"This doesn't feel like a party at all....it feels like an adventure." Isabelle, 8 yrs old, July 08
Who are they for?
Anyone who wants to have fun playing outdoors in fields, woods and streams, making camps, dens, campfires and getting muddy. We can do parties for children from aged 2 through to teenagers and adults.
What happens?
Parties generally last for 4 hours and we do them on Saturdays, holidays (see front page for calendar) or after school on Fridays (April to October). Times range from 10.30am - 2.30pm, and then any 4 hour slot through the day e.g. 2.00pm to 6.00pm or even a party to end with a night walk e.g. 4.00pm - 8.00pm. We get ready, talking about the equipment we need to take exploring – clothing, food, water, shelter, ropes. We set off usually on foot, aiming for the woods. We walk through a beautiful landscape - talking and playing, collecting materials for the fire, concentrating on navigating our way through the landscape e.g. sometimes we have climb over and under trees and up and down slopes using ropes. When we get to the camp we settle in - build a campfire, set up rope swings and bridges for play, find an area to dig with trowls, build dens, explorer the woods, do craft activities, eat, visit the stream and mud slide. Play! You bring a cake and we either have it out in the woods or have it round a table back in the garden/house. Depending on your child's interests we can focus on particular themes e.g. cooking on the fire and wild food foraging.Taking some batter and oil and foraging for wild food along the way like burdock roots and silver leaf roots, nettles. When we have the campfire we can dip them in batter and put in hot oil to make 'fritters'. We can bring other things which are even tastier made into fritters like sliced apples or even sweeter things like making pancakes.
Parents come along aswell. We may give you some jobs to do but there'll be time to relax, look at the view and observe your children and their friends, getting to know their different characters. You are 'in loco parentis' whilst we are insured for all the activities.
link to Ben's party - November 22nd O8, turning 12
link to Joshua's party - November 8th 08, turning 7
link to Jack's party - January 24th 09, turning 8, we met Elfina on this party
What happens if it pours with rain?
The children really remember a party in the rain and talk about it for years! Good clothing is important and children should bring waterproofs. There is no such thing as poor weather, only poor clothing! We have extra clothing and we check children are properly dressed before we set out and loan them clothing if not. If it is raining before we set off we shelter, telling stories, playing games and when it subsides we go. If we are caught in a rainstorm whilst walking to and from camp we take shelter under an 'emergency tent' or tarpaulin, watch the rain clouds, have a chocolate biscuit, tell stories... If we have reached our camp in the woods the trees shelter us plus we have tarpaulins at the camp and a campfire so everyone can keep warm and dry if they want to. When it rains the ground is perfect for creating 'mud slides' down a slope. In our experience this makes for a very exciting and memorable party and the children really throw themselves into it. If it has been raining the sense of achievement is even greater at the end of the party because the children are proud of themselves for having overcome the odds and survived! Today was a good example of seeing what it was like in the rain. Read the diary.
Feedback from parents:
Dear Rachel and Edward, Thank you so much for the lovely party. I cannot believe how blessed we have been with the weather. I think all the children had a brilliant time and Henri is bubbling over this morning remembering all the things he has done with his friends. It was a pleasure to see how calm and confident you were guiding the children and how they enjoyed themself and get lost in their play without pressure and no "strictly organised entertainment". For Claudio and myself it was a very welcome break in a very busy time. We both realised how hard it is to only enjoy and relax when you are under pressure the whole week. Christina and Claudio Righetti, June 09
Thank you to you and Felix again and best wishes to you all. Just been onto your blog and seen the diary of Alex's party. Fantastic! He has asked if he can have the same again for next year! It was a wonderful experience that I know I shall remember for a long time. Nicky Watson, April 09
Hi Rachel , I have been meaning to write for the last week to say, thank you so much for running such a fantastic day for Jack for his birthday. He and his friends had a brilliant time and I have had so much positive feedback. It is the best party we have ever had! The children are still taking about it. I was very impressed with the professional approach you took, combined with your (and Felix's) very relaxed and at ease manner with the children. It was a pleasure to be part of it all. The frogspawn has hatched and the tadpoles are out and thriving in a pond in London! Kate Brian, Feb 09
Just a quick note to say thanks for a great day on Saturday. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, Tim or Thomas [or me!] I think Thomas had the time of his life, and so did his friends. The explorer day is a great idea and you do it really well. We also enjoyed the weblog and reading the diary. We hope to come back soon. Best of luck and best wishes. Anne and Tim Osborn, Feb 09
Dear Rachel, Many thanks for a fantastic day, I will forward any photos as soon as I can. Jack had a fantastic day and so did all his friends, Jack says he wants to come again soon. I will be in touch over the next week with photos. Many Thanks Again, Lynda Huxham, Jan 09
Dear Edward, Many thanks for your lovely write up of Sam's amazing day. I've forwarded it to all the mums to read. Sam enjoyed himself so much and stayed awake talking about it all the way home. Matthew (eye) and Joseph went to sleep straight away!! No arguments about bedtime tonight however - Sammy was exhausted. I think Matthew's eye is ok. His mum said that he had an operation on his nose and they accidentally superglued that eye shut! Since then, it's been a bit sensitive. His sleep definitely improved the situation however. Thanks so much again for making today so special. They will remember it for a long time. See you soon. Love, Louise (Sturt), May 08
Dearest Rachel, Sorry for not emailing sooner but lifes still very hectic! I just wanted to say many thanks for an excellent party the girls had a great time - they all agreed the best party ever which they didn't want to end! They wanted mud and you found them mud!! It was great to see them having such a wonderful time many thanks again Donna and David Clemmit - hope to see you again soon!! May 08
Many thanks for James's explorer party last week. A super time was had by all and we were very lucky with the weather given the saturday that just passed of constant rain! We all slept like logs after the party - adults and kids! So thanks again. Hope Edward is fully recovered from the flu. Regards, Tracy Darnton May 08
Dear Rachel, Edward and Felix - a very big and very belated thank you for making Gillies's explorer party so completely brilliant. Everyone loved every minute, including Ian and I..... it really was very special. It was so lovely to meet you all, and Felix's account was a real treasure. Pure magic. Thank you. All my best, Cat Maclean Oct 08
Thank you so much for such an excellent party yesterday, they all had a wonderful time. Apparently, Alice went to bed saying `it was brilliant, I loved it, I didn't want it to end!' They all loved the landrover, the fire, the camp and the darkness on the way home. William says it was his best party ever, and Katherine now wants the same thing for her birthday in January! Ann Thomas for William turning 8, Oct 07
Dear Edward, Thank you so much for a lovely party - we all agreed it was huge fun and a great success. I have had lots of positive feedback from the children. Tessa Stephens for son turning 9, Oct 07
Dear Rachel and Edward, Thank you so much for all the hard work you put in to making Friday a very special birthday party for William. The whole family had a fabulous day out from Grandparents to siblings, and so much less stressful than most parties I have planned over the years. The children all came back excited and grubby, their parents all seemed interested in the party and I would recommend it highly to any who asked.We hope to see you all again in the future. Rachel Awan, July 07 (7 year old boy)
Hi Rachel, Thanks to you and Edward for organising such a lovely day for Felix and his friends. It was great to hear Lily say that getting muddy was the best
time she had had in her life! And all thanks to Felix. Rachel Letheren, June 07 (9 year old boy)
I just want to say that all the boys had a great time at Milo's party. They all said it was the best party they'd ever been to. Milo was just so pleased. He had a great time. Thanks so much. We really enjoyed it and hope to see you on one of your explorer days.
Louise McCarthy, May 07 (8 year old boy)
Thanks for another excellent exploration last Friday. Everyone had a greatday. Can't believe we've lived here for 8 years and never been up Solsbury Hillbefore. Rachel Hollyer, April 07 (for 10 year old daughter)
Thank you Rachel for a lovely day – everyone agreed the best party EVER. Rachel Hollyer, Feb 07 (for 7 year old son)
Dear Rachel and Edward (and Rosie the dog),Thank you for a brilliant party on Saturday; Katherine said it was her best party ever and she wanted to do it all over
again on Sunday! They all had great time. Ann Thomas, party for 10 year old girls, Jan 07
Basically, it was Tom's 'bestest' party ever, and he totally loved every minute of it. andy and I also thoroughly enjoyed it, and all the children that went have said what a brillliant time they had. every bit of it was fantastic, which, I think, really showed on the day, with every boy being really enthusiastic, I think there were whittling knives on a few christmas lists this year! The only thing tom said was, 'i wish it could have been all day, and we could have camped out all night!' Jennie Hamer, November 06
Just to say thank you for an absolutely FAB party on Saturday – all the boys without exception had such a fun time (3 parents rang us Saturday afternoon just to say what a great time their boys had had), and some have apparently asked parents for whittling knives for Christmas!! Vivi Taylor, October 06 (boys turning 10)
(Sunday school party) Dear Rachel and Edward, Thank you again for a truly special day - I know the children really enjoyed it. It was lovely to see the children drawing connections between their surroundings and the Lord, and their pleasure at being free to run about in such beautiful countryside. I think you have a lovely way of trusting them so they rise to the responsibilities you give them, like the fire and wood cutting! I'm sure they'll all have lots to say next week about what an exciting time they had, and how much they learnt. Penny Faux, St. Andrews church, Bath. July 06.
Thank you so much for Saturday's explore day with Rhiannon. She had a wonderful time and the whole day was really memorable. All the other girls enjoyed it very much and gave Rhiannon very relevant presents. It was great. They were all very tired by the end of the day. Alexia March 06
Thank you for giving the children such a lovely time. They were all muddy, happy and had a great time, particularly those who aren't used to that sort of environment. I think Florian has had the best day...ever! It was great. Beth Fullen March 06
A fantastic (muddy) day! Excellent day, the children enjoyed forming groups and being allowed to get on with their fires, carvings etc. All loved it, especially the girls, who had never been on such a party before. I think all the boys had been at least once before. Jan 06
It was everything we hoped for. There was a good balance of learning as well as the children being able to discover things for themselves. The talk before we left for the wood definately got them in the mood for adventure! Jan 06
All the children found something they liked to do, from simply getting muddy, using a hand saw, swinging on a rope swing and poking the fire. It was good all round entertainment. All the children loved it. One child wrote Sam (birthday boy) a letter to say thank you for such a lovely day. Harvey said it was the best party he had ever been to. With the knowledge gained and the different experience to the norm, the experience is invaluable. Nov 05 .
Dear Edward and Rachel, Well what a fabulous party. I had a wonderful few hours and from all the faces they ALL did too. Full of stories of what they had seen, made and learnt. One mother rang me that evening because her son did not want his smokey clothes to be washed because they reminded him of his day. So well done and thank you very much. Card August 05
| type of party | length of party | number of children | age range | parent/s accompany? | When? | cost and more info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer | 4 hours | up to 6 children | turning 6 and over | especially if any children under 8 | Saturdays, holidays | £185, 1 leader, includes picnic |
| Explorer | 4 hours | up to 10 children | turning 6 and over | especially if any children under 8 | Saturdays, holidays | £250, 2 leaders, includes picnic, if the party is for a child turning 9 and over we can cater for up to 12, add £7.50 per child |
| Explorer | 4 hours | up to 15 children | turning 9 and over | recommended | Saturdays, holidays | £340, 3 leaders, includes picnic. |
| Explorer | 2 hours | up to 6 children | turning 4 or 5 | yes | Saturdays, holidays, week days | £100, 1 leader, taster food for cooking on the fire, not full picnic. Suitable for pre-school children on a week day morning. May not be available on a Saturday morning, please enquire |
| Explorer | 3 hours | up to 12 | turning 7 and over | recommended | Friday after school, e.g. 4pm - 7pm | £210 for 10, add £7.50 up to 12 children (greater number for children turning 9 only). 2 leaders, includes picnic. Depending on the time of year, this is a party that ends in the dark. An afternoon party where the light fades whilst we are out in the woods and then we walk home in the increasing dark, very exciting for the kids and each child could bring a torch for the night walk. |
| Night walk Explorer | 3/4 hours | up to 10 | turning 8 and over | yes | Friday/Saturday night | Parties that end with a night walk. We can plan a party to start in the light, having a camp in the woods as usual. Then the light fades during the camp time. It is a beautiful time to be out. We walk back as it get increasingly dark. We've also developed a route from Cold Ashton to Swainswick which takes about 2/3 hours. Depending on the age group, we can start this party in the dark (e.g. 7.00pm, arriving back at our house for hot chocolate and refreshments. This walk is suitable for 10 year olds upwards .The walk leads down into valleys, across boggy bits and streams, up onto Charmy Down. It is suitable for a group of 10 year olds upwards e.g. the party can start around 7.30pm and there is an option to sleep over at our house for the night. |
| Meeting a 'character' out in the countryside | 1 leader can be a 'character' we meet on the walk, see above description of 'Elfina' party or a character from Narnia. Depending on the party the character is the 2nd leader (add £50) or may be an additional leader (add £100). The explorer party starts as usual, walking off to the camp, then we come across someone (an actor in full get up) who needs us to help him/her with some task e.g. a character from the Narnia series who is visiting our world. We have a couple of colleagues who do this really well and engage the children, and are really funny. Elf Party - Help Elfina to get back to the Elfin World. Elfina has visited our world and become trapped here because she doesn’t know how to get back. She decides to call for help in the only way she knows – by using her music.Our group hears her drum and tin whistle and are drawn to find out who it is sitting in the tree.Together with her song map we set off to find the camp, where we will discover the next clue to get back home. On the way the children and Elfina exchange stories about their worlds. Instrument making, songs and Elfin magic writing will help us to discover the secret. | |||||
| Explorer Sleep out | 6pm - 8am | up to 6 | turning 10 and over | yes | £300, Walk out to camp, establish camp i.e. campfire, sleeping arrangements, cook dinner, 1 leader to remain with group. Other leaders walks out with breakfast 6am. Walk out. | |
| Safari Sleep out | 6pm - 9am | up to 6 | turning 10 and over | yes | Same as above but an early 'Safari' drive through St Catherine's valley looking for wild animals followed by cooked breakfast at Upper Swainswick House. | |
| Garden explorer party | 4 hours, e.g. 6pm - 10pm | up to 15 | mixed age range | host family and up to 10 guests | £400 - 600. £400 for 6 families e.g. 12 adults and 15 children. 2 leaders. We supervise child initiated play and play football, lay out games like babmington, swing ball. You do the BBQ and bring food and lay up a table in our tea house. We'll also build a campfire and you can sit around it on benches. We have a sauna available, heating hot rocks in the fire. We have a cob oven and can cook bread rolls could be in the oven just ready to eat. We can lay on more wood working activities if you are interested e.g. cleaving wood, using traditional tools. Suitable for older children and adults. Please call to discuss. | |
| Garden explorer | 2 hours | up to 10 children | turning 5 and over | yes | £100 for 6 children, add £7.50 for each child over that amount. Think of Zany Zone, but in a garden. We have lots of natural play equipment to stimulate child initiated play. 1 hour free play session, meanwhile parents get the BBQ going, lay up a birthday 'tea' in the sheltered tea house. 1/2 tea and then kids go back to playing in garden. 1 leader. You bring the party food, we supply charcoal and tea for parents. |
| Please call for more details and booking 01225 858251 |
|---|
The picnic typically has carrots, apples, cheese, bread for toasting, sausages (already cooked and ready for toasting), ketchup, marshmallows and something sweet like chocolate digestive biscuits. We bring everything with us. We assume that at least one parent will accompany the group. If you can bring the picnic, the cost is £25 less. If you do decide to do the picnic yourself, a list of what we tend to bring is below for your reference.
Picnic list. Here is a list of things we generally take on the walks and feel works well:
carrots and/or apples - If carrots, apples and biscuits can be at the top of the bag that would be great as we'll eat those first
some favourite biscuits
bottles of water for you all
table cloth
bread, already cut in slices
ketchup
sausages cooked beforehand , we recommend Terrys Butchers 01225 464655 at end of Walcot Street, they are a bit more pricy but absolutely delicious
cheese for veggies
marshmallows (FYI they melt if too near the sausages in the bag!)
tin of baked beans and bag of spoons to eat out of tin
some potatoes wrapped in foil for baking in the fire?
If you make up some batter someone can make pancakes (let us know and we'll bring a frying pan and oil)
Thermos of tea for yourselves
link to Ben's party - November 22nd O8, turning 12
link to Joshua's party - November 8th 08, turning 7
link to Jack's party - January 24th 09, turning 8, we met Elfina on this party