These outdoor sessions from Groundwork will take an Emotional Wellbeing theme.

It is a 4-week programme over the summer holidays that will engage young people aged 10 -14 in unique outdoor nature-based play activities. Activities will take place twice a week for 3 hours a time – Tuesdays and Thursday 12pm-3pm. There will be up to 6 young people per session.

You’ll need to meet outside of the visitor centre at Crumpsall Park (M8 5SA). The children/ young people will need clothing suitable for the weather and activity as it will be outdoors, rain or shine. You will get a text message the night before with type of activity that will be delivered and this will depend on the weather, i.e. sport, gardening, outdoor adventure, etc. This will help you assess the right clothing to wear on the day.

The programme includes:

  • Adventure den-building in the wilderness – This includes team building, problem solving and games.
  • Getting back to nature – Tree identification, survey, why do we have trees; natural tracking, depending on permissions; making hot chocolate with storm kettles. All the activities encourage teamwork and help communication skills, etc.
  • Outdoor open space sports – Badminton, tennis, football, netball, skittles… The organisers may arrange mini league tables.
  • Grow and eat – Container gardens provide compost, plants and the young people develop and create a mini garden to take home. This will be based on a theme of their own choosing. It encourages young people to garden, connect with nature and pursue outside of the play scheme. (Groundwork is doing this in Brinnington and it’s taken off a storm.)
  • Community orienteering – Learning to work with each other; identifying each other’s skills, etc. Learning about the natural world.
  • Recycling workshops – They bring in rubbish and we create amazing sculptures, art, plant pots
  • Movie making – Use tablets, etc. Litter and nature surveys – their story during lockdown – “isolation youth nation” theme.

Booking is essential. You can book on as many sessions as you like.

How to Book

The booking line is 0161 219 2125

Please ring anytime between 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Reminders and Notes

Siblings are welcome.

Please note that you have to be with your children during these sessions.

Booking is essential.

About Groundwork and Crumpsall Park

Info from their website:

Groundwork is working across Greater Manchester to create stronger, healthier communities, responsible businesses and greater prospects for local people.

There are toilets in the visitor centre.

Full Address: Crumpsall Park, Ash Tree Rd, Crumpsall, Manchester M8 5SA
Website: www.groundwork.org.uk/hubs/greatermanchester
Facebook: @GroundworkGM

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Manchester City Council’s Local Offer and Specialist Resource teams for co-producing the summer offer for SEND with families. We’re also grateful to Groundworks for offering their expertise and for Crumpsall Park for the space to make this happen.

Much thanks to the Parent Champions for the excellent ideas they shared during the discussions with partners.