Camp people, please help me find a gift..

[SuePurblybilt]

I have a friend who, like me, teaches Forest School (it's kind of scouty, outdoor education for children mostly. Mucking about in woods ). She's very into the 'gadgets' that we use - fire flints, kelly kettles and the like. She likes to camp but I have no idea what tent she uses. She is also into watching wildlife and uses those bat scanners.She likes gadgets but not high tech ones if that makes sense.

Can anyone think of a good gift? Around the £20 mark, something that is useful but also like a proper present IYSWIM. What can't you camp or hike without?

I saw Terry's book in a charity shop window yesterday, I can use that. Or print out the infamous cock picture.

Am I allowed to say cock in Camping?

yy cock away

Ok so knife and 2nd hand TW book? Sounds good.

No, Knife wrapped in Terry's book (few pages of). Or I could cut the middle out of it to make a handy presentation box.That'd be classy.
Plus kitten card with stab holes.

She'll be right chuffed.

Oh God. That is GENIUS. A hole in the TW book like in a prison break out with the knife in.

Oh to be a fly on the wall when she opens it.

The stabbed kitten perhaps tips you over the edge into menacing especially if you put your request for money inside.

Stabbed kitten picture

Deffo deffo not a stabbed kitten

Brilliant thread, I've nothing useful to add.

Am very jealous at running Forest Schools, I want to train to become a leader but no money at school at the moment (or at home!).

You should scary, though it costs lots. I had some help with mine and there's a fund at the moment knocking about if by any chance you're a LP? I don't use it a lot at the moment, just keep my hand in, but she (my friend) teaches mainstream full time and does FS and is very into the whole lifestyle.

No, not a stabbed kitten. Book with knife cutout, knife, kitten card (signed by me in wobbly green ink). Happy days.

Sounds good Sue ( both Forest schools and the gift/card combo).

Loving the gift and card idea, need to see a pic now.

I teach in FS Sue, feel like I should know what LP is but I'm not sure. oops.

Sorry. By FS I meant forest school, by FT I meant full time and by LP I meant lone parent. I forget other people are not me.

All makes perfect sense now!!! Still want to look in to doing some training but cheapest so far for level 3 is about £690 which is still a fair old penny. Would love to do it next year but I understand the training is quite involved with a large portfolio to complete and we are expecting Ofsted next year (I'm sure they'd love it once up and running...me demented whilst trying to complete it would be less appealing.)

I teach in Foundation Stage - just to be clear!

Gawd, mine cost over a grand with Bridgwater.
The portfolio is not so bad, I did mine in the second year of my degree and working pt, it was fine.

Gosh, so that price is very good. And the woman who runs it comes highly recommended (and she runs some of it very close to my house, very handy).

Really want to do it NOW...you've got me dreaming again. Went on a taster day run by derbyshire and it was just fabulous.

Sorry for thread hijack.

s'alright. We have decided on the kitten/blade/wogan combo.

What's the course - over a year? There was a strong practical element to mine but they vary. At least with Brigwater I figured they're the original UK pioneers of FS so they must know their job by now

Do you know, I lied. I have some paperwork in my lap - am supposed to be dealing with it - and weirdly came across a very old bursary application- the course was only £750. It came to over £1,000 when I factored in the extra first aid qualification and another one I did at the same time so that's what I put an application in for a bursary for ITMS.
Not that I got a bursary for that, I got £150 towards it all

It is a year course (minimum 9 months but I think that would be terribly optimistic). It looks a mix of practical and theory.

There's a nursery near me that do it, they look brilliant and I really got on with the nursery teacher. Bridgewater seem to be largely based in the south, will have a closer look when I'm more awake.

So wish Ofsted weren't looming, would give me more scope for madcap ideas....not that that stops me when they've visited before....on the last inspection the inspector told me and my colleague that if we ever want to leave teaching we could be a double act on cbeebies!

Bridgwater go all over for an intensive week, then you can do a practical weekend six months later to be assessed. They travel to you to see you teach when you choose. They do go oop north.

But you should go with one you know, at least then you'l have long term contacts locally.