I'm planning a party to open a small bt of garden......Help??

[KatyMac]

I'm a childminder/small nursery & I have just built a small woodland area for the children.

A lot of parents and different organisations have helped & we are throwing a thank you party combined with an open/coffee morning

I'm sending out email invites to people I don't see & small card invites to those I do see saying
"Welcome to our new
Woodland Story Telling Area

Help us celebrate with an
Open Morning 9.30-11.30
Wednesday 29th September"

I thought to serve cakes, biscuits (as home made as possible) tea/coffee & fruit juice (apple & orange)

There may be someone dressed up as something to cut the ribbon

But can anyone 'improve' this at all

I'm a Forest School teacher so I am biased but I would suggest some suitable activities in advance to decorate the area or during the party. You could make bug houses, mobiles, various "treasures" on strings to hang, Forest monsters (friendly ones obv). Autumn leaf bunting perhaps.

In my DD's play area in my garden I use logs as seating and a table. Could you get hold of anything similar?

Activities on the day couldn't be too risky as you'll be busy. So leave the fire for another day . Leaf rubbing, bark rubbing, glueing leaves, making woodland
pictures etc can be easily set up. There are also some nice outdoor preschool games but in a small area you might be wise not to.

We have logs for seats (well 3 in the area & two in the willow structure)

For activities think under 3's & babies

Autumn leaf bunting would be doable.....if we had any leaves - it's a bit early yet

I have my level 1 but can't do my 3 as the practical is in a 5 day block & I'm not well enough to manage that (even if my business could cope without me for a week)

I'll see if I can get any photos up of the area

Gosh, we're ankle deep in leaves here . Must be windy.
I am dying to make an ice bowl with leaves and edible flowers in, it's usually to serve punch but could you do one for your juices? It wouldn't last all morning though I shouldn't think

Pictures are up

Oh heck I'm due out

Catch you later

Lovely, I like the willow shelter.

How about making a scarecrow type figure and naming/dressing him on the day?

Hmm Ice - maybe

We like the bunting idea very much

Mini blueberry (or blackberry maybe?) muffins

I need something appley

Caramel krispie cakes

Is that enough?

dried apple rings
popcorn
hot (warm)chocolate
apple cake (I love apple cake!)
blackberry muffins a good idea
elderflower cordial
how about apples on stick drizzled with melty chocolate and sprinkles? Not the best sugar wise but lovely. You could use tiny apples and just a little chocolate - you don't need to coat them.

glad you like the bunting idea - i haven't done it with a class yet, just had the idea this week. Will use my DD as a guinea pig first but do let me know how you get on.

How old is your DD?

Doing craft (whether outside or in) is tricky with my age range - a significant amount of eating goes on

She's 4 next week but I have her doing activites that I do with years 3 and 4 as she's so used to it

I have done a fair few sessions with her age group and it is hard work. There's a huge varying level of ability and interest and even speech or potty training issues that make some outdoor stuff fine in theory and horrible in practice!

That s the problem I am having & when you add non-standing or even non-sitting babies into it, it becomes impossible

Inclusion is so hard at that age, outside

Yep, Forest school is nigh on impossible with most 3yo children so babies is hard.

For inclusion I would suggest activities laying and looking up at tree leaves or clouds? There are various activities that involve being at insect level, when they topple over you could pretend you're doing one of those.

If in doubt - mud soup or mud pies.

leaf prints - sponge paint onto back of leaves where the veiny bits are and press onto paper.

conker rolling - get a metal round cake tin and cut some paper the size of the base, insert. dip conker in paint, roll it around the tin. You get nice tracky patterns.

a ''footprint'' treasure hunt. Hide cardboard animal prints around and the children have to find as many as they can with their parents.

a welly splash - paddling pool with a few inches of water and some waterproofs and wellies.

Pin the tail on the bunny (use bluetack instead of a pin, obviously...)

Have a wishing tree - cut out some colourful leaf shapes and get an adult to write out wishes (or happy thoughts), hang the leaves from a branch.

Have a sing song round a pretend campfire.
Sing songs like 10 round pumpkins sitting on a wall
Autum Leaves are falling down
5 little speckled frogs
etc

's parents to write

Oh they are some good ideas too

I do hope it goes well