BRIDGING THE SUMMER LEARNING GAP
Forest School activities tomake themost of your summer holidays
W
hile pupils up and down the country look forward to the warm summer holidays,
free from lessons and early starts, for parents it can be a challenge. Keeping children entertained
craft projects and outdoor activities, but before Often holidays start with the best intentions of money on expensive day trips can be difficult. without reaching for the remote or spending
we know it summer can pass us by without
between the ages of six and 16 spent just seven conducted last year discovered that children A study of 2,000 children and parents much productivity.
hours a week outside and over twice that
With statistics like this all too familiar, Forest amount playing video games inside.*
the garden or the local park more appealing by School leader RebeccaWyatt suggests making
trying out some simple Forest School activities
secluded outdoor learning space nestled in the Bournemouth Collegiate School in Dorset. The Rebecca runs the Forest School at this summer.
leafy grounds of the Prep site gives children the freedom to explore using multiple senses to discover and learn about the natural environment.
“Children thrive in a natural environment, explains Rebecca. “With minimum distractions, nature becomes their playground and being in nature and spending time in nature ultimately teaches children to respect our planet.
“A lot of the Forest School activities can be replicated outside of the classroom setting as they require minimal equipment, common sense and curiosity for the outside world.” The first UK Forest School was set up in
Somerset in 1993, inspired by the Scandinavian concept of an outdoor, play-based approach to learning. The approach is designed to promote physical activity, develop social interaction, boost self-esteem and encourage risk taking through h
Today, it is a growing phenomenon across ands on learning activities.
Britain expanding from a small grassroots movement in the mid-1990s to a regular fixture
3 0
www.education-today.co.uk
in primary education with over 12,000 registered practitioners.
At registered Forest Schools children from Kindergarten to Year 6 getting stuck into everything from pond dipping and tepee building to raft making and cooking over open fires.
Rebecca says: “Aside from the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors, Forest School activities are designed to teach children problem solving, perseverance, communication skills and compromise which are essential transferable skills.”
Children can take risks, make choices and work with their peers in purposeful practical activities under the supervision and guidance of trained staff.
While some activities require trained experts, nature provides a natural classroom which many children find fascinating given the opportunity. Here, Forest School leader RebeccaWyatt shares some fun ways you can incorporate outdoor learning into the school break:
July/Augus t 2019 y/
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