Founder of My Little Explorers and big kid at heart! I grew up in Dorset and lived in the countryside where I spent most of my childhood exploring the fields with my brother and sister, climbing trees and playing with sticks in ditches! I am a level 3 Forest School Practitioner and have a Level 3 NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development. I hold a Level 3 Beach School qualification and have an Outdoor Paediatric first aid training certificate. I am member of LOtC (Learning outside the classroom) and FSA (Forest School Association). I live just outside Romsey with my husband and have two grown up children that come and go!  We have five guinea pigs and three working cocker spaniels Kaiser, Kayla and Simba who enjoy visiting the children at forest school.

• Favourite campfire recipe - Pumpkin soup

• Favourite woodland animal - Owl or hedgehog (I can never find either!)

• Favourite woodland activity - It’s got to be exploring!

• Scariest things - Computers and admin!

• Favourite quote - “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination” – Albert Einstein

• Hobby - I just love being outside, walking along coastlines, catching leaves and splashing in puddles!

Michelle loves everything about nature and if she isn’t bouncing around in our woods she might be seen out hiking with her family, bird watching or just chilling by the sea. Michelle studied Environment Science at University has a level 3 Playwork and Forest School qualification, she is a member of the FSA and has an outdoor paediatric first aid training certificate. Michelle now works part time with us following the birth of her daughter in 2020 who is already a Mini Explorer!

• Favourite Campfire recipe - An onion hollowed out, filled with stuffing and baked in the ashes! Yum!

• Favourite Woodland Animal - The woodlouse - cousin of the crab

• Favourite Woodland Activities - Exploring and looking for minibeasts and climbing trees

• Scariest Things - You can’t scare me… I’m not afraid of the big bad wolf!

• Favourite Quote - Play is the highest form of research - Einstein

• Hobby - Exploring the great outdoors

Sara enjoys the outdoors and when she is not in the woods with us she spends a lot of time with her horses, dogs and children who are often seen riding across the New Forest. Before joining us Sara spent 5 years working in a rural pre-school and is a qualified Level 3 early years practitioner.

• Favourite campfire recipe - Jacket potato with cheesy beans

• Favourite woodland animal - Squirrel

• Favourite Woodland Activities - climbing trees

• Scariest thing - Thunder & lightening

• Hobby - Horse riding

Danny has always loved working outdoors in the natural environment including studying animals, which she did for a while in South Africa as a safari guide. Danny has also worked as a Forest Ranger creating woodland activities for children, she has fitted right in at My Little Explorers and completed her Level 3 Forest School Practioner training in 2018

• Favourite campfire recipe - Baked potato with cheese

• Favourite woodland animal - Roe Deer

• Favourite Woodland Activities - Hide and seek

• Scariest thing - A desk job and hairy spiders!

• Favourite quote - 'Lets find somewhere beautiful to get lost'

• Hobby - Woodland walks and cycling

Vic loves being outdoors in all weathers and always has a smile on her face, she is a Mum of two boys and when she’s not running around after them she’s out riding on her horse Benji or taking Rosie her dog for a walk. Vic is a qualified early years practitioner having completed her Level 3 diploma for the early years workforce in 2017.

• Favourite Campfire recipe - Pancakes

• Favourite Woodland Animal - Fox

• Favourite Woodland Activities - Horse riding

• Scariest Things - Spiders and heights!

• Favourite Quote - ‘There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man’

• Hobby - Horse riding

Leanne loves being in the great outdoors surrounded by nature and enjoys trying to be crafty with what nature provides. She is NNEB qualified and has worked in a variety of childcare settings for over 20 years so she brings lots of experience and enthousiasm to the team.

• Favourite Campfire recipe - Bread on a stick with butter (made in a jar)

• Favourite Woodland Animal - All (but especially ladybirds)

• Favourite Woodland Activities - Bug hunting

• Scariest Things - Computers and Balloons

• Favourite Quote - 'Not all those who wander are lost'

• Hobby - Walking and Cross stitch