What is forest School?

Forest School (England) Network 2002 defines Forest School as “An inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve,develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experience in a local woodland environment.”

 

 

The Forest School approach to learning encompasses the following features: it takes place in an environment which is different to where children usually play and learn preferably with some trees and less managed corners to support development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world; the children visit the area regularly throughout the year to enable them to observe and understand changes over time; there is a clear routine and structure within which children initiate their own learning and focused activities build upon children’s interests; children learn to understand and manage risk through their interactions with the environment, tools and fire, under the guidance of a Forest School trained leader; the aim is to promote holistic development, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.

 

 

Forest School at Fallodon

We started running Forest School sessions at Fallodon Playgroup in November 2017 and since then we have been experiencing the changing seasons and the impact of these on our site. Wendy leads the sessions and successfully completed her level 3 Forest School Leadership course in December 2018.

Sessions begin in the hut as usual and then after a fruit snack we get dressed ready to go out and explore. We gather at Base Camp to find out about the activities for the morning and then spend time exploring and playing.  Amongst other things we have a ‘wild woody’ area where we can use magnifiers to hunt for bugs, a mud kitchen where we mix up a treat and a tool area where we can use saws, drills and hammers to create natural crafts. Most weeks we have a fire which we help to collect sticks for and then share a snack cooked on it – maybe crumpets, porridge or as a treat marshmallows toasted on sticks. We have hot chocolate to warm us up and usually play some games together before it is time to gather up our things and go home.