Orokolo Holiday clubs are looking for volunteers, supporters, financial backers and collaborators.
Given the distraction of natural habitats, climate change, the danger of extinction, and the loss of biodiversity, the best we can do is bring all kids and ourselves back to Nature.
Why the name OROKOLO? I came across the name Orokolo in 2014 - the year my son was born. I was brainstorming an idea about a fashion label to support cultural identity in globalisation terms - ethno designs for clothes for babies and children, but it never came to be. So when in 2020 I was looking for a name for holiday club idea - it seemed to fit perfectly. A name signifying a disappearing culture and language, symbolising our roots, reminding us of times when man and nature were one. The term "Orokolo" generally refers to all of the Western Elema people living around Orokolo Bay in Papua New Guinea, although the name also refers to one of the five languages in the Eleman Language Family, to the major dialect of this language, and also to one of the five major Orokolo villages (Arihava, Yogu, Orokolo, Auma, and Vailala). The Orokolo are similar to the Eastern Elema People (sometimes called Toaripi) in both language and culture. (Source...)
Welcome to Orokolo Holiday Clubs
Nature. Art. Free Play. Pure Joy.
For over five years, our Kennington holiday club has been the place where primary school-aged kids come to laugh, explore, create, and make magical memories during every school break. We’re not your average childcare — we’re a joyful mash-up of nature adventures, messy art, and full-throttle play, run by passionate local parents, educators and artists who know how to spark imagination and keep things fun.
Wild About Nature
Every day is a new outdoor adventure! Our home base is beautiful Kennington Park, where kids become mini explorers. We go on nature trails, chase frogs and toads, hunt for bugs, dip nets into the pond, and birdwatch with binoculars. We’ve even safely stared at the sun with solar goggles! It’s hands-on, curiosity-led learning that doesn’t feel like school — it feels like play, just the way nature intended.
Creativity, Unleashed
Art is a big part of who we are. With guidance from brilliant local artists and educators, kids dive into painting, sculpture, nature crafts, group murals, and all sorts of joyful mess-making. We use traditional materials and treasures from the park — leaves, feathers, twigs, stones — to spark big ideas and beautiful creations. And yes, sometimes the art ends up on faces, arms, or the grass… and we love it that way.
Free Play & Big Laughs
We believe kids need space to roam and freedom to play their way. Whether they’re climbing trees, inventing new games, building dens, or having an impromptu dance party, free play is always encouraged. We balance unstructured time with light-touch organised games — think tug-of-war, scavenger hunts, parachute games, and more — all led with care, energy, and plenty of silliness.
A Warm, Welcoming Community
Our holiday club is more than a place to drop the kids — it’s a growing community where friendships blossom and confidence grows. Many of our children have been coming back year after year, bringing siblings and friends along for the ride. We’re proud to be run by a team of experienced, local educators and creatives who make every child feel seen, safe, and free to be themselves.
Introducing Our Summer Holiday Camp: Daytime Adventures & Overnight Magic
For a third year we invite you to brave the elements and challenge your fine tuned instincts for civilised living and join us for a two-week-long holiday camp full of wild learning, joyful connection, and a very special twist: families camp out together! That’s right — during the day, kids dive into nature-based activities while parents take care of work and business. But come afternoon? Instead of pick-up, parents join us at base camp for a warm, welcoming overnight camping experience under the stars. It’s a proper summer adventure for the whole family — without ever leaving London. Join us for two days (one family night) or for the entire two week long camp and make friends and lasting memories!
Our daytime adventures are powered by our brilliant partners at the London Wildlife Trust, who host unforgettable sessions in Sydenham Hill Woods, the Trust’s very first official nature reserve. It’s a magical setting for nature explorations: pond dipping, bird spotting, bug hunting, tree climbing, fungi identification, blackberry picking and den building — basically everything a child could want from the great outdoors. Yes, we still make art — lots of it! — but here, we do it in the open air with the forest as our studio and inspiration. Our base camp, tucked beneath a trusty gazebo, is the heart of it all: safe, shaded, and always buzzing with creativity.
For our older adventurers (ages 7+), we take the fun even further with our friends at PTP Coaching at Beckenham Place Park, where the kids get to try out group paddle boarding sessions. It’s a splashy, empowering experience that builds confidence and teamwork — and makes for some seriously good stories around the evening campfire!
And speaking of campfires… you don’t need to pack a picnic or worry about food. We offer a delicious and hearty breakfast, lunch, and communal dinner each day for a small additional fee — cooked with love and shared together like one big outdoorsy family. Meals are a key part of the experience, bringing everyone together at the end of the day to eat, chat, and laugh under the trees. It’s a little bit tribal, a little bit magical — and a whole lot of fun.
We call ourselves the Orokolo Rewilded Tribe — a growing community of kids and families who love nature, love art, and love making memories that don’t come from screens. Whether you’re joining for the full week or just a few nights, this camp is about connection — to nature, to each other, and to the kind of summer we all dream of having. Come pitch a tent and be part of something special.
Join the fun — and let the holidays be an adventure.
We can’t wait to welcome you!
About Ekaterina Belcheva, Founder of Orokolo.
A Message from the Founder – Orokolo Holiday Clubs
Bringing children (and adults) closer to nature, one joyful holiday at a time.
As the founder of Orokolo Holiday Clubs, and a mother of two, I started this journey with a simple but powerful wish: to give my children more chances to connect with nature. Since the winter of 2020, that wish has grown into something much bigger—a thriving community of children learning, exploring, and growing together through every season.3
With each holiday club we've hosted, I’ve seen first-hand how time in nature opens hearts and minds. Over the years, these experiences have become more than just fun-filled days—they’ve nurtured lasting friendships, sparked curiosity, taught valuable life skills, and planted seeds of love and respect for the natural world. Our children are learning while playing and playing while learning, with muddy hands, wide eyes, and nature always in mind.
Kennington Park shows us that even a small urban green space can become a big adventure—full of bugs, birds, plants, and ponds that inspire wonder and discovery.
Outside of Orokolo, I run Ultimately Eco Cleaning Ltd., a healthy, ethical and green cleaning company I founded in 2007, built on values of sustainability and care for both people and planet. In 2012, I was proud to be selected for the 10,000 Small Businesses programme by Goldman Sachs, which deepened my commitment to using entrepreneurship for social good. And in 2018, I stood as a Green Party councillor candidate in West Walworth, a step that strengthened my passion for environmental action and community empowerment.
Now, as a second-year Psychosocial Studies student at Birkbeck College, I continue to learn and grow—just like the children who join our clubs.
Through everything I do—as a parent, entrepreneur, student, and organiser—I believe in the power of community, learning, and joy. I hope Orokolo Holiday Clubs inspire your children and you to connect with Nature as much as it has inspired us.
We’d love to welcome your family this holiday. Let’s grow something beautiful—together - a new tribe of nature loving city dwellers.
Warm wishes,
Ekaterina Belcheva
Founder, Orokolo Holiday Clubs & Ultimately Eco Cleaning Ltd.