The Wonder of Forest Schools: Connecting with Nature
Many settings and schools are now looking to Forest School as a way to enhance their outdoor provision and opportunities for children’s play and learning. However, it’s important to remember that Forest School is not merely outdoor learning. Both have distinct advantages for play, development and wellbeing but are not the same. Forest School is an approach to engaging with the outdoors, led by a trained Forest School leader. Its ethos is built on the holistic experience of the child, led by the child, for the child.
Forest School is an experience, a time and space where children can connect and the wonder of the environment around them. Those children fortunate enough to attend sessions all year round, will encounter a year of change. Changes in the seasons and weather will impact Forest School with the ground underfoot becoming muddy, leaves falling from the trees and creating a carpet of colour, frosty cobwebs appearing and the sun creating dappled shadows under the leafy canopy.
These wondrous natural occurrences are what makes Forest School so special and unique, offering a space where children can slow down and appreciate the changes around them. Immersed in this environment, children really can thrive through a connection with nature. Relieved of the distractions of the enclosed classroom with noise and stimulation, the outdoors is a quieter, calmer space where children can connect emotionally and physically with the woodland. This is facilitated by the Forest School ethos where all children are valued, trusted, respected and supported to become critical thinkers and independent learners.
As the basis of Forest School is child-led experiences and play, a connection with nature is not ‘taught’. It can happen spontaneously through observations or because of an interest. A child might spot some fungi growing which they hadn’t spotted before, leading to discussions about colour, size, where it’s come from, how it grows, identifying it and discovering whether it is safe. These experiences happen naturally, with the help of a skilled Forest School leader who can tune into these unique opportunities for exploration. In these moments, children are learning first hand through practical, hands-on experiences. It’s not just about looking; Forest School is about really engaging with the sensory aspects of nature. Children can feel what it’s like to jump in a muddy puddle, to swing from a branch, touch a minibeast, start a fire, create charcoal to use for mark making and explore the different textures of bark.
Importantly, Forest School is a safe, happy space where children are free to explore and experience the wonder of nature. In this environment, children develop confidence and self-esteem, empowering them as individuals. It nurtures their creativity, helping them appreciate the versatility of the environment around them. For instance, a stick in Forest School is more than just a stick – it can be a paintbrush, a wand, a key to a fairy door…anything the child wants it to be. Adults and children at Forest School experience this wonder together, whether it’s the way a child uses a natural treasure or how they can identify a bird song – it’s a collective experience which evolves through a connection with nature and each other.
The wonder of Forest School lies in the way it develops an appreciation and respect for nature. Children learn to take care of their environment. If an area is used all year round, it may fall foul to the elements, causing pathways to become unfit for use. Together, the group can share ideas on how to manage this, to give the pathways time to recover. These experiences, facilitated by a skilled leader, help children appreciate not just Forest School but the ecology in their community. Forest School enables the development of transferable skills to the classroom, to home and for the child to take with them throughout life.