We have developed a range of unique workshops where families can make beautiful magical things, mostly using natural or recycled materials with learning about nature embedded throughout. These workshops are fun,exciting and theatrical and can transport children to another world. We use storytelling and performance as well as hands on arts and crafts to make each workshop a magical experience for young and old alike.
We have also developed a number of drop in woodland activities that encourage children to explore the magical natural world around them. Like our workshops, these activities draw on theatre, art and the imagination and can happily occupy entire families for hours.
For a full description of all our workshops and activities please scroll to the end of this page or use these links:
Workshop and activities costs | Fairy Party Crowns | Magic Wands | Magic Wings | Witches Pets | Wizard Shields | Wildflower Fairies | Fairy Gardens | Fairy Jewels | Magic Lanterns | Magic Potions | Fairy Books | Fairy Houses | Fairy Banquets | Secret Dens | Fairy Queen
How to hire one of our workshops or activities for your event
We can bring our workshops and activities to your event anywhere in the UK between May - September. We will consider events out of this season, but we would need to discuss this with you first to check on feasibility.
Past clients include Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, Forestry Commission, RSPB, National Trust, Lakeside Shopping Centre, Chelmsford Borough Council, Camden Council, Islington Council, Glastonbury Festival, The Big Green Gathering, Cambridge Botanic Gardens, Nottingham City Council, the BBC, The National Wildflower Centre, RHS Hyde Hall, The Girl Guide Association and Natural England.
Tented workshops and their requirements
We have eleven workshops that are run as 45 minute sessions and we can run up to five workshop sessions in one day.
These are Magic Wands, Fairy Party Crowns, Magic Wings, Fairy Gardens, Magic Lanterns, Wizard Shields, Wildflower Fairies, Fairy Books, Magic Potions, Witches Pets and Fairy Jewels.
The workshops cater for up to 30 children per session (thereby reaching 150 children per day) except for Magic Lanterns and Fairy Gardens that cater for up to 20 children per session (100 children per day).
All workshops take place in one of our magical medieval tents that have a circular footprint of 25ft diameter and must be pitched on grass. We also have one geodesic dome that can be pitched on concrete.
If you are not able to take bookings in advance then we can supply an extra "Booking Fairy" who will stand outside the tent at all times, and take bookings from the public for each session.
We will arrive the afternoon before your event, put up and decorate the tent ready to run the workshops the next day. The crew will then either camp in the tent or nearby and will need access to fresh water and toilets. If setting up the day before is not possible we ask that you supply some physical help to put up the shelters first thing in the morning as doing this and running the workshops in one day is too much for two people.
Tented workshop costs for 2010
One off set up costs £250
(includes administration, hire of shelter, public liability, risk assessment and preparation)
PLUS
Per day thereafter (includes all materials)
Magic Lanterns £300 (100 children/day)
Wands, Wings, Crowns, Shields, Wildflower Fairies, Jewels, Pets, Books, Potions
£350 (150 children/ day)
Fairy Gardens £400 (100 children/ day)
If you are able to provide high quality Wildflower plug plants then the price of Fairy Gardens is reduced to £300/ day.
Woodland activities and their requirements
Our drop in activities can run continuously for up to 6 hours. These are Fairy Houses, Fairy Banquets, Fairy Queen and Trail and new for next season, Secret Dens.
The drop in activities take place outside but must be within a wood or shrubbery that has some paths for access and some clearings free of nettles and brambles. Children will be collecting natural materials such as pine cones, nuts, little rocks, leaves and grass from their surroundings as part of the activity, so the site must not be too precious. We will happily mark off areas of interest, such as clumps of wildflowers or fungi and point them out to the children and will not allow them to damage them. We are happy to work with estate managers beforehand to confirm what we can or cannot use.
The size of area required depends on the type of event you are having and the expected footfall. We would discuss this with you prior to booking.
To set up a Fairy Queen Trail we need a list of tree species and wildflowers within the designated area, in advance.
Woodland activities costs for 2010
Set up costs £250 ( includes administration,public liability, risk assessment, shelter and preparation)
Plus per day thereafter £260
To complete your quote we also need to calculate mileage and time spent traveling, plus any out of season accommodation costs and a Booking Fairy if required. For a specific quote please email your details to workshops@fairylandtrust.org
Due to the high quality and labour intensive nature of our workshops they are not suitable as fund-raising activities unless you have raised grant money to pay the costs.
Fairy Party Crowns
Fairy Party Crowns
"Many hundreds of years ago two children discovered the secret of what the Fairies wore at their parties to celebrate the passing of the Seasons...."
Create a beautiful Crown from willow withies and fresh hedgerow leaves. Add tissue paper copies of seasonal wildflowers. Learn the fairy folklore of lots of trees and plants and take home a calendar depicting all the seasonal fairy parties, so that you can continue to use your crown throughout the year. Also included are some wildflower seeds to grow an everlasting supply of real flowers for your Crowns.
Magic Wands
"Hundreds of years ago a wise wizard learnt the secret powers of all the trees in the woods and how to make the first magic wand......"
A choosing ceremony sorts out the right wood for your wand which you can then decorate with feathers, ribbons, wool and glitter, ready for your own magic spells. Learn the fairy folklore of trees.
Magic Wings
"A little girl discovers how to disguise fairy wings to look like moths and butterflies so that the fairies can come out to play....."
Choose your wings to look like moths or butterflies and then cover them with colourful paper mosaic pieces and glitter. This workshop ends with a "flying" lesson outside.
Witches Pets
"Two witches are plagued at night by mosquitoes until their magic crow suggests the perfect pet - Bats."
Make your very own bouncing bat from card and wool and learn all about how they fly and feed and where they like to live.
Wizard Shields
"Long ago a wizard enlisted the help of the animals, magical folk and a young wood worker to help make a magic shield to protect them all...."
Learn how to weave a shield from willow withie and then add natural decorations that represent elements of the woodland and the real special powers of some of our woodland animals.
Wildflower Fairies
"A small boy finds a fairy in distress and discovers why they are running out of clothes....."
Learn how to use tissue and a dash of glitter to make wildflower-inspired clothes fit for a fairy that you hang on a peg doll that dances on a string. Also take home a packet of wildflower seeds so that in years to come you can grow your own real wildflower petal clothes for fairies.
Fairy Gardens
"A chance encounter between an old lady and a little girl leads to a lasting friendship where the girl learns how to be a Fairy Gardener......"
Plant up your own real garden in a pot with three real wildflowers that will attract lots of wildlife and any passing magical creature. Add lots of decorations, paths, furniture and anything else you think they might appreciate.
Fairy Jewels (6 years old +)
"A young boy discovers what the fairies use as jewelery for their Midsummer Ball..."
Taking nature as an inspiration make either a pendant necklace or a brooch using tissue, card, glitter and paint.
Magic Lanterns (6 years old +)
"A young girl goes to stay with her granny one holiday and learns the secret of how to look for fairies at the bottom of the garden......"
Fashion a lantern out of willow withies and tissue and add some special natural decorations. Designs feature night-time animals.
Magic Potions
"A troubled kings enlists the help of an elf to cure his sickly kingdom and learns the secret of plant and herbal cures....."
Learn how to make real potions from very common local plants, that will ease aching muscles, itchy skin and stings or bites. Take some of these home in a special pack, plus some seeds to grow plants that stop nosebleeds. [Designed by a trained herbalist].
Fairy Books
"A forgetful fairy keeps losing her way in the woods and learns how to make a special book that will help her find her way home..."
Make a miniature book and add pictures of wildflowers and leaves from trees. Learn the fairy folklore of trees and wildflowers.
Other Activities
These are all suitable as drop-ins or ongoing activities without booking.
Fairy Houses
In our enchanted glade come and make a Fairy House. We will provide some starting materials but it is up to you to collect more natural materials from the woods to make them a beautiful and unique house. At the end of the day we can all admire the Fairy Village you will have helped to create.
Fairy Banquets
Come and help set the table for a magnificent banquet that the fairies will relish. What can you find in the woods to make the plates, the cups, the spoons?
Secret Dens
Can you find the Outlaws hiding in the woods? If so they will help you to make your very own secret den using sticks and leaves and other materials. (Popular with dads).
Fairy Queen
Follow the rainbow trail through the woods and learn about the fairy folklore of trees and plants as you go. At the end you may find a beautiful tent where you can visit the Fairy Queen where you can tell her what you saw and she may tell you things you never knew before.
Please note
Our workshops and activities are not suitable for children under 3 and some are only suitable for children over 6 as the making process may be too fiddly for tiny hands. We cannot run these workshops as a crèche so ask that all children must be accompanied by an adult.
All workshop and activity leaders are CRB checked and come in costume and remain in role throughout the duration of the workshop or activity.
Please email workshops@fairylandtrust.org with the date you have in mind and the workshops or activities that you are interested in and we will get back to you as soon as possible to discuss your requirements and send you a quote.
All our workshops and activities are the copyright of the Fairyland Trust and any attempts to copy them for commercial gain will be pursued through the courts. They are one of the few ways that the Fairyland Trust can finance its core work of engaging children in nature and have taken years of volunteer time to design and perfect, so please don't rip us off. Thank you.
©2008 copyright Fairyland Trust |
