree, roast marshmallows, enjoy spiced apple juice around the fire and listen to a special Christmas story... with a visit from Father Christmas too! 🎅✨🎄

🎟️ Book Here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-very-forest-school-christmas-saturday-5th-december-tickets-1998745592873?aff=oddtdtcreator

Lots of seasonal adventures, cosy fires, woodland magic and festive fun are on the way... and we can’t wait! 🍁🔥✨🐉

⛈️Unfortunately due to the risk of thunderstorms, I am cancelling all of tomorrows (Thur 27th Aug) Forest School Sessions.
Please keep safe out there⛈️

September and onwards 🍃🍁🍂
🍂 A new academic year, some familiar favourites… and an exciting new chapter for Dragon Tales Forest School! 🐉🌳

I honestly cannot believe how much Dragon Tales Forest School has grown, and I am so excited to be heading into another academic year of muddy hands, campfires, adventures, stories and time spent outdoors.

As Dragon Tales gets busier than ever, I have been looking carefully at how I can continue to give each of our sessions the time, energy and attention they deserve. I’m so excited about everything we have planned for the year ahead!

So, here is what is happening at Dragon Tales Forest School this academic year…

🌳 Snapdragons – our weekly Friday morning Forest School session. First session back: Friday 11th September

Every Friday
9.30am–11.00am

Snapdragons welcomes toddlers and their parents, childminders and Home Educated families.

Come and explore the mud kitchen, giant marble run, swings, hammock, sledge, bug hunting, den building and much more.

Every session includes a snack over the fire, and while most sessions follow our Forest School approach, we do occasionally indulge in a ramble too!

🎟️Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/snapdragons-friday-morning-forest-school-tickets-1997561665715?aff=oddtdtcreator

🐉 Dragonflies – our weekly toddler group. First session back: Thursday 17th September

Every Thursday
9.30am–11.00am

Dragonflies is our Forest School session especially for toddlers and their grown-ups. Come and play in the mud kitchen, explore the giant marble run, swing, relax in the hammock, go bug hunting and enjoy plenty of child-led outdoor play.

Every session includes a snack over the fire, singing, stories and, of course, plenty of opportunities to get messy!

A lovely chance for little ones and their grown-ups to make new friends and enjoy time together outdoors.

🎟️Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dragonflies-thursday-morning-toddler-group-tickets-1997560702835?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌿 The Muddy Hands Meet Up – our weekly Home Education meet up. First session back: Thursday 17th September

Every Thursday
11.30am–1.30pm

The Muddy Hands Meet Up is a chance for Home Educated families to come together, meet other families and enjoy a Forest School session.

Children can take part in Forest School activities run by a Level 3 Forest School Practitioner, while parents have the opportunity to connect with other like-minded families.

And if you fancy joining in with the Forest School fun yourself, you are more than welcome!

🎟️Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-muddy-hands-meet-up-home-education-forest-school-tickets-1997560099029?aff=oddtdtcreator

🔥 Fireside Families – now a monthly themed Forest School event!

Once a month on a Saturday
10.30am–12.15pm

And finally, a little change to Fireside Families!

As Dragon Tales Forest School has grown and become busier than ever, I have had to look carefully at my timetable and how I can make sure I continue to give each session the time, energy and attention it deserves. This means that Fireside Families, which was previously a weekly Saturday session, will now take place once a month.

But rather than simply being a regular session less often, I want Fireside Families to become something even more special! 🔥🍁

Each monthly session will have its own theme, giving us the chance to celebrate the seasons, festivals, folklore and all the wonderful things happening throughout the year. Think autumn adventures, festive Forest School fun, spring celebrations and plenty more besides!

Fireside Families will still be all about spending quality time outdoors with the people you love. Pay for the children and bring along the whole family — mums, dads, grandparents, aunties, uncles, siblings and best friends are all welcome to join us around the fire.

A special family event to put in the diary, with something a little different to look forward to each month. 🧡

Our first monthly Fireside Families session will be an autumn-themed adventure on Saturday 26th September 2026. 🍂

🎟️Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fireside-families-september-tickets-1998748723236?aff=oddtdtcreator

All of our sessions take place at Bells Mill Fishery Forest School, surrounded by spectacular countryside, beautiful fishing pools and right next to the towpath… and, of course, our fantastic onsite café! 🍽️

I am so excited to see what this next academic year brings. Dragon Tales is growing, changing and evolving, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey so far.

Whether you are joining us every week, popping along to a monthly Fireside Families event, or coming to Dragon Tales for the very first time, I cannot wait to welcome you into the woods! 🌳🐉🔥🍂

There will be no session this Sunday. Have a safe and lovely Sunday Morning looking forward to seeing people next week 😀

A year ago today, I put on an aggressively orange T-shirt and a pair of dungarees and dragged a packed trolley into the woods (not an unusual occurrence for me!). But that day meant something, as did the orange T-shirt. It was my first session as Dragon Tales Forest School: me, running my own business.

What started as a few sessions for the Kinver Edge National Trust has grown into something I could never have imagined.

🐉 Several successful and well-reviewed sessions at NT Kinver Edge and the Rock Houses
🐉 Building my own site from the ground up (literally)!
🐉Started weekly toddler, home education, Friday morning and Saturday morning forest school
🐉Completely a childhood dream and brought my very own Swallow- proudly named Perseverance or 'Percie' on my first ever open weekend
🐉 Being able to design a school programme and run sessions at the fantastic Ashwood Park Primary School
🐉 Hosting birthday parties and working with John and Laura at the delicious The Breakfast Cabin at Bells Mill Fishery
🐉Brought my first power tools and discovered the magical place that is tfm
🐉Running a lovely afterschool club
🐉 Being able to run drop-off sessions this summer and having an absolutely wonderful time running a holiday club at Ashwood Park and Trailblazers at Bells Mill Fishery
🐉 Starting Witches Get Stitches, my fireside craft evening — a session for adults, and something I have wanted to do since I did my training
🐉 Adding two more schools to my books as of this September
🐉 Beginning to work with a charity that is doing things that hold so much value

It hasn't been in any way sunshine and roses (in fact, I have done a large majority of the last year in the rain, battling brambles), and goodness me, there were some moments (or months) where I didn't think it was going to happen.

I’ve been more knackered than I can describe, missed events I wanted to go to, been soaked to the bone and boiled alive in my own skin. My poor little three-door car is now self identifying as a van. I’ve snapped tools, broken one trolley and gone through four pairs of boots and three pairs of dungarees, at the last count.

But there have also been moments in the past year where, after a wonderful session, I have been truly amazed that this is what I do, and I have done it myself!

Thank you to Mum, Dad, Claire, John, Laura, Megan, Billie-May, Bella the dog, Susie, Ruth, Amber, Bailey, Rob, Keith, Heather, Sam, Tam, Nigel (and all the staff at Ashwood Park). If you are on that list, you know why you are there — thank you again.

And finally, a massive thank you to everyone who has been to a Dragon Tales Forest School session this year! I literally couldn't have done it without you. I am amazed every time someone arrives at a session, and even more astounded each time they come back.

Thank you for trusting me with your muddy boots, your wild ideas and your wonderful children. 💙🧡

So there it is.

😀I bloody did it!!😀

A year in business. Here's to the next one. 🐉

And who knows where I'll be wearing that aggressively orange T-shirt this time next year.

Are some of my favourite pictures from the first year of Dragon Tales Forest School.

🌳🍃This Week at Dragon Tales Forest School🍃17th- 23rd August 🌳🐉✨️📚🎣🎨

⭐️ Books in the Woods is our chilled out, Friday afternoon book club for 10 to 16 year olds

⭐️ Forest School & Fishing!🎣 Join us on Friday for Forest School at Bells Mills Fishery, then combine it with a 45-minute children's fishing lesson for a fantastic outdoor day.

⭐️Trailblazers has expanded! Our Thursday afternoon drop-off club is now open to children aged 5–13 years who love being outdoors. Expect den building, nature crafts, tool work, games, snacks and plenty of woodland adventures.

We're also running our much-loved regular sessions:

🍃 Thursday – Dragonflies (Under 6s)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dragonflies-summer-holidays-under-6-tickets-1990269593932?aff=oddtdtcreator

🧭 Thursday – Trailblazers (Ages 5–13)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trailblazers-summer-holidays-forest-school-drop-off-tickets-1990962278771?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌳🐉🎣 Friday – Snapdragons Forest School
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/snapdragons-summer-holidays-friday-morning-forest-school-tickets-1990269220816?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎣 Children's Fishing Lesson
https://swimbooker.com/event/919c76d1-753e-4835-a777-260b60901750

🎣 If you're booking the fishing lesson as well, please book both sessions separately. Use the discount code Forest_AND_Fish when booking your Forest School session to receive your discount.

📚Books in the Woods
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/books-in-the-woods-drop-off-session-tickets-1997558641670?aff=oddtdtcreator

🔥 Saturday – Fireside Families
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fireside-families-summer-holidays-saturday-morning-forest-school-tickets-1990269459530?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎨Sunday- Crafts and Games
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-sunday-crafts-and-games-tickets-1990316078970?aff=oddtdtcreator

We can't wait to see you in the woods! 🌿💚

📚🌿 Books in the Woods Club 🌿📚

Got a young bookworm at home? Or perhaps you’re looking for something lovely for them to do during those final weeks of the summer holidays?

Books in the Woods is a relaxed outdoor reading club for children aged 10–16. We’ll head into the woods, find a cosy spot among the trees and settle down with our latest reads — because sometimes the best place to get lost in a book is outside. 🌳📖

And we don’t discriminate here! Whether you read traditional novels, graphic novels, on a Kindle or listen to audiobooks, you’re very welcome. 📚🎧 If you’re an audiobook listener, just remember to bring your headphones!

There’ll be plenty of uninterrupted reading time, the chance to chat and swap recommendations with other young readers, some tasty snacks and, of course, a book-themed goodie bag to take home.

It’s a chance to slow down, enjoy some fresh air, discover new books and spend time with other young people who love stories in all their different forms. 💚

📚 Ages 10–16
🌿 Outdoor reading
🍪 Snacks included
🎁 Book-themed goodie bag

Book here (pardon the pun!) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/books-in-the-woods-drop-off-session-tickets-1997558641670?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note: due to the current conditions, no fires will be lit at Dragon Tales Forest School until further notice.

Bring your current read, your comfiest outdoor clothes and come and get cosy in the woods! 🌳📖

Please spread the word to all those affected by the Stourbridge fires

❤️ SUPPORT FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE STOURBRIDGE / NORTON WILDFIRE ❤️

Following yesterday’s devastating wildfire, we’d like to offer a little support to anyone affected or helping with the situation.

If you can make your way to The Cabin Café at Bells Mill Fishery, you are very welcome to come and have toast, a coffee or a breakfast sandwich on us. ☕🥪 Serving till 12:30 (noon)

If you need something to take away, we can sort that too.

📞 Please call 07539 002786 and we’ll do what we can to help.

Please share so this reaches anyone who might need it. ❤️

The Cabin Café at Bells Mill Fishery

The colander method works! So cool the eclipse viewed through pin holes in a colander 😎 Happy Eclipse☀️🌕

🌳🍃This Week at Dragon Tales Forest School🍃10th- 16th August
We will be powered by frozen and cold snacks this week! ☀️🌿🥶🧊

⭐️ Forest School & Fishing!🎣 Join us on Friday for Forest School at Bells Mills Fishery, then combine it with a 45-minute children's fishing lesson for a fantastic outdoor day.

⭐️Trailblazers has expanded! Our Thursday afternoon drop-off club is now open to children aged 5–13 years who love being outdoors. Expect den building, nature crafts, tool work, games, snacks and plenty of woodland adventures.

We're also running our much-loved regular sessions:

🍃 Thursday – Dragonflies (Under 6s)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dragonflies-summer-holidays-under-6-tickets-1990269593932?aff=oddtdtcreator

🧭 Thursday – Trailblazers (Ages 5–13)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trailblazers-summer-holidays-forest-school-drop-off-tickets-1990962278771?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌳🐉🎣 Friday – Snapdragons Forest School
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/snapdragons-summer-holidays-friday-morning-forest-school-tickets-1990269220816?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎣 Children's Fishing Lesson
https://swimbooker.com/event/919c76d1-753e-4835-a777-260b60901750

🎣 If you're booking the fishing lesson as well, please book both sessions separately. Use the discount code Forest_AND_Fish when booking your Forest School session to receive your discount.

🔥 Saturday – Fireside Families
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fireside-families-summer-holidays-saturday-morning-forest-school-tickets-1990269459530?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎨Sunday- Crafts and Games
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-sunday-crafts-and-games-tickets-1990316078970?aff=oddtdtcreator

We can't wait to see you in the woods! 🌿💚