Year 2 and Year 5 documented their own Forest School sessions this week. This is just a snapshot of what they got up to. They made a boat from an upturned picnic table and sailed the world. They created with clay and natural materials. They hunted for bugs and amphibians. They climbed the trees and put up hammocks. They tested themselves on the rope lines. And of course the hens were not forgotten. The confidence and independence they demonstrated shows how much they embody the full ethos of the Forest School.
They used natural resources for inspiration, to enable ideas and to encourage intrinsic motivation. Forest School provides a stimulus for all learning preferences and dispositions, so every child is engaged in their own way. Reflective practice is a feature of each session to ensuring learners and practitioners alike can understand their achievements, develop emotional intelligence and plan for the future. And what joy can be seen on their faces.
The Holistic Learning Principle: Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
Article 3: Everyone who works with children should always do what is the best for the child.
