Forest School in the Little Acorns Secret Forest!
David O’Kane, is a Forest Play Champion ( Level 3 Forest Schools Practitioner) and loves to work with trees and natural materials, working alongside us complimenting the work and ethos of the setting. Through her experience of Educational Visits Co-Ordinator and Responsibility for Curriculum Development, Mel O’Kane is passionate about developing learning opportunities in the outdoors. Annie O’Kane has explored learning in the outdoors through her Outreach and LSA work supporting Special Educational Needs.
Forest Schools is not a new concept it has been around for many years and it has grown tremendously over the last few years making it more and more popular for all ages, including children in the Early Year and Foundation Stage such as childminders, nurseries and preschools. It has its origins in countries such as Norway and other Scandinavian countries.
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It is about using the outdoors as an opportunity for discovery and exploration by taking the learning to areas of the outdoors that children don’t often get time to experience. In our case we have our own woodlands joined to our garden. The children have the opportunity to learn about the outdoors throughout the seasons and to initiate their own ideas and games through imaginative play. The children are allowed to take risks, managing the risks themselves under the guidance of the trained Forest School Practitioner and Childminding staff.
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The children work together to solve problems, to build and make things in the outdoors. They explore the concepts of design technology, art and science to look at shelter building perhaps, as well as bug hunting on or under fallen logs, mobiles made from natural materials, collages and installation sculptures, tree faces, mud cooking, role play, reflective listening, mindfulness or learning about animals and habitats through interaction with them in the woods.
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“Forest School is an inspirational process that offers very young children, young people and adults, regular opportunities to achieve, and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment” FEI Forest School Leaders Pack – Wales 2004
Children can learn alongside their peers at their own pace, revisiting experiences as many times as they want to embed their understanding and build their confidence. All the children will have the opportunity to take part. In the more adverse weather they just need their wellies, a good coat with a hood or some waterproof clothing. In the better weather they need robust footwear and clothing that covers their arms and legs. When it is hot a sunhat will be needed.
The children use their experiences around the setting and indoors to enjoy stories and texts, to role play, pretend, design, discover, rehearse, recount, make, calculate, gather, carry, hide, nest, sort, label, write and invent. Using natural materials the children can create collages, art pieces, and explore role play in the mud kitchen.
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Reflective listening, a time to just ‘be’ is very important to us at Little Acorns, and practising mindfulness techniques in the outdoors has many benefits to our positive mental health. We can hear the wind in the trees, the birds calling, the leaves rustling, we can stop for a while and be immersed in the natural environment, something bigger than ourselves, focusing on the here and now. Through interaction with the natural environment, logs, stones, gravel, mud, leaves, flowers and branches, a ‘can do’ attitude is encouraged and nurtured. Learning about animals in their actual habitats helps us to develop a respect for living things.
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Forest school is an opportunity to deepen learning, as well as build friendships, social skills, relationships, confidence and independence. Forest school helps our minds to broaden, strengthen and grow!
Date: December 2023
Signed: AOkane Date: 30.12.23
Signed: MOKane Date: 30.12.23
Date: December 2023
Signed: AOkane Date: 30.12.23
Signed: MOKane Date: 30.12.23