A group of children from Windmill Primary School will be exploring the woods of Skelton Grange Environment Centre during National Tree Week. The children will be getting involved in the 'Wild in the Woods' project, taking part in activities such as eco-jewellery making, shelter building and fire lighting, as well as finding out how exciting the natural world can be.
The Wild in the Woods project, based on the Scandinavian idea of 'Forest Schools', aims to boost confidence and self-esteem through outdoor environmental activities, team work and problem solving games. Wild in the Woods has been running for three years at Skelton Grange Environment Centre, allowing children from all over Leeds to learn new skills, get mucky and have lots of fun exploring the environment. The project has been a great success, with positive impacts on children's health, emotional well being, school attendance and engagement.
Skelton Grange Environment Centre is an innovative environmental education project in South Leeds, which is a partnership between BTCV and National Grid with support from Leeds City Council. It offers a range of fun, hands-on environmental education activities for schoolchildren which aim to encourage an interest in the natural world.
"We've worked with some fantastic young people doing this type of activity at Skelton", said Project Officer Amy Wright. "We've been able to give many kids from across the city the chance to play in and discover a natural wild space on their doorstep. It's great to see individuals realise their abilities and really develop in confidence over the weeks. We are very keen to offer this opportunity to other children, and welcome enquiries from school and other groups."