Summer Events - Get Involved and get up to 2 children in for free

Caterpillars has put together a great Programme of Events for local children aged 2-8 for the Summer Holidays. We are a small Community Group working on a voluntary basis, and as a Community Group we would like to invite more of you to help at our Events by doing things like:

• Meet and Greet
• Help with crafts
• Serving snacks
• General help to set up / tidy up
• Be ready to deliver basic first aid (plasters, etc - we have a basic First Aid Kit but children remain their parents' / carers' responsibility at all times)

If you would like to help and get involved in this exciting group please get in touch keynsham.caterpillars@gmail.com.

All those who volunteer will receive a brief of what needs doing a couple of days before the event and as a big thank you from us you will be able to get up to two children at the event you are helping with for free!

Changes to Caterpillars Events on 5th and 14th August

See details of changes to events on 5th and 14th August in the in the Diary and get booking!

Tree Climbing Festival and Hill Rolling Day - Coming up in May!

See the details for these fabulous events that are coming up in May in the Events Page!

Den Building on 15th of April

One of the Dens!

Who would have thought that a few sticks, pegs and blankets would have provided two hours of pure fun! A handful of very happy children - and mums - designed, built and played happily in the woods enjoying the Spring sunshine. Den building, including dens for the teddies, nature crafts and an Easter Egg Hunt made this sunny afternoon a picture perfect one! 
Thank you to all who joined in, particularly Cerys for organising the Egg Hunt and Teddy Nature Craft!

Have a look at the Events Page for more outdoor events throughout the month of May.



Nature craft and Penguin on display!

Inspiring: the children made beds
for their dolls in the smaller dens




Wild Thursday at Abbotts Woods Report

You can't be too small for den building...

We had a great time at Abbots Woods yesterday as part of Wild Thursday!

The main theme seemed to be mud, mud and more mud - with a few wonderful discoveries in between. There was also a fair bit of tree climbing and den building! We found some friendly ladybirds and worms and someone found a rather shy frog under the nettles.


Walking on mud is suddenly fascinating,
and certainly good fun

We also handed out Outdoor Play Diaries and I hear they are already being written on, which is great news. The more we can inspire the children to play outdoors and reflect upon it, the better!

Thank you all for coming along and for your enthusiasm, thank you Jackie for the bug pots!

Looking forward to the next event next Tuesday at Manor Rd Woods - all welcome, just email for details!



Sticks are swords, full stop!



A truly inspiring afternoon for both children and parents

Little Plotters: Bug Hotel Day - Saturday 5th April from 10.30

Join us at the Community Veg Plot in Keynsham Memorial Park on 5th April!

• We will plant the seedlings of the broad beans we took home last month, don't forget to bring them if they're ready
• If you are new to Little Plotters you will plant something else to take home and nurture until it is ready to plant on the ground
• We will help tidy up the plot
• We will make a Bug Hotel to take home

Parents - if you have empty plastic bottles please bring them along for the bug hotels.

Caterpillars next Meeting - Friday 28th March 10.30

We will discuss Playing Out in Keynsham (www.playingout.net) and future events, get in touch for location details.

Activities for the Spring and Easter Break - get your diaries out

Have a look at the new Caterpillars Spring Events Diary!

Little Plotters take off

Planting our broad beans

What a fantastic sunny morning it was yesterday! Lots of enthusiastic young gardeners joined us to explore the Community Veg Plot and get planting the first seeds of the season!
We planted our broad beans in pots which we will nurture at home until the next Dig In Day, 5th April, when we will transfer the seedlings onto our very own patch at the plot. Well done everyone!




Exploring the plot was great fun - we found all sorts of exciting stuff, from strawberry plants to artichokes

Get Digging! Little Plotters, Next Saturday at the Community Veg Plot

Come along to grow your own, learn new skills and make new friends. We will be helping out grow our own at the Community veg Plot, by the café at Keynsham Memorial Park. Just turn up at 1030 with your wellies, basic tools if you have them and lots of enthusiasm! For more info email keynsham.caterpillars@gmail.com. Suitable for children of all ages.

Caterpillars Monthly Gathering, next Friday 28th Feb!

Come along for the chance to discuss and get involved in Caterpillars initiatives, or simply if you'd like to know what's going on! Email keynsham.caterpillars@gmail.com for location details.

Caterpillars in Keynsham Voice

We're in the February Issue of Keynsham Voice, page 13!

Caterpillars meeting next Friday 24th January

Come along to discuss new Caterpillars initiatives such as Playing Out, Gardening Clubs and Project Wild Thing! More details on the Events page.

Happy New Year...

... And Caterpillars will be busy again in 2014!

Regular Caterpillars meetings are back on the fourth Friday of every month - see the Events Page for details. These are to invite local parents to share views and ideas, to develop exchange and share initiatives and to establish a network of parents to lead the way for a greener, more sustainable and more self-sufficient parenting community.

In the Spring we will be encouraging the children to grow their own, and will introduce them to the Community Veg Plot!

Playing out will also be in focus, and if we get enthusiastic enough there is also that pending Street Party to go for – have you seen http://playingout.net?

All local parents are welcome to get involved in Keynsham Caterpillars initiatives, after all shaping a more sustainable community for our children is up to us! Just email keynsham.caterpillars@gmail.com.

Best wishes,

Monica x