Child's play: 'My journey to creating a Northern Ireland kids camp full of muddy puddles, grassy knees, friendship and laughter'
Belfast’s Colette McCartney, founder of Holistic Kidz, reveals how starting the UK’s first ever outdoor early years wellness company was simply a case of sprinkling special magic on the children and young people of Northern Ireland
Starting the UK’s first ever outdoor early years wellness company was not something I’d planned, it was something that was needed in Northern Ireland.
Children do not remember their best day of watching television, they remember a childhood of muddy puddles, grassy knees, friendship, love and laughter and that’s what Holistic Kidz is about!
Established in 2019 on Belfast’s Malone Road, we pride ourselves on sprinkling our special magic on the children and young people of Northern Ireland...and making those childhood memories that bring happiness.
I have over 20 years’ experience working within various early years and holistic settings, having long reaped the benefits of meditation and holistic therapies for myself and I fused my passion and expertise in holistic therapies to come up with this innovative approach.
Following years of training and offering my unique programmes to family and friends, including my daughter Susannah who is age 10, I recognised the important benefits that the holistic programs could provide for children. And after many failed attempts at finding local meditation classes for her five-year-old daughter, I quickly realised there was a huge gap in the market for early years wellbeing in Northern Ireland.
Five years on and we have welcomed thousands of children from across Northern Ireland to our award-winning Forest Adventure and Wellness Camps. We operate during school holidays and also offer unique children’s birthday parties in the great outdoors as well as after school clubs.
Through our passion, drive and vision we continuously strive to grow, develop and adapt our leading services and products, so as to enhance the lives of children in a positive and beneficial way.
Part of my inspiration for Holistic Kidz comes from Scandinavian countries which are ranked the healthiest and happiest in the world and one of the reasons behind this is that from a young age children are taught outdoors in all weather conditions.
The Holistic Kidz Forest Adventure and Wellness Camps take place in the great outdoors, and rain, hail or shine and children will be able to avail of the many proven scientific benefits of this including increased energy levels, physical fitness, improved mood and focus and running around breathing in the fresh air always ensures a good night’s sleep!
This summer, our Holistic Kidz can look forward to lots of action-packed fun and outdoor adventure for children aged three to 11 years including bushcraft and survival skills, colour run, nature arts and crafts, scavenger hunts and trekking, muddy mudslide adventures, woodland workouts, breath-work and resilience workshops, football fun with Northern Ireland football legend Niall McGinn and gymnastics and stunt skills with Tarzan.
We have just kicked-off our popular Forest Adventure Summer Camp which takes place at Barnett Demesne in Belfast, every Monday to Friday throughout July and August from 10am – 3pm daily. We have also recently introduced early drop-off and a late pick up service after lots of requests from parents.
I’m constantly told by parents how Holistic Kidz has helped to sprinkle confidence, positivity and zen wherever we are or wherever we go. Through our innovative holistic programs, we will endeavour to improve the future of wellbeing in our own super unique way...creating fantastic good old-fashioned lasting memories that can be told to future generations.
Remember the mud will wash off but the memories will last a lifetime!