Outdoor play and learning in a woodland environment.

 Forest school uses the woods and forests as a means to build independence and self-esteem in young children.Topics are cross-curriculum (broad in subject) including the natural environment, for example the role of trees in society, the complex ecosystem supported by a wilderness, and recognition of specific plants and animals. However, the personal skills are considered highly valuable, such as teamwork and problem solving.

We took the children to a local forest earlier this week.

(Note - names withheld in this post)

Our forest session started by us all holding hands together and encircling a large, old oak tree. We sang a familiar 'forest song' and chatted about what we were going to do. Each child had a little container to collect leaves, grass, sticks and berries of different colours, lengths and shapes.

The children collected natural materials such as moss, chalk and conkers. What are we going to do with them? Wait and see!

X gave each child a small mirror which they held in their hand. In wonderment, they were shown by the adult how to put the mirror on the end of their nose and look down into the mirror!
'what can you see?' This was quite a tricky task for many of the young children because they held the mirrors in all directions and many of them just looked at their faces! The adults took time to go to each child to model the skill of looking UP through the mirror, using it as an image reflector. Once they saw 'what was up in the trees, and the sky' our children squealed with happiness and joy. 
'I see a tree with lots of leaves'
'I see a conker hanging from the branch'
'I see a cloud sticking its head through the branches'
'I see black berries on a creeping crawler'

We split into two groups at base camp. One group got busy crushing the chalk with a pestle and mortar and mixed it to a powdery paste.
'What are we doing with this'? they asked?


X added the white of an egg to thicken the paste and a child helped to mix and make a 'potion' of 'gloop', 
What now? The other children excitedly learnt the skill of crushing berries, rose hip and moss into different colours to add to the chalky paste.

The group of children were given roughly torn pieces of recycled wall paper roll to use as a 'canvas'. We always use recycled materials and teach the children about finding uses for resources that have ended on the garbage pile. With sweeping movements, our little budding artists began painting and mark making using roughly sawn logs as tables. We painted large leaves, bits of bark and the wall paper sheets. The children loved the freedom of being allowed to be messy whilst experimenting and exploring their surroundings. The adults joined in and themselves had fun creating fun masterpieces and being 'at one with nature'. 

The other group of children were each given a square of white fabric (old sheet) to use as their canvas. They chose the berries, moss, wild flowers, leaves and stems that they had collected. Placing their selection on the 'canvas' we first banged/hit/squished the items to release their juices, using a large, child friendly rolling pin. Then we showed them how to roll the rolling pin over the sheet to create'butterfly prints'. The children could not believe the transformation of natural objects to pulp and colourful paste. We made our own fantastic master pieces  whilst investigating and sequencing patterns.

We took our creations back with us and couldn't wait to show mums and dads at the end of the day. I too, took my 'master piece' home to show my family what 'fun' I myself had had in the forest while offering little learners the opportunity to 

take safe risks, make choices and initiate learning for 

themselves.

This skill helps to make everyone understand, appreciate and 

care for the environment. Lets do this again!!