New Products for 2008

This newsletter is to share with you the launch of our 2008 Catalogue with many new and exciting resources. We are really pleased that you are looking at the catalogue online - it saves trees to reduce the number of catalogues printed each year! The Market Place on the web will be our new developmentand this will allow us to work internationally with artisans and self help communities that can produce small numbers of items and still be able to enter a fair trade market.

We have a number of new sections in the Catalogue. The first is linked to the work we do as a Forest School. The Fire Bowl has enabled all groups to join in the experience of gathering around a five minute fire whether used in a garden or a tarmac space. On the cold days of winter we have hot chocolate outside. The Storm Kettle allows hot water to be heated with a small fire inside the canister. Believe me it really is fantastic! The Tree Wrap System has found its place in inner city outdoor areas for general storage, wrapped around a tree at Forest School and used as a free standing screen for a windbreak. The pockets and loops create excellent self help storage wherever you are!

Investigative experiences are so motivational - we were excited to play with these convex/concave mirrors. The Mathematical section has a range of new sensorial materials. We are working with a regeneration project in Kayamandi in South Africa to hand make the Bead Crocodiles. Our influence has been at the design stage to ensure they can be sorted for a wide range of complex criteria. Lots of people have been asking for more creative materials. We have sourced many and are pleased to say that we have included Soft Wire for outdoor sculpture forms.

Creating a Motivational Space is important for children and adults. We now work with master craftsman Bashir Ahmed in India who created some beautiful furniture such as the Carved Folding Tables (large and small). Our Creative Small Worlds section has expanded to include Bark Cars and Furniture for the Tree House.

There are a number of After School Programmes and schools developing active learning with children from 5 - 8 years. The Mindstretching Activities does exactly that - the 7steps puzzle is enough to challenge us on a Friday afternoon. The need for movement is paramount for young children and the beautiful Marble Tree not only stimulates children to move around it but also encourages visual tracking and auditory development. The Life Skills section has more Olive Wood products - the Pestle and Mortar is a real favourite for petal perfume!

I have been involved in many projects for Curriculum for Excellence in the last few years. All of this has lead to the new book and framework system called The Learning Pathways.

Our approach to CPD continues to be reflective and our new Journal of Awe and Wonder celebrates the connection children have to nature. This journal is dedicated to the work of the Nature Action Collaborative which is going from strength to strength exchanging expertise and enthusiasm around the globe.