Sun Drum

'Look Deep into Nature and then you will understand everything better'

Albert Einstein

Sun Drum is a non-profit Association that aims to promote well-being through creative projects in nature and in Community settings.

You will find us holding:

Sound immersions in community spaces

Sound healing for private clients

Monthly mindful chanting in the park and at community events

Family drum and movement sessions in the park

Circus skills club every Monday 4.30-5.30pm Ventnor

Dance with the Rhythm with live drumming

Our Forest School sessions develop child-centered approaches to learning within the woodland environment.

Woodland arts and crafts sessions

Community matters to us, we look at all aspects of our work with a holistic approach, this includes the environmental impact we make as an organisation. We promote a "leave no trace" ethos.

All good things are Wild and Free

Forest School Program

What is Forest School?

Ready, Set, Go

Forest School uses the rich opportunities found in the natural environment. With a child-centered approach, it is a holistic way of working that develops the whole child in a supportive and challenging environment. It is underpinned by 6 principles:

Pro-longed exposure to enable participants to feel settled and for the surroundings to be familiar.
Take place in local woodland, to nurture the participant’s relationship with the natural world, and to use the natural resources to inspire, enable and encourage ideas to explore.
Holistic approach to help develop resilient, confident, and creative learners, nurturing their physical, social, cognitive, linguistic, emotional, social and spiritual aspects.
Beneficial risks where participants can take supported risks appropriate to the environment and themselves enabling them to be able to recognise a hazard, assess its risks, and learn how to manage it.
Led by leaders who are trained, and committed to regularly reflecting on and developing their own practice.
Learner-centred, keeping play and choice at the centre of all session preparations, responding to each participant’s learning style, and observations to scaffold learning and development.

What do we do in the Forest?

Activites you can find us doing

Woodland Craft Such as making wands, fairies, crowns, clay creatures, tie dye using natural coloring from the woodland- blackberries/petals, pumpkins carving, whittling and various other forms of woodland craft with the use of tools. We use sustainable or recycled materials and use the natural resources from the woodland environment

Den Building, using found materials such as logs and sticks to build dens for our selves and making homes and shelters for animals or created creatures. Working on co-operation and construction.

Games- group games that we create or some good old favourites such as hide n seek "cooyee", sneaking games. Building a team spirit and connection.

Tree Climbing this is definitely a favourite in our woodland, participant can assess their own limits through being given opportunities to take risks under supervision.

Adventures, trails, bug hunts, looking at habitats, hiding games. Tree/leaf/species identification.

Campfire/Cooking participants learn about fire safetly rules, whats needed to make a fire, how to collect fire wood and create a fire. They get a chance to use fire steels. Rules of preparing food and cooking over the fire. Fires are not carried out every session.

Seasonal celebrations- we incorporate the seasons around us, observing the changes within the woodland.

Mud- mud play, is very versatile it can be used to make things, build with, splash in, make mud slides, mud kitchen, potions and so much more.

Drumming- music making, animal calls, songs and movement, story telling. Drumming helps with co-ordination and concentration. World music and songs.

Moments of silence and contemplation we use a variety of techniques to add moments of quiet such as yoga sequences and poses, Tai chi, listening tree activity, mediation, songs and story telling.

Hammocks, ropes, loose parts and imagination, the world of imagination anything can happen at any moment!

Work With Us
Work experience Program

Experience Total Fun

Our Leadership Training Program allows our active volunteers to focus on what they love most, we encourage our volunteers to enhance their natural interests and skills while they are with us. Volunteers have an option of attending Sun Drum for a variety of lengths depending on their age and preferences.

Sun Drum provides an opportunity to enjoy some quality time in nature. Our Program allows everyone to take the time to learn useful and exciting skills and have an unforgettable experience of growth and development.

We are recruiting volunteers for this Summer!

Interested in working with us? send us an email.

Den building and creating shelters

Building Experiences

“Experience is the teacher of all things” Julius Caesar

Sun Drum Woodland Tribe

We build tribe in our community connecting people with places. We grow a sense of belonging between participants, promoting a nurturing environment for all to blossom.

Summer Fun in the Forest! Our Summer Forest School Sessions

are full of adventure, building, exploring, observing and learning. We had such good feedback this summer the tribe will return again next Summer

Parent and Pre-school Woodland Tribe.

Open to the Public in term-time, everyone is welcome offering a morning walk and activities in the local woodland.

Pre-school Groups

Currently working with some local pre-schools, walking with them into their local woodlands for adventures and fun.

Currently running : Burghwood Bear Forest school club and The Orchard Mini Woodland Explorers.

Primary school Groups

Working within local Schools with our Forest School Program

After school Woodland Tribe

Bringing a series of re-wilding sessions in after school hours.

"Drumming in the Wild"

Open to the public, families welcome, Drum, sing, move to the rhythm.

Wild Gathering

Grandmother, Mother and Daughter Drumming in Nature. Honoring family bonds and the Divine

Feminine.

To find out more get in touch

"Drumming the World"

Spinning a web of Music and connection through rhythm. Our drumming workshops can instantly increase well-being.

We use an array of Drums and percussion from around the world and use a range of rhythms and songs from different countries, sharing a rich tapestry of world music. Our dynamic drum circles incorporate drumming with movement in a playful fun manner engaging all participants. In the ultimate natural environment.

Forest Updates, seasonal changes and adventures direct from the forest.

This week we have had an Owl theme, making nests and playing many owl themed games, twit twoo twit twoo

International Programs

Ensuring Enjoyable Experiences Through our Outreach Program

Sun Drum has a range of creative programs for participants from all walks of life and all ages. Community matters to us. We work in many community settings from preschools, hospital settings, community groups to nursing homes, Prisons. Our activities and offerings are fun, challenging, and accepting of everyone’s abilities. Our team takes great pride in providing a safe, and welcoming environment for all our participants.

Our international Program links our work to a Jungle region of Peru's Amazon Rainforest, there we work with local people to provide opportunities for the local children and communities. Where we provide a space for learning and exploring through similar projects, based on Forest school principles and local traditional knowledge of the natural world. We are currently working on creating a learning center and forest school. For more information or if you would like to make a donation please email us at sumdrumforest@gmail.com

If you would like to volunteer in our International Program we are looking for help to build our learning center in Peru please get in touch for further details.

We also have a portfolio of working with various National agencies and International organizations delivering workshops.

Music in Hospitals and Care (Charity, London)

El pez en La Luna (Education, Lima, Peru)

El Jardin Encantado (Education, Lima, Peru)

Tate Modern (Museum, London)

Burghwood Montessori (Education Surrey)

UPC (University, Lima, Peru)

Tribe of Doris (Festival Uk)

WOMAD ( Festival, UK)

Surrey Arts (UK)

Various Schools Nationwide.

Young carers (UK)