Research suggests that children learn best from first-hand experience. Exploring, playing and problem solving within the forest school aims to encourage learning using a range of activities (both designed by the leader and instigated by the children themselves). Building a sense of independence, high self-esteem and team work are important parts of forest school, but health and safety considerations are always of paramount importance.

This school year,  Year 1 have done lots of different activities in our Forest School sessions.

We enjoy playing games - a particular favourite is Cheeky Ninjas! A regular feature of our sessions is the mud kitchen where we create some true masterpieces and we also love the tyre swing which is lots of fun and encourages turn taking and co-operation.

We explore our surroundings at different times of the year.  We look for mini-beasts and different plants that grow... signs of Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer!

Team work and resilience is a big part of the Forest School sessions.  We learn to challenge ourselves but also to help each other too.

We participate in lots of art and craft activities inspired by nature, the seasons and environment.  In Autumn we learnt to tie knots and then played conkers.  We also looked at how seeds are dispersed and made our own paper helicopters.  We looked at patterns in nature and created patterns using bark rubbings and leaf rubbings.  In Winter we created clay tree spirits to look after our Forest School during the harsh winter months.

In Spring we became detectives looking for signs of new growth and that trees and plants were ready to start growing again.  

We are looking forward to Summer and getting the hammocks out again and starting up the campfires ready for smores and campfire cooking!