Monday AM Tots & Twigs Forest School Westonbirt Arboretum Autumn 2026

A Full Autumn Term of Forest Mornings for Toddlers

Learning With Nature, the not-for-profit that runs Westonbirt Arboretum's outdoor learning programmes, opens a Monday morning slot to the public each autumn. Tots & Twigs is not a single outing but a ten-week course built for two- to five-year-olds and the adult who comes with them, running through the arboretum's quietest, mistiest months.

Every session opens with a walk, trail or treasure hunt to that week's spot in the tree collection, and wherever the group lands sets the theme. Past terms have followed the trail of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, gone looking for Stick Man and hunted for Superworm, turning picture-book favourites into reasons to dig through leaf litter and handle bark. With more than 2,500 tree species across the grounds, the ten weeks rarely repeat themselves.

The course includes two Christmas sessions at the Learning Centre on 30 November and 7 December. There are no sessions on 19 or 26 October; 23 November is reserved as a weather backup if needed.

Ticketed, and booking is essential given the limited number of spaces.

Mondays, 14, 21 and 28 September; 5 and 12 October; 2, 9, 16 and 30 November; 7 December 2026 · Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8QS · 10:15am to 11:45am