Laois Forest School

31/08/2026

🌿⭐ 50 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS!⭐🌿

What a lovely milestone for Laois Forest School — 50 five-star Google reviews! 💚

Every review, kind word and recommendation means so much to us. Thank you to all of the families who have taken the time to share their experiences and help other families discover the joy of Forest School. 🌳🍂

And what better way to celebrate than by announcing our Summer Review Competition winner!🎉

🥳 Congratulations, Anneka! 🥳
Anneka has won a €25 Laois Forest School voucher, which can be used towards any upcoming Laois Forest School event. We hope you enjoy choosing your next woodland adventure! 🌲✨

🎁 Want to be our next winner?

Our Winter Review Competition is coming up! Simply leave us a Google review before the end of November and you’ll be entered into the draw to win another €25 Laois Forest School voucher.

And remember — our winning vouchers never expire and are transferable, making them a lovely winter gift for someone special. 🎄🌿

So, if you’ve joined us for a session, camp or woodland adventure, we’d love to hear from you. Your review could help another family find their way into the woods… and you might just win a little woodland magic for yourself or someone you know! 💚

50 reviews down — thank you for helping our Forest School community grow! 🌱

27/08/2026

🍂🔥 Something magical is stirring in the woods… 🔥🍂

Join us at Laois Forest School for our 2-Day Samhain Camp — a wild, wonderful adventure for primary-aged learners! 🌲🕯️

Expect forest fun, seasonal crafts, games, nature exploration, fire, stories and plenty of Samhain magic as we celebrate the turning of the season together. 🍁✨

Perfect for curious, creative kids who love to get outdoors, get stuck in and make memories. 💚

🎃 EARLYBIRD SALE ENDS 31ST AUGUST! (link in story)
👭 SIBLING code can also be applied at checkout.

Don’t miss out — book your little wild ones in for a Samhain adventure! 🍂🔥

03/08/2026

As another beautiful Lughnasadh celebration comes to a close, we're feeling so grateful for everyone who joined us in the woods over the past few days. 🌾☀️💚

Our 3-Day Lughnasadh Camp was filled with wonder, creativity and adventure. Together we created heartfelt Lughnasadh keepsakes for the people who bring sunshine into our lives; experimented with magical invisible ink before revealing our hidden messages with a turmeric mixture; and ventured deeper into the woodland where we discovered fascinating creepy crawlies, signs that summer is slowly beginning to change... and, to everyone's delight, even marshmallows growing in the forest! 😉

Our Lughnasadh Toddler Stay & Play was just as magical. Little explorers gathered to enjoy "The Sun Thief", created cheerful sunny squirrel crafts, and were among the very first to test out our brand-new barefoot trail—feeling bark, stones, wood and other natural textures beneath their feet as they connected with nature in a whole new way.

Lughnasadh reminds us to pause, give thanks for the abundance around us, and celebrate the friendships, memories and simple joys that make every season special. Watching children of all ages laugh, explore, create and grow in confidence outdoors is the greatest harvest we could ask for.

Thank you to our wonderful helpers, Janine, Gerry & Niamh and to every family who chose to celebrate the changing of the seasons with us. We can't wait to welcome you back into the woods again soon. 🌿✨

📸Janine Henwood & Darragh Brennan

26/07/2026

🌿🌎 Every path through the forest tells a story.

Throughout our summer course week, our woodland became a classroom where teachers explored the connections between local places and global challenges. Together we compared Irish bogs and tropical rainforests, investigated biodiversity, built simple sustainable technologies, reflected on wellbeing through nature, and discovered how outdoor learning can inspire children to care for both people and planet.

These photographs capture far more than activities—they capture conversations, collaboration, curiosity and a shared commitment to creating learning experiences that are inclusive, hopeful and rooted in action.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to making this inaugural Department of Education-approved course such a success: our wonderful participants, our expert facilitators, our partners in Global Village, and everyone working to ensure that Global Citizenship Education continues to flourish in Irish primary schools.

We can't wait to welcome another community of educators back to Laois Forest School in the future.

Until then, thank you for believing in the power of learning outdoors. 🌳💚



📸 Mark Stedman

24/07/2026

19/07/2026

✨ What a wonderful way to celebrate turning FOUR! 🌿🎉

Happy Birthday, Erik! 💚 We were delighted to welcome Erik, his family and friends to Laois Forest School for a Woodland Explorers adventure.

From searching for fascinating insects 🐞🪲, to discovering a special birthday gift left by the fairies ✨, the children embraced every magical moment in the woods. There were plenty of bubbles, delicious pizza, birthday cake, toasted marshmallows around the fire, and to finish the day, a nature-inspired piñata full of surprises! 🌲🔥🎂

A heartfelt thank you to Erik's parents for choosing to celebrate such a special milestone with us. It was a privilege to be part of these wonderful memories, and we hope Erik and all of his woodland explorers had a day to remember.

Happy 4th Birthday, Erik! 🌿🎈🎁

📸Photo credit: Fox Photo

Interested in celebrating a birthday at Laois Forest School? Contact us now for themes & 2027 availability!

14/07/2026

Compliments to the chef👌We're always delighted when we order from The Hare's Corner - incredible food prepared with care and wonderful staff who can never do enough for us! Thank you so much everyone- we're so lucky to have you on our doorstep! 🌳🌳🌳

Vegan wraps 😋 👌 off to Laois Forest School

What a fantastic place for children to learn, explore, and grow. Surrounded by nature, it's a wonderful environment that encourages curiosity, confidence, and a love for the outdoors.
We're always delighted to deliver to such a great community. We hope everyone enjoys their lunch 💚
Thank you for always trusting us to cater for you all, with love from all the Hares 😃😃

01/07/2026

🌿✨ What a fantastic day back outdoors with the wonderful children and staff of Castletown Primary School as part of their Summer Programme! 💚

Today, we had the pleasure of delivering three nature-based learning sessions at the beautiful Castletown River and outdoor classroom.

Our young explorers became Nature Detectives, using their observation skills to uncover clues about the incredible animal and insect life all around them. From spotting minibeasts beneath logs to searching for signs of wildlife along the riverbank, curiosity was in abundance, and every discovery sparked exciting conversations about the natural world. 🐞🦋🌱

A huge thank you to Castletown Primary School for inviting Laois Forest School to be part of your Summer Programme. It's always a privilege to share meaningful outdoor learning experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, teamwork, and a deeper appreciation for nature.

📅 If you're already thinking ahead, now is the perfect time to start planning for the 2026–2027 academic year. Summer Programme dates fill quickly, so we encourage schools to get in touch early to secure their preferred dates.

Here's to more muddy boots, curious minds, and unforgettable outdoor adventures! 🌳💚

26/06/2026

🌍🌿 Growing Together Through Outdoor Learning 🌿🌍

In June, we were delighted to welcome educators from across Ireland to Laois Forest School for a Global Village Community of Practice Day — a day dedicated to sharing ideas, building connections, and exploring the power of Global Citizenship Education through the outdoors.

Surrounded by the woodland, we exchanged practical teaching approaches, reflected on how nature can inspire meaningful learning, and celebrated the value of bringing sustainability, active citizenship, and environmental awareness into everyday education. 🌳💚

One of the greatest strengths of outdoor learning is its ability to bring people together. It was inspiring to see such passionate educators collaborating, learning from one another, and leaving with fresh ideas to bring back to their schools and communities.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a positive and thought-provoking day. We look forward to continuing to grow this wonderful community of educators and welcoming many more to the woods in the future.




📸 Claire Glavey & Prateek Panwar