101 Ideas for Woodchips & ElfinsMexican Eyes

2 sticks

Wool

Bind together

Wind a diagonal pattern

Dream catchers

A green/ bendy twig

Make a circle

Add wool

Add decorations

Journey sticks

A stick, some wool

Go for a walk – wind findings onto stick

Use stick to tell story!

Welly Walk

Boots + double sided tape

Tape onto wellies...

Stick things on or just see what sticks!

Mud heads

A stick

Clay for head

Woodland bits

A play?

Sticky crowns

Cardboard crown shapes

Double sided tape

Walk with crown, stick woodland bits on it.

Leaf strings

Knot string to stick

Sticky tape other end to a point

Collect and thread leaves

Leaf bag

Nature detectives leaf identification bag

http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/download/bag_leaves.htm

Bark and Leaf rubbings

Leaf art

Lardy bird treats

Squelch up lard with seeds & nuts

Pierce yoghurt pots in base and string up

Squeeze lardy mix into pots

Bug Hotel

Bricks/ drawers/ crates

Bamboo canes

Leaves, twigs, nut shells

A quiet spot

Charcoal pencils

Peel the bark of a stick

(potato peeler works)

Stick the end in the embers of a fire for a minute or so.

Take out and draw (don't burn yourself!)

Bottle birds (take a bit of preparing)

Clean plastic bottles. Make 2 slits for wings. Make a hole for hanging string. Cut wings from thick card (check fit). Make beaks from coloured paper semi circles (like mini-witches hats)

Glue. Feathers. Glitter. Bits and Bobs. Permanent pens. Long ribbons. String for hanging. Small sticks for end of string inside bottle.

Assemble!

Elder beads (older children)

Cut some fresh elder

Cut to bead size (hack saws, saws or secateurs – one to one, watch those little fingers please)

Use skewers, tent pegs and sticks to poke out the pith.

Thread onto wool or string.

Or - you could prepare the beads, then little ones could paint and thread.

Feather brushes

A feather (cut to size)

A freshly cut stick of elder

Push feather into soft pithy middle of elder stick

Elder

Treasure box

Walk in the woods

Collect woodland treasure

Make a treasure box

Talk about your treasure

Bottle chimes

Fill glass bottles and jars with water to different heights

Use food colouring too

Chime with sticks

Flower pressing

Choose common wild flowers and grasses.

Check with an identification book first if in any doubt.

Fold a sugar paper in half and put your name on it.

Put a piece of kitchen towel inside the sugar paper.

Lay flowers on it. Cover with another kitchen towel.

Fold the sugar paper and pile up between some heavy books.

Keep for several months.

Open and discover how your flowers dried and flattened.

Use for pictures/ cards.

Sand art

Make a junk model

Paint with pva

Dip into or sprinkle with sand before it dries.

Mud faces

Use clay or mud to make faces on a tree or stone.

Taste test

blindfold

Selection of edibles hidden under a cloth

Brave tasters!

Try cocoa powder, lettuce, soft fruits, cold porridge etc

Dens Indoor dens Tarpaulin

Nests A few sticks Animal homes

Using trees

Campfire Cooking

Marshmallow sticks

Marshmallows. Stick. Fire.

S'mores

Toasted marshmallow

Place on digestive

Squash with another digestive

Sickly sweet.

Fruit parcels

Try apples, sultanas & cinnamon or banana sliced open and stuffed with a little chocolate.

Wrap in foil

Bake in embers

Stick pizza

Simple bread dough

Cut strips

Wrap round a stick

Bake over embers

Popcorn maker

Kelly Kettle

ParachuteWelsh mountains

Build up waves

Choose a few mountaineers

Tell a story about the mountains of Wales while children 'climb' the windy mountains.

Ball games

Roll the ball around – name the people as you go.

Bounce it as high as you can.

Add more balls.

The sun shines on

Caller calls, 'the sun shines on everyone wearing trainers'

All lift the parachute, any wearing trainers change places under parachute.

Space ship

Leader builds up story of space ship taking off.

Engines on (start walking)

Countdown (lifting parachute higher each time)

Blast off (children could go into middle and high five)

Landing (on alien planet – lots of water, mountains, valleys etc) Could adapt other games to be part of new planet experience.

Return to earth – as at start. End with parachute low – you could end session with this.

Sharks

A shark under parachute

Everyone else sits with their legs under parachute

The shark 'pulls' people into the water.

Scream as you disappear under.

Cat and mouse

Cat on top (shoes off)

Mouse under

Squeaking and miowing essential.

Cat tries to catch mouse

Keep parachute waves fairly mild – so cat doesn't get lifted off.

Active GamesCatch the cats (or dinosaurs & monkeys)

2 lines face each other 4 large paces apart

Label one line 'cats' and the other 'dogs'

Count and pace – 1,2,3

Leader calls, 'catch the cats' (dogs chase cats)

Anyone caught joins other team.

Octapus

Octapus stands in middle of space/ hall

Everyone else (the fish) lines up on one side of space/ hall

Fish swim to other side

Octapus tries to touch fish to turn them into more octapus.

Octapus 1 can move side to side. After that Octapuses can only move one foot and swivel around with outstretched arms.

Fairy/ Elvish footsteps

Fairy/ Elf stands wit back to group.

Group try to creep up and tap fairy on shoulder.

Fairy turns around to 'freeze' group

Fairy spots people who are still moving and sends them back to the start.

First to tap becomes next fairy.

What's the time, little mouse?

'Little mouse,' 'Mr Fox' or what ever the child wants to be. Stands with back to group.

Group call, 'what's the time little mouse?'

Mouse answers a time

Group take that number of footsteps towards mouse.

Repeat

When ready, mouse answers ' dinner time', and turns to chase others back

First person caught becomes new mouse.

Drama games

Shopping trolley

All walk around the space

Leader calls a number – get into groups of (roughly) that number

Leader calls an object e.g. shopping trolley

Group make themselves into the object (frozen picture)

Monkey

Sit/ stand in a circle

Choose a detective to leave the group

Choose a monkey to start an action

All copy monkey. Monkey changes action often

Detective returns with 3 guesses as to who is the monkey.

Dogs and Owners

My favourite game

In pairs, children decide who will be dog and who will be owner and choose a name for the dog.

Dogs on all fours at one side of room/space and close their eyes

Owners stand around edges of room and must stay still.

Dogs start to bark. Owners call their dogs.

Dogs have to find owners by listening for their name.

Gwerin bus

Leader tells a story, every time she says the name of someone in the group, that person stands up, turns around and sits down again.

Every time she says 'Gwerin bus', all change places.

Choose a new story teller

Family portraits

In equal sized groups

Call out a type of family e.g. family of monkeys/ fire-fighters/ wizards

Group arranges themselves as if they were about to have their portrait painted/ photo taken as that family group.

Circle gamesFox and Squirrel

A ball, a cushion (or animal toys if you have them)

Squirrel can jump/ fly

Fox can only walk/run

Pass fox round circle hand to hand (change direction as you wish) to catch squirrel

Pass squirrel by throwing, cannot go hand to hand to escape

Help which ever animal you have in your hand.

The sun shines on

Leader calls examples e.g. all those who brushed their teeth this morning/ everyone who has a cat/ whoever is wearing something blue

If this applies to you, go into the middle and bask in the sun for a few seconds

Change caller.

Giant juggling

Several balls

Sit/ stand in circle (easiest if you sit with legs wide and feet touching neighbour)

Leader explains 'you must always pass the ball to the same person – and passes the ball to someone, making very clear eye contact.

Pass one ball round one and a half times so people get the idea, then add another ball in – pass it to the same person as last time

Add more balls until it gets too messy!

Bat and Moth

Bat stands (with eyes closed or blindfolded) in centre of circle

3 or 4 moths flit about in circle.

When bat calls 'bat', moths must answer 'moth'

Bat tries to catch a moth.

Hoop pass

Standing circle, with a hoola hoop hanging from someone's arm.

Pass the hoop round the circle without letting go of hands

Hummingbird

Children spread out on all fours in a large area/ hall

Close eyes

Leader choses a 'humming bird' by tapping gently on shoulder

All start crawling, except hummingbird who stays still humming gently.

When you bump into someone, listen.

If they are humming, stick to them, stay still and start humming too.

You should end up with one humming pile of children!

Open eyes to see shape

A relaxing way to end a session.

Sardines

Hide and seek, where the seekers join the hider and help to hide.

Should end up with everyone together in a small space.

Knots

Stand in a tight circle with eyes closed.

Reach out hands and take hands with 2 other hands across the circle

Open eyes and gently pull back.

Can you untangle yourselves without letting go?

Web of Life

Hold the end of a ball of wool and throw the ball to another person across the circle. Say the name of an animal/ plant as you do.

Next person holds the wool so it is stretched taught between you, then throws the ball to someone else, adding another name.

When you have a 'web' try removing various animals and plant to see how the web of life collapses.

Woodchip overboard!

All stand in middle of space

Label sides of room/ space 'North, South, East West'

Group follows leaders commands

Add in extras such as 'Woodchip overboard' – pick someone up'

Lifeboat – join hands in a circle

'Climb the rigging' – mime climbin

Make up your own.

CraftFree painting

Lots of paint

Lots of paper

Lots of brushes

Paint outdoors

Paint on stones

Use leaves, twigs, feathers

50/50 pva & paint works on shiny surfaces too.

Sticking and glueing

Glue

Paper, card, boxes

Bits and bobs

Cloth

Papier mache

50/50 pva and water

Tissue paper/ newspaper

Junk models/ balloons/ willow frames

Build up layers

Hand and foot prints

Trays with paints in

Outdoor space

Big paper roll

Water tray and grass/ towels for after

Giant picture

Give individual pieces to each child on a theme – connect all together at the end to make a giant picture.

Banner

Work together to make a banner – collage, paint or print.

Willow Willow shapes

Soak dry willow for 5 days before use.

Bend into required shape, use masking tape to bind

Cover with pva'd tissue paper as for lanterns

Possible shapes – moon, star, wings, circle, fish

Decorate with different coloured tissue paper, ribbons, wool, glitter

Lanterns

Make a frame from fresh or 5-days-soaked willow.

Use masking tape for strength

Cover with strips of double/ wet strength tissue paper dipped in a 20% pva/ 80% water mix.

Leave to dry

Attach a jam jar lid or small glass jar for a candle or use a glow stick or torch

Cut a hole at the top for the heat to escape

Crowns

Twist fresh willow into a ring.

Fit round head

Decorate with leaves, flowers, feathers

Birch also works well

Tee-pee

Tie three tall sticks together near the top.

Pull apart into a teepee shape

Stick into ground

Cover with sheet/ blanket/ tarp.

Wand

Cut a fresh piece of willow.

Bend a bit to get it ready

Fold into a star shape at one end

Flour trail

one adult or one team lay a trail using flour

The others follow

Tracking and trailing

Ramble/ walk

Skim stones on the way

Birds and worms

Hide small lengths of wool (worms)

Children (birds) find the worms and bring back to nest/ base.

Try to find all the different colours.

Palm-tree

Draw over the lines in your palm.

Lie on the floor and find a tree shape that matches.

This is your palm-tree.

Tree friends

Pairs take turns to lead each other blindfolded to a tree.

Return to start, remove blindfold and try to find your tree friend again.

Plate head puppets

Paper plates

Sticks, tape, string

Wool, cloth, google eyes, bits and bobs, glue, paint

Decorate your face, attach to stick with tape

Add cloth for a robe/cloak to hide your hand.

Wind vane

Pencil with rubber on end

Yoghurt pot/ plastic cup

Pins

Straws

Thin card

Cut a square of card and label each corner NSE& W

Make a hole in the pot and through the middle of the paper

Push the pencil through

Tape a triangle of card to each end of a straw and pin through the middle into the pencil rubber.

Salt dough

90g white, 60g salt, 2 tsp oil

Mix with enough water to make a firm dough.

Use straight away. Leave to dry for a few days before painting

Play dough

1 cup flour, ½ cup salt

1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil

2 tsp cream of tartar

Food colouring

Mix in a saucepan, heat gently and stir until it starts to get play-doughy (not long)

Tip onto a clean surface and knead

Keeps for ages in airtight tub

Can be made out and about on a gas stove/ fire embers.

Stink sacks/ Herb bags

Colour scented flowers, leaves and seed heads

Identify it first if unsure

Cut squares of muslin

Choose flowers and herbs

Sprinkle onto muslin

Draw together and tie with ribbon

Hang in bath under tap for scented bath

Paper cranes

Eat this?Crispy cakes

Melt chocolate

Add cornflakes/ rice crispies

Set in fridge

OR

50g marg, 25g sugar, 2 tbsp golden syrup, 25g cocoa powder

Mix in pan over gentle heat

Tip cornflakes or crispies into pan

Set in cake cases

Vegan friendly!

Flapjacks

225g oats, 100g marg, 25g sugar, 2 tbsp golden syrup, pinch of salt

Heat marg, sugar and syrup to melt

Pour onto oats and salt

Press into a greased baking tray

30mins until golden brown at 180C/ 350F/ gas 4

Wild berry smoothie

Pick berries (stick to blue berry, blackberry or others that you know are safe)

Blend with apples in a blender or juicer

Or smush into bananas and milk with a potato masher for wild berry milkshake.

Mud pies (don't eat this either!

Find an old cupcake tray or some little pots

Fill with mud, leave, flowers and bits

Decorate

Woodland scent (don't eat this)

Give everyone a jam jar or plastic container with lid

Collect leave, flowers, earth

Add a little water

Shake and sniff.

Peace words

Stick a happy face on one tree/ wall and a sad face on another.

Children stand between the trees

Call out words from a prepared list

Children go to stand by the face they think fits best.

If they are not sure or think it could be happy or sad – stand in the middle

Fighting, friendship, gun, holding hands, smiling, playing, shooting, laughter, having fun, getting hurt, bullying, feeling safe, war...

You could add in some less serious ones too... Marmite, squirrels, toys, Spider-man, Mondays...

Rainbows

Make rainbows in many ways to symbolise peace, equality, gay pride, cultural diversity

Gwerin symbol

Make from pebbles on the beach

Paint on cloth

Collage

Face paint on each other

Discuss the trees, sun, colours.

Three wishes

In the circle or as pictures

You have three wishes – one for yourself, one for a friend and one for the world

Friendship bracelets

Wool and beads

Wrap the end of wool in celotape so it has a point that will go through beads

When its made – give it to a friend.

InstrumentsShakers

Any pot

Beads, rice, pebbles, twigs

Fix on a lid or make one with paper/ tape

Shake

Wind chimes

Use a coat hanger

Attach things that chime e.g. fork, spoon, plastic bottle, pieces of wood

You could add bottle tops threaded onto string

Hang up somewhere windy.

Rain stick

Poster/ cloth tube (ask in a material shop for finished ones)

Twist up newspaper, stuff into tube

Pour in dried beans, rice, pebbles

Seal the top

Elastic band guitar

Shoe box, Selection of elastic bands, Kitchen roll tube

Draw a circle inside the middle of box, stretch bands of different thicknesses and lengths around the box

Attach the tube for the guitar neck. Decorate your guitar

Each band should make a different sound as it is plucked.

Music wall

Bring pots, pans, wooden spoons, old grills, bits of wood, shakers

Tie with string onto tree, railings or fence

Make some noise

Action songsJohn Brown's Donkey

John Brown's donkey had an elasticated tail x3

And he kept on jumping up and down

Jumpy, jumpy, jumpy, jumpy. Jumpy, jumpy, jumpy, jumpy. Jumpy, jumpy, jumpy, jumpy.

And he kept on jumping up and down.

Cross an arm across your chest on 'John' and 'Brown'

Make ear signals with 2 fingers from each hand on 'donkey'

Pull stretchy elastic in front of you on 'elasticated', then wave hand behind you for tail

Jump up and down for the rest.

Repeat, replacing actions for words until you are only acting and jumping.

Exhausting!

Mime the actions:

When I was one I sucked my thumb the day I went to sea, I climbed aboard a pirate ship and the captain said to me, “We're going this way, that way [sway both ways) over the Irish sea [make waves with hands] With a bottle of rum [I sometimes say 'milk' – mime drinking], to fill up my tum [rubbing tummy] and that's the life for me [slap thigh]

When I was two I buckled my shoe... and the rest

3 – banged knee, 4 – opened the door, 5 – still alive, 6 – picked up sticks, 7 – sailed past Devon, 8 – I was captain's mate, 9 – drew a line

Until 10 – I did it again...

Mime actions:

Elephant on a bicycle

What's that I hear up in the attic, it is an elephant, riding on a bicycle, it is an elephant, all slim and elegant, with a trunk out here and a tail out there.

Repeat, replacing words with actions

Penguin song

Have you ever seen a penguin come to tea?

Take a look at me, a penguin you will see.

Penguin's attention. Penguin's salute

Repeat, adding extra penguin actions until you are all waddling around with your tongues out