Local Events
Let nature spark the play!
Local Events in South East London
Nurturing Wild offers fun, nature-based outdoor learning through play sessions in South-East London, for families with children aged under five. Sessions take place during term time at two beautiful green sites: Sydenham Garden and Beckenham Place Park.
Event times
Monday Mornings
10am-11:30am at
Sydenham Garden
(term time only)
£14 full price, sibling £9
Block booking discounted rate: £10 a session, £8 per sibling
Wednesday Mornings
10am-11:15am at
Beckenham Place Park
(term time only)
£10 full price, sibling £8
Block booking discounted rate: £8 a session, £8 per sibling
Saturday Mornings
9:30am-11am at
Sydenham Garden
(monthly)
£15 full price, sibling £10
Bookings
Who these sessions are for: Nurturing Wild family nature play sessions are aimed at children aged 12 months – 5 years. (We recommend from when your child is mobile on foot). Forest School tools are introduced from age 2 years+
Siblings under 12 months in a sling are welcome to attend for free.
Locations
Nurturing Wild sessions take place at two beautiful green sites in South East London
Sydenham Garden
Sydenham Garden is a nature reserve full of wildlife with a pond and woods. You can also explore a vegetable allotment tended by the Sydenham Garden charity team.
Address: 28A Wynell Road, London, SE23 2LW
(Please note: Sydenham Garden have 2 sites. We meet at Wynell Road not De Frene Road)
Parking: there is free parking available on the road and surrounding area, subject to availability. This is a residential area with access to driveways needed, so please park considerately.
Nearby bus routes: 75 bus at Dacres Wood (stops W and X)
Nearest train station: Sydenham overground station
Meeting point: Walk through the main wooden gate from the street and follow the path up to the metal gate. Please use the wooden side gate to gain access in and out of the garden on the right-hand side of the main building.
Beckenham Place Park
Beckenham Place Park is home to a lake and ancient woodland.
Address: Beckenham Hill Road, Beckenham, BR3 5SY
Visitor car park address: Capital Ring, Beckenham BR3 1UL
Car parking is very limited and charged by the hour via the parking app PayByPhone.
The car park address is Capital Ring, Beckenham BR3 1UL.
Parking Location number – 803754
Nearby bus routes: 54
Nearest train station: Beckenham Junction station (trains and tram), Beckenham Hill station
Meeting point: Sessions are based under the trees within the fenced area, by the giant squirrel statue! Located near the volunteer gardener’s cottage and sandpit in the children’s playground.
The location pin below takes you to the children’s playground which is near to our meeting point.
Meet the team
Harry Hedgehog
Harry joins our sessions each week singing our hello song, reminding us ‘No pick! No lick!’ and helps bring a smile to the children’s faces
Julia Packwood
Nurturing Wild sessions are led by Julia Packwood, who has over 20 years’ experience working in education. She is an early years’ consultant, qualified primary school teacher and Level 3 Forest School leader. Julia is DBS checked and is paediatric and outdoor first aid trained.
Jane Lewis
On Mondays, Nurturing Wild sessions are led by Julia Packwood and Jane Lewis, a qualified child art and play therapist. She teaches a parent and child wellbeing breathing exercise and leads a mindful nature walk each week. She is DBS checked.
Session Outline
What to expect at a family nature play session
A range of early years activities are set up in the outdoor space. We encourage the children to play by following their own curiosities and interests. The main ethos is to encourage families to explore the beautiful site and connect with nature.
Activities include:
Messy art play such as mud painting with sticks
Mud kitchen play with natural ‘ingredients’ e.g. pinecones
Nature craft activity such as exploring clay with natural found ‘treasures’
Looking for minibeasts with magnifying glasses, bug pots and spotter sheets
Seasonal and nature themed scavenger hunts
Small world imaginative play with dinosaurs or animals in the mud!
Using tools for woodcraft (led by Julia) *minimum age 2 years+
Reading book ‘nook’
Each week a different high-quality nature themed picture book is read aloud (often including many of Julia’s puppets!). We play games such as hide-and-seek, parachute play and bubbles!
Families are encouraged to help tidy away the activities before the session ends. This helps children to be aware that a transition is taking place, near the end of the session. Tidying is also a great opportunity for maths sorting skills!
Health and safety
IMPORTANT:
At Nurturing Wild Ltd, we follow the Forest School approach which embraces the ethos of allowing children to take manageable risks during their play, e.g. balancing on logs. By booking and attending a Nurturing Wild session, you accept that there is an element of risky play, and that you are happy for your child to proceed.
Please note that during the session parents/carers are responsible for supervising their child at all times.
Mobile Phones and cameras: At Nurturing Wild we understand that parents and carers may wish to take photos or a video of their child during a session. Please do not share or post images on social media platforms, e.g. Facebook, unless you have permission of all the people in the image. Please note that Nurturing Wild cannot, however, be held accountable for photographs or video footage taken by other parents or members of the public during the session.
What my clients say
My son and I have been taking part in Nurturing Wild sessions for over a year and he absolutely loves it! The sessions enable children to follow their interests and explore the beautiful outdoor space through play. These are the only sessions that have kept my little one engaged and that is testament to Julia and Jane’s fantastic provision and ideas!
We have loved our weekly Nurturing Wild sessions! My daughter really enjoys exploring the wonderful location at Sydenham Garden, which feels magical on Monday mornings. Each week there are lots of creative activities based on a nature theme or book. We also thoroughly enjoy the songs, stories and sense of community in each session! Thank you.
Attending Nurturing Wild sessions has become a highlight of our week! My son happily explores the beautifully set up environment. It is clear the focus on nature and the activities that Julia creates are full of awe and wonder for him.
FAQ
Can I bring along my baby too?
Yes, siblings under 12 months in a sling are welcome to come along for free. Please let Julia know by adding a note in the ‘other’ section when booking.
For siblings over 12 months there is a reduced-price ticket.
What do I need to bring?
Spare clothes for your child just in case, water bottle to keep hydrated and a nut-free snack for your child.
If your child wears a nappy, please bring along a travel changing mat and nappy bags as there are no baby changing facilities at Sydenham Garden.
Are there toilets on site?
Sydenham Garden: Toilets are on site in the main charity hub building; there are no nappy changing facilities so please bring along a travel changing mat. There is not a nappy bin on site so please take these home to dispose of. Thank you for your cooperation ☺
Beckenham Place Park: Nurturing Wild sessions are based a few minutes’ walk away from the public toilets located in the Homestead courtyard area. Nappy changing facilities are available here.
What should my child wear?
The weather can be unpredictable, so it is best to be prepared.
Nurturing Wild follows the Forest School ethos of playing outdoors in wild areas. It is recommended that your child wears long sleeved top and trousers to protect them from direct contact with plants e.g. brambles. Please wear suitable footwear for outdoor exploring on uneven ground e.g. trainers or wellington boots
Is there parking available?
Parking information for each site is:
Beckenham Place Park
Car parking is very limited and charged by the hour via the parking app PayByPhone.
The car park address is Capital Ring, Beckenham BR3 1UL.
Parking Location number – 803754
Nearby bus routes: 54
Nearest train station: Beckenham Junction station (trains and tram), Beckenham Hill station
Sydenham Garden
There is free parking available on the road and surrounding area, subject to availability. This is a residential area with access to driveways needed, so please park considerately.
Nearby bus routes: 75 bus at Dacres Wood (stops W and X)
Nearest train station: Sydenham overground station
Can I bring along my pushchair?
Yes, both sites are accessible for pushchairs and prams. There will be a designated ‘buggy parking’ area near the squirrel statue at Beckenham Place Park. At Sydenham Garden there is space to park the buggy outside the main building (please don’t leave any valuables unattended).
REMEMBER to bring along your pram rain cover as we will be outdoors.
Is there a café nearby?
Sydenham Garden: Hot drinks – tea and instant coffee – will be available for adults. Please bring along a lidded travel mug for health and safety. We ask for a minimum donation of £1 per cup. All money raised will be donated to support the fantastic work of the Sydenham Garden charity.
Beckenham Place Park: There are two cafes located near the site for you to get a lidded hot drink before or after the session – The Homestead café and the Mansion Bar café.
What happens if I have booked and am unable to attend?
As a small business, I am unable to offer a session swap or refund if you are unable to attend on the day. There are many overheads such as booking platform fees, site hire and insurance costs to make the sessions happen. Thank you for your understanding. ☺
If you have booked in advance, a cancellation can be made if you give a minimum of 2 weeks/14 days’ notice before the session date.
What if my session is cancelled by Nurturing Wild?
As a solo business owner, there may be unforeseen reasons when a session is cancelled such as illness. In the event of Nurturing Wild cancelling a session, you will be contacted directly. I will aim to provide advanced notice but sometimes this may be unavoidable. You will be offered a rescheduled session.
Cancellations due to extreme weather
Nurturing Wild sessions aim to run in all-weathers, however in the event of an extreme weather warning forecast such as high winds, flooding or thunder and lightning, the session will be postponed or cancelled. You will be notified in the morning (at around 8am) if the session is cancelled, via email and/or telephone.
Do you offer Forest School birthday parties?
No, Nurturing Wild does not offer birthday parties but there are many local outdoor Forest School providers in the area who do.
