Forest School Experience with Hundred Paths @ Bishan-AMK Park

Hi parents, I am a mum of 2 boys aged 3.5 years old and 10 months old and the founder of Tiny Play Club and Bloom & Grow. Tiny Play Club is an in-person community for families with young children aged 0-6 to play and socialise at our caregiver-accompanied community events, and Bloom & Grow is a half day drop-off programme facilitated by early childhood educators as an alternative to a typical preschool education.

Check out @tinyplayclub on Instagram, where I share reels and snippets of our community events and play sessions and play ideas that the kids loved.

Hundred Paths and I are working together to include a Forest School programme in the Bloom & Grow curriculum and we are collaborating to open a new forest school term at Bishan-AMK Park every Tuesday, 9.30-11.30am. The sessions will be guided by two Forest School Level 3 practitioners and educators with years of experience working with children who aim to support children in making connections with nature.

Children will be invited to interact with different textures and elements offered in nature and will get to engage with different activities at each session. There will be a mix of familiar and new materials offered to the children to support their exploration at each session.

Event details

Where: Bishan-AMK Park,1378 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569981

Meeting point: Outside McDonald's Bishan Park

Term dates:

1. Tuesday 26 March 9.30-11.30am
2. Tuesday 2 April 9.30-11.30am
3. Tuesday 9 April 9.30-11.30am
4. Tuesday 16 April 9.30-11.30am
5. Tuesday 23 April 9.30-11.30am
6. Tuesday 30 April 9.30-11.30am
7. Tuesday 7 May 9.30-11.30am
8. Tuesday 14 May 9.30-11.30am
9. Tuesday 21 May 9.30-11.30am

How long: 2 hours

What's on?

• Safety briefing
• Guided nature walk by Forest School Level 3 Practitioners
• Child-led nature exploration
• Open-ended nature play
• Nature sensory play
• Unstructured free outdoor play

What happens if it rains?

Forest School is a rain or shine event for the children to experience the outdoors even when it is raining, in appropriate rain gear (see below for what to bring). The session will still go on if it’s raining and with no lightning alert.

I will notify attending families an hour before the session if it is expected to rain according to the weather forecast and observing the current weather conditions and whether the session will proceed or be cancelled (if it's already raining).

What should we wear?

• Long sleeved t-shirt
• Long pants
• Hat
• Covered shoes

What should we apply?

• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen

What should we bring?

• Backpack (highly recommended)
• Water bottle (at least 500ml)
• Change of clothes for child
• Insect repellent
• Healthy snacks

and in the event of rain for both adults and children:

• Umbrellas
• Rain gear with hoods
• Waterproof shoes (Aqua shoes are recommended because they provide flexibility, feels close to the ground, promotes balancing skills and strengthens the legs)
• Change of clothes
• Wet bags / plastic bags for wet clothes, umbrellas, rain gears
• Rain stroller cover (if bringing a stroller)

Programme options and fees:

Option 1:18m-3yo parent-accompanied for trial/ad-hoc session ($48)

Option 2: 18m-3yo parent-accompanied for 1 term ($405/9 sessions)

Option 3: 3.5-7yo Drop-off for trial/ad-hoc session ($65)

Option 4: 3.5-7yo Drop-off for 1 term ($540/9 sessions)

How to make payment?

I am using Eventbrite as a platform to automate event bookings so the event is free to book to avoid incurring booking fees. Please PayNow the Programme Fees to 87266246 after booking and WhatsApp me the payment screenshot to confirm your spot.

Unconfirmed spots will be automatically cancelled after 12 hours as I am not able to reach out personally to everyone to confirm their attendance.

Is there a minimum age to join?

18 months old. Beginner walkers are welcome too because being out in nature can strengthen their muscles.

Can my younger child accompany us?

Yes, younger siblings below 18 months can join an attending older sibling (18m+) without payment.

How many adults can accompany my child?

Only one adult per child so that the children will not feel overwhelmed.

Can I bring our dog along?

No.

Cancellation policy

Cancellations have to be informed at least 1 day before the scheduled session. Programme Fees will be credited to the next session (for single session) or next term (for term package). Programme Fees are not refundable.

About Hundred Paths

Led by two Forest School Level 3 Practitioners and educators Aminah and Sabrina, Hundred Paths offers Forest School programmes, personal coaching for parents who are keen on providing developmentally appropriate child-led experiences at home, workshops for parents and consultation services in developing a play space at home for children.

Through their programs, Hundred Paths strives to support the community towards holistic growth and learning, and building a caring and respectful space for children and families.

Aminah and Sabrina were brought together by their love for nature and their shared experience of the positive and holistic impact on children’s development and growth created by the Forest School approach to education.

Aminah has been a Forest School Level 3 Practitioner for two years. She was a former preschool educator with 15 years of experience and has taught in both local and international settings. She understood and embraced the Reggio Emilia approach through her teaching experiences in international schools and her career journey evolved as she learnt about the Forest School approach. She was intrigued by how child-led learning and nature can create a powerful impact on children’s development and growth. Aminah is also part of the Chapter Zero team, where she is an advocate for play and movement in children. Aminah is also a mum to two boys who are 11 and 8 years old.

Sabrina has been a practicing Level 3 Forest School Practitioner for about 2 years and was a lower primary educator with 10 years of experience. She has witnessed the Forest School approach creating a positive and holistic impact on children and has never looked back. She is intrigued by the calming presence of nature and its benefits on children.

They can be found on @hundredpaths on Instagram.

⁣Notes:

• Feel free to WhatsApp me at 87266246 if you’d like to join us or if you have any questions!

Host or Publisher Tiny Play Club