Home Education or School Visits, How Should I Prepare For Forest School?

At Play in the Woods, Forest School can help develop and teach a range of subjects that we can taller to your needs, from:

1. Biology and Sciences, looking at plant life and by experimenting.
2. Maths, Counting and Measuring.
3. Citizenship, Learning about the “birds and the bees.”
4. Design and Technology, Making birdhouses and designing flower gardens.
5. P.E, running about playing games.
6. Art, Natural art is a great way to start enjoying things outdoors.
7. English, Workbooks, names and stories.

A non-classroom environment gives children increased stimulation and encourages a higher learning potential.

The combination of freedom and responsibility is particularly beneficial to those with little confidence or challenging behaviour.

Forest school Introduction:

Forest school taster session, suitable for children and young people of any age.

A scheme of work in the woods:

Six-day, general,  forest school program. Suitable for children and young people and tailored to any age.

Forest school lessons:

Ongoing, general sessions offered with the frequency that best suits your organisation and can be structured over a half term, a term or a more extended period. Suitable for children and young people of any age.

We practice the Leave No Trace ethics, and it is straightforward: Make it hard for others to see or hear you and LEAVE NO TRACE! of your visit.

Our classes will help to develop –

• Self Awareness
• Self Regulation
• Boost motivation
• Empathy
• Communication skills
• Independence
• A positive mental attitude including self-esteem and confidence

Learning Can Be Fun

Wonderful learning resource,

Students get involved in all sorts of activities – mallet-making, coppicing, small-bore timber, making temporary shelters, building campfires and cooking on campfires. Forest Schools are now recognised by the UK Permaculture Association as a valuable education project.

Natural environments support a wide range of children’s play.

Home education is an alternative to school; any family can choose this option for their children – parents decide to keep primary responsibility for the education of their children as is their right in law, instead of delegating it to a school.  Once a month we offer families who home-educate the opportunity to learn, meet new friends and have fun in our beautiful woodland.

Remember clothes and children are 100% washable. If you do notice anyone is cold, hungry or thirsty, please act quickly to either assist them or let staff know. At first, it’s normal for some children to feel a bit frightened or overwhelmed in the woods. They may look to you for reassurance. Some other children will explode and want to run and shout and feel. If you can, run with them, laugh with them, be in the moment with them. Once the children feel comfortable, they will start to interact fully with the woods. Some will love the textures of the trees. Others, the feel of the mud and water. There are some that will hold back watching, worried about getting dirty or germs. In whatever way your child responds to the woodland environment, we will encourage them all.

Learn From Your Little People

Unless you believe a child to be in danger, please remain calm about mucky faces and encourage them in their explorative journeys…it’s Only dirt! Sessions may involve the children climbing, running, shouting, testing physical and emotional boundaries and becoming muddy and dirty (and sometimes wet). Do not be alarmed as it is all part of the At Play In The Woods Forest School hands-on learning process.

What is Child–led Play? It is about letting children ‘go’ to do what they need to do, to learn and to grow. Your child is following their own deep play patterns coded into their body and developing the brain, whether they are deeply engrossed in their own world or when interacting and playing with other children.

Play is one of the main ways in which children learn. It helps to build self-worth by giving a child a sense of his or her own abilities and to feel good about themselves. Because it’s fun, children often become very absorbed in what they are doing. In turn, this helps them develop the ability to concentrate.

We feel strongly that the outdoors should be accessible to all children and families to achieve this but also to have fun and make some memories on the way.

There are only 3 ‘rules’ for everyone at Forest School: Look after yourself, Look after each other and Look after the environment.

• The accompanying teachers, helpers and assistants are expected to support, encourage and become involved with the children on their learning journeys.

• Sessions will be held in all weather conditions (except extremely high winds) so teachers, helpers and assistants will need to be adequately dressed.

• Communication is essential! We will let you know all relevant information about activities, safety and other matters when it is needed. Please let the US know if you have any concerns, queries, observations and feedback etc.

• You are a role model and children WILL copy you in every aspect of their learning. Please bear in mind those small eyes and ears that are following you!

We understand that it is sometimes difficult to not step in and stop children from getting covered in mud, dragging sticks and jumping in puddles when these things would sometimes be discouraged. At Any Forest School, these are essential elements of their connection with the natural world and vital in increasing body-awareness, motor skills, self-confidence and self-esteem.