Despite torrential rain our Year 2 children still enjoyed a very busy afternoon in the Forest School. This was a free-play session. Free play allows us see how well children are applying their understanding of things we’ve taught them previously. This term our focus is on Ready, Respectful and Safe in the Forest School, this includes both physical and social boundaries. It also allows the children’s more intrinsic interests to be observed. These observations then serve as a basis for future planning. We began with a warm up with our Year 6 Outdoor Leaders running a game of Sticky Feet, during the game the children are encouraged to really think about what characteristics help us recognise different animals.
After a few games they could go and choose what they did. Often in sessions like this some children will prefer to be given jobs, others may devise games of their own. Today some children found a tent so they had a go at putting it up. Others collected leaves for mulching, some prepared the poly-tunnel whilst others played in the trees. The atmosphere was very relaxed, the children interacted well with each other and appear to have a healthy sense of competition but with a lot of support for each other. This makes the introduction of skills much easier as they move through their Forest School journey.
The Long-Term Principle: Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.
Article 13: We all have the right to share what we learn, think and feel with others.
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- Sticky feet is used as a method of bringing the children together as well as teaching them about different animals.
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- No matter what the children are doing if a teacher shouts Sticky Feet they know its time to come together.
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- Some tricky problem solving was required here.
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- They worked calmly despite the heavy rain.
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- Getting those muscles working on the rope lines.
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- Plenty of debate about how to do it.
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- Sometimes you just need someone to take charge.
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- Getting the poles through.
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- Team work makes it a smooth operation.
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- Hmm now what happens?
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- They’ve worked it out.
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- At last they could see the shape.
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- Very satisfying result.
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- Now to test it out.
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- Meanwhile in the poly tunnel.
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- Winter always likes a bit of attention.
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- These leaves will go in the mulcher to make compost.
