Busy Bees at The Hive

FREEPLAY INCLUDING MUD KITCHEN AND WATERPLAY 

At the Wildlife Trust we love the great outdoors and we want your little ones to learn to love it just as much as us. That’s why our mud kitchen, water play, music station and sensory barefoot caterpillar will be available each week for youngsters to explore their wilder side. So whatever the weather, these features will be on hand to encourage our Busy Bees to have fun getting as messy as they want and being as loud as they like. Toddlers will delight in the freedom to shout, jump, run around, hop and skip, to touch natural objects, leaves, pinecones and mud. 

STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES INCLUDING NATURAL CRAFTS

Busy bees provides’ much more than just a safe haven to let off steam. Our structured programme of organised trails, crafts and games will ensure we have engaging and interactive activities each week. Some of these will be led by our experienced officer, others designed for you and your child to complete together.

DISCOVERY TRAILS

Upon entry you will be given an activity pack which will include instructions for a self-guided discovery trail and natural craft for adult and child to complete together. Our discovery trails will be updated weekly and will include popular and exciting themes such as Stickman, Gruffalo and dinosaurs. Flexibility is key to what we are offering, the discovery trail and craft can be completed at any time or, if your little one prefers to focus all their energy on free play and skip the trail and craft that’s absolutely fine too.

ACTIVITY PACK

Each week every infant will be given an activity pack which will contain a set of crayons for any budding young artists, with opportunities for colouring or making bark tree rubbings. Plus, we will also provide a personalised drum stick so that tots can bash away at our brand new musical station to their hearts content safely without having to share resources.

STORYTIME

Alongside a weekly discovery trail and natural craft, every week at 10.15am our experienced officer will excite your little ones with a socially distanced story telling activity. Storytime will feature children’s favourites like Stickman, Gruffalo and The Very Hungry Caterpillar through to tall tales of rabbits, squirrels and butterflies whom explore and live at the HIVE.

GAMES AND SINGING

To burn off even more steam our officer will lead families in a socially distanced singing / action time at 11.15am every week. This could be ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’ together, singing Incy Wincy Spider or Old McDonald or playing much loved children’s games.

SUPPORT YOUR CHILDS DEVELOPMENT

At Busy Bees, while you’re having fun as a family, your child’s development will be supported through the outdoor play we offer. And what’s more, the whole family benefits from time outside. By combining both independent learning and playing our sessions will boost your child's communication and problem solving skills, their physical development and creativity through good old-fashioned fun!

WHEN: Each Friday the sessions will start at 9.30am and Finish at 11.30am. While the session runs for two hours, we offer our families maximum flexibility, so visitors will be free to come and go at any time within this two-hour period.

WHO: The sessions are aimed at pre-school children aged 18 months and above.  Babies in arms are welcome to join their older siblings and we will not charge for infants under 18 months. A responsible adult must accompany children at all times.  

COST: Tickets are sold in half term blocks. Tickets are priced at £30 for a 7 week block. All tickets must be purchased in advance using our ticketing partner. Places are strictly limited to ensure social distancing on the site. Adults do not require tickets. Ticket refunds for this programme are not accepted.

CLOTHING: Visitors are encouraged to wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear as the sessions take place outdoors throughout the year regardless of weather. There is some basic shelter on various locations around the site to offer protection from the worst of the weather.

LOCATION: Busy Bees takes place in the Hive, this is an enclosed site located to rear of Moss Bank Park, behind the park Café. For the duration of the session only families with tickets will have access to this site, ensuring children can safely play and explore within this enclosed space.

SAFETY: In planning this event we have carefully adhered to the government guidelines and worked closely with our Health and Safety team to offer the best protection possible for visitors and staff. Here are some of the key measures we have put in place to ensure our programme complies with the latest Covid guidelines: Staff and customers are advised not come onsite if they or anyone in their households are displaying symptoms of coronavirus. A one-way system for visitors will be in operation. All activity is undertaken outdoors. The handling of resources and the touching of surfaces is minimised. Numbers are restricted with up to 15 families signing onto to a given session and we have installed 2m markers in queue lines at the registration point. Hand sanitizer stations provided at 3 locations around the self-guided trail. Hand washing station available for visitors as they leave the site.

REFRESHMENTS: Each week each ticket holder will be given a complimentary refreshment from the Moss Bank Park café, this will typically be a hot chocolate or an ice cream depending on the season. In addition, a 10% discount on all food and drink purchased from the café will be made available on the day of the programme.

STAFFING: There will be an experienced member of staff onsite for the duration of each session. Our officer will be there to greet guests, ensure safety standards are met, to explain the session content as well as lead on the interactive elements such as storytelling and games.

Book here!