The internet is full of free sheets you can print off to provide some direction on what to look for (we particularly like the Nature Detective sheets offered by the Woodland Trust – now available here), you can grab a spotters book if you have one or you can simply head outside and see what you find. There's so much information out there for ideas and activities that are brilliant for Forest School, but finding and remembering it all can be really difficult. Forest school activities: How to reconnect YOUR kids with nature Forest school is a brilliant way for kids to connect with nature. Try out these forest school activities at home… Make a bug hotel. We saw a great example of this on our facebook page! We’ve been busy planting things, and last weekend we went on a nature hunt. Just give them a strip of card or paper with some double-sided sticky tape on it and let them calmly collect flowers, leaves, feathers and twigs to stick on. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Chairs, laundry airers, climbing frames, sheets and pegs can easily substitute the tarps and sticks they usually use in the woods. However, maybe you’ve had a tougher day and need some gentler activities to reset the mood of your household. /, Registered Office: Straw Barn, The Barton, Shillingford Abbot, EX2 9QQ. You can expand this activity by drawing pictures of what you see, or why not create a nature crown or mask? Nature Hunts Get outdoors and look around to see which leaves, flowers, plants and mini-beasts you can find. Try planting the seeds from the fruits and vegetables you have eaten; apples and pears work brilliantly for this, as well as sunflower seeds or go large with a mango stone! You don’t need saws, drills or saw horses to do a bit of basic woodworking, or at least crafting out of wood. Den Building. They’re all great ideas. Over the past year or so I have been working regularly in primary schools, mainly with Reception to Year 3. ITC Level 2 Forest School Leader Training, ITC Level 3 Forest School Leader Training, ITC Level 3 Learning Beyond the Classroom, ITC Level 3 Paediatric & Forest School First Aid. Simple Leaf Faces. It’s great that so many schools are introducing forest schools – I’d love to see it added to the curriculum so all kids got to experience it! Or if they like games, Forestry England has kindly provided printable Tree Top Trumps that you can use to have some fun and swot up on your tree ID knowledge at the same time! Mud faces on a tree, the fence or even the floor provide some gorgeous textile experiences for kids as they plunge their hands deep into the cool mud (just make sure you’ve a bowl of soapy water for when they’re done). Since I don’t have the option of sending my kids to a forest school/nursery I often use activities inspired by the forest school philosophy as a way to get them outside and interacting with nature. You could have a go at making your own water play with the contents of your recycling bin and a hose. To check how we use and store your data please refer to our privacy policy which you can find up top! (including this payment) *. Build your own family tree. I'll keep adding to them as I stumble across things so give them a follow if you use Pinterest too. Teemed with some string or wool and the contents of your recycling bin, the world is then your oyster! Forest schools have been growing in popularity in Britain over the last 25 years By Felix Allen Forest areas provide cosy dens, and secluded shaded nooks. All my videos are about trying and learning FOREST SCHOOL type activities in the Home & Garden. Whether you do this in your own garden or on your daily walk, this is a great way to keep the kids engaged with the natural world around them. Nature Clay Snails. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list but hopefully it might have given you some ideas of things you can do if the kids are missing their time in the woods. I’m sure forest school activities in a child’s early years would most likely have the same effect. I find it’s when they help weed that it gets interesting – my kids were always showing me the prize plants they had weeded for me when they were little lol, Great ideas, the mud cake sounds like it could be very fun but very messy x, Suspect it’s the messiness that makes it such fun , Oh I love your stick man/mud man! Listed are 10 Lesson Plans for activities that have proved popular. If you’re brave, you could make a ‘cake’ from a mound of dirt and add some stick candles to light. Love all these suggestions! Great forest school fun. These can be leaf prints, stuck onto pictures or those with a steady hand can have a go at painting some intricate patterns on them. Measure leaves. It has potential for careers education and a substantial range of vocational opportunities – from Forestry to Horticulture, to Outdoor linked Leisure and Tourism and so on. Decorate with leaves or flowers, paint them, or use wool or string to create more advanced projects! Stick Man Some of you most probably miss nursery and our Forest School visits. It stoped raining, so we will find a lot of mud for a mud cake party. I've been using Pinterest to collect and organise some of these inspirations and I thought others might find the boards useful too! Once complete, just staple the two ends together and you’re done. Here some Forest School Activities to get you started! We’re interested in hearing about anything that encourages kids outdoors, or about any barriers that prevent them getting out. Home » Forest school » Forest school activities for outdoor classrooms. You’d be surprised how relaxing this is for young and old! If you need some help with identification, download a list beforehand from your local wildlife trust and take it along with you. Many forest school activities can easily be replicated, in your local woods or even your garden. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Please click Ok to accept the usage of cookies. All Rights Reserved. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Anyone can be a contributor, and everyone is welcome. The real reason kids love playing outside, 10 Walks in the Cotswolds for Younger Children, Win Everything you Need to Build an Awesome Den. They may require a little forethought but if you collect some leaves in preparation whilst it’s still dry, then you can bring them out when you need a wet weather activity to make some leaf art. Alternatively, challenge them to create some natural mandalas out of whatever they can find – it’s strangely meditative and therapeutic, guaranteed to soothe the most frazzled of nerves. Every activity is designed to promote independence, measured risk-taking and enhanced decision-making. 09/05/2016 by Cathy James 6 Comments Free Forest School and Garden Classroom resources! I don’t want to spoil the sunny streak but I’m assuming that at some point it’ll break, and the outside won’t look quite so inviting. Gemma is a mum to two children and works in internet marketing. About Getting Out is a collaborative space for families to share their practical ideas, real experiences and views on getting kids outside. We’re missing each and every one of you and we can’t wait to see you back in the woods later this year (fingers crossed! Just like any time you want to try something new at your setting, getting on the phone and finding a local forest school to go and visit is a great starting off point.. It’s useful to see what it looks like in practice, and it’s the perfect inspiration for you and your team to see what you could end up with after some hard work. For those missing the sensory element of being outdoors, there is plenty you can do! Have a go at experimenting with different containers, such as yoghurt pots or empty eggshells for growing seedlings inside, or old shoes or welly boots filled with compost. Credit: TI Media Limited. Our belief that children should be outdoors as much as possible is a big part of why we want to home educate. Encourage insects to your garden by building them their very own residence using planks of wood or old … They made a stick creature bird on her first week and she was so proud of herself. I don’t think there are any forest schools near us but these ideas more than make up for that. Host your own mud birthday party! We hope you like these activities and this article, do sign up to our newsletter for more articles in your inbox each week, making sure to let us know when you sign up that you came via this article. Try to find ones which are dry and not too brittle, and remove any sharp pieces before you unleash your creative side. ), Author: Hannah Durdin, Forest School Leader and Admin Assistant for The Outdoors Group Get outdoors and look around to see which leaves, flowers, plants and mini-beasts you can find. Forests take many forms, depending on their latitude, local soil, rainfall and prevailing temperatures. Reconnect your kids with nature forest school activities: how to find safe foods and nature making... Loves it s not anything near to you, it doesn ’ t mean you have to miss out this. 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