We Are Wonder

30 Sept

Who We Are

We Are Wonder is a Glasgow-based outdoor learning community that creates space for children, teens and adults to explore, play and connect in nature.

We’re a not-for-profit social enterprise made possible by support from parents, external funders and local community partners — all helping us make woodland learning accessible to more folk across the city.

Our Mission

Connecting more people in Glasgow with nature, themselves and each other.

What We Offer

We run term-time forest school sessions for flexi-schooled and home-educated children aged 5–12, a weekly woodland youth group for 12–16s, and a monthly adult makers group.

Sessions happen outdoors in woodland spaces where there’s room for fires, tool use, big imaginative play, skill-building, quiet moments, muddy knees and everything in between.

Children and young people tell us the things they value most are simple but powerful: time with friends, freedom to choose, playful adults who don’t rush them, larking about, and space away from other pressures in life. Those things shape how we work.

Our Approach

Our practice is guided by three core values:

Consent – everyone’s boundaries are acknowledged and respected. “Yes,” “no,” and “not right now” are all valid starting points.
Self-direction – curiosity and play lead the way. We offer ideas and tools, but participants choose their own pace and path.
Connection to nature – the woodland isn’t just our venue—it’s a partner in learning, supporting confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging.

We draw from forest school, nature pedagogy and self-directed education, but we also weave in circle pedagogy and restorative approaches. That means we make time to listen to one another, share feelings, solve problems collaboratively and build a culture where everyone’s voice matters.

It’s gentle, grounded and very child-friendly - nothing heavy or formal.

Research supports what we see every week: outdoor, play-led learning boosts confidence, emotional regulation, social skills, focus, flexible thinking and overall wellbeing.

But the truest evidence is the joy, the friendships and the pride in new skills we see each week.

Families describe our sessions as calm, confidence-building and a place where their children “feel free to be themselves.”