Forest School is a fantastic opportunity for the children to learn outdoors. It helps build children’s independence, confidence and self-esteem and develops a positive attitude towards learning. Children love exploring and experiencing the natural world for themselves and because Forest School learning is child-directed, the scope of activities is enormous.
Typical activities include:
Shelter building
Fire building and lighting
Puddle and mud jumping
Campfire cooking
Tree climbing
Woodwork
Nature art
Foraging
Mini beast hunts
Sensory walks
Games such as hide and seek
There are enormous benefits to the children’s learning and development through Forest School including:
Physical health
Social skills
Team-building skills
Confidence and self-esteem
Motivation and concentration
Improved behaviour
Risk awareness and self-management
Increased knowledge and understanding of the world
Improved connection with and respect for their environment
Forest School learning will take place in the afternoon. During their sessions, children will need to wear a hat, waterproof gloves, a waterproof jacket and trousers, or an all-in-one suit, waterproof boots or wellies. They will also need lots of warm layers for winter plus spare socks. They will be outside in all weathers, although we do have the luxury of the wonderful shelter provided by the PTFA.