Jane Worroll - A Year of Forest School

A
Year of
Forest School

Outdoor Play and Skill-building Fun for Every Season

Jane Worroll & Peter Houghton

CONTENTS

Introduction

Since ancient times, human beings have marked the progress of time by observing the passing of the seasons, each of which deeply influenced their lives, as they still do today for people who work closely with the land. As the months go by, nature offers us all new wonders to remind us of the ever-turning cycle of life, from the transforming magic of the first winter snowfall to the beauty of spring blossom, from the warmth of summer sunlight on the skin to the scrunch of fallen autumn leaves underfoot. These are just some of the joys that nature shares with us, connecting us to the cycles of the Earth as it did for our ancestors.

At our own Forest School groups we see how each season has a rhythm all its own that in turn affects the mood and energy of children and adults alike. After the rush of life that invigorates and awakens us in spring, we feel ourselves slowing down to savour the more relaxed pace of summertime. Autumn, with its shortening days and deepening colours, brings on another change of mood, with all the excitement of kicking leaves; then comes winter, a season of crisp fresh air, running around and wrapping up warm until spring when the cycle begins once again.

Today our modern lives are often estranged from the natural world and what should be an inherent connection may feel more like something we need to rediscover and reclaim. It is well documented that todays children, especially those in developed countries, are playing outside far less than their parents and grandparents did. These societal changes are being partly fuelled by a combination of disappearing open spaces, increasing traffic and the lure of indoor technology and virtual reality as well as heightened parental expectations of what a safe environment looks like. But while the outdoors may seem like a dangerous option these days, its a lack of outside activity that is the primary cause of obesity one of the biggest threats to the health of our children today. This loss of freedom to roam, coupled with the increasing pressures on children such as target-driven school life, 24-hour social media and, for those in the city, cognitive fatigue from constant urban stimulation, has also resulted in serious mental health issues arising among 516 year olds.

Most of us instinctively recognize the many ways that being outside in a natural environment can enrich our lives: we might find we sleep more deeply after spending time walking outdoors or notice a lift in mood after breathing in a few lungfuls of fresh air. Studies have highlighted a multitude of health benefits to being outside: sunlight and soil micro-organisms boost the bodys levels of serotonin, the chemical linked to feelings of wellbeing, while Vitamin D, essential for bone and muscle health, is also provided by the suns rays. Running across uneven terrain and climbing trees helps children develop muscle strength and become more coordinated. Mental health professionals also acknowledge the benefits of maintaining a relationship with nature. In ecotherapy, for example, nature has been found to be a restorative influence in the lives of patients who engage, without judgement or artificial time limits, in outdoor activities such as conservation work and gardening. Forest School is an inclusive grassroots movement that can help to redress some of the issues affecting our modernday lives it aims to connect participants with nature and offers opportunities to develop and grow away from the indoors, busy streets and pervasive technology, which, though not all bad, are now a constant presence in our lives.

WHAT IS FOREST SCHOOL?

Forest School is defined by the Forest School Association as an inspirational process that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through handson learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. Forest School sessions are now offered in a huge range of settings from city parks to rural forests, by many different providers including mainstream schools, specialist outdoor kindergartens, holiday and after-school clubs and agencies countering addiction and social exclusion, but all have this in common: they take place in a natural environment where the qualified leader aims to provide a nurturing space that supports the learners wellbeing. The activities offered provide different experiences that can help foster traits such as resilience, confidence and emotional intelligence that will support the learner throughout their lives. Within this framework the participants are given ownership over their journey to follow their interests and develop their own learning at their own pace.

At Forest School, children run and make a noise, get their hands dirty and are exposed to manageable risk (essential for healthy development). To fully embed learning and develop a sense of community, Forest School sessions have a high adult-to-child ratio and take place, with the same group, on a regular, long-term basis.

We use a variety of locations for our own Forest School, and repeated visits make each of these sites familiar to our groups. This helps children feel a sense of belonging and gain confidence by allowing them to get to know each other and the boundaries (both physical and behavioural), as well as where their basic needs can be met where they will eat and where they can shelter (in dens or under tarps, for example), the location of the toilets and handwashing facilities. From this basis, interests can be freely followed and deeper learning of practised skills explored and mastered. Unlike tightly regulated and confined school classrooms, the open surroundings of Forest School sites allows children greater personal control over social interactions, as there is freedom for all to move around and consciously choose the space they occupy, which helps relationships build in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Visiting a Forest School throughout the year, groups see how their space changes, and they develop an intimate understanding of each season and the effects of the weather on a natural environment. We have noticed how, during the warmer months, the childrens attention is always more drawn toward the animals and plants that surround them. In colder months, we find it is the elements that take precedence: they love jumping into and cracking ice-covered puddles, making fire and leaning into strong winds. Each season provides wonderful moments of discovery and interaction that have a positive, lasting effect on every childs sense of belonging and stewardship over the various Forest School sites.

PLAYING THROUGH THE YEAR

In this book we offer a wide range of Forest School activities to tie in with spring, summer, autumn and winter. In choosing the activities, we were inspired by what nature offers in each season, as well as by the festivities celebrated at different times of year, and, of course, the weather. Its in spring, for example, that brambles are at their most pliable and the nettles start shooting up, so now is the perfect time to make cordage from bramble vines (see ). From our own Forest School we know how coming together around a fire can create a joyful sense of community and transform what could otherwise be a cold, grey day into a place thats fun and welcoming.

For each season we have also designed a day out that combines a range of activities energetic games, calmer crafts and social tasks (such as foraging, cooking, fire-making or den-building). This could be used as the basis of a party, playdate or some other type of extended Forest School session.