Play and Learning through Forest School

1. Play and Learning through Forest School

2. Forest School • Forest school originated in Scandinavia in the 1950’s and was intended as a means to teach about the Natural world and environmental issues. By the 1980’s Forest school had become a significant part of the preschool programme for under sevens that stems from their Early Years Education and relies on learning by experience. It was introduced to Britain by Bridgwater College in 1993. http://www.woodviewplymouth.org.uk/forest.html

3. Forest School is an innovative and inspiring approach to learning and development which offers people of all ages opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences during regular visits to a local woodland site. http://www.woodviewplymouth.org.uk/forest.html

4. Forest School provides opportunities for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to grow in confidence, self-esteem and independence in special woodland settings, where they are supported in their development by qualified FS Practitioners. http://www.forestschoolwales.org.uk/ysgol-goedwigforest-school/

5. What makes forest school distinct from other education approaches is its focus on repeat visits to the same woodland site, and focus on small achievable tasks to ensure that the experience is enabling. http://www.forestschoolwales.org.uk/ysgol-goedwigforest-school/

6. Rather than concentrating on academic skills the forest school approach is more focused on helping to develop personal, social and emotional skills such as self discovery, confidence and independence as well as encouraging communication skills and raising self-esteem. • Children visit woodlands or outdoor areas and learn through play how to cooperate and work with others to solve problems, use their own initiative and handle risks. http://www.woodviewplymouth.org.uk/forest.html

7. Links to Foundation Phase curriculum: The ‘Personal and Social Development, Well-being and Cultural Diversity area of learning in the Foundation Phase states that learning experiences should: • offer children activities in the outdoors which offer differing types of play and a variety of intended activities which are child centred, activities that allow them to become autonomous learners, activities that allow them to use their senses, to be creative and imaginative, develop a growing curiosity for the world around them, comprehend what their surroundings have to offer and activities that allow them to begin to recognize how they can look after the environment and become environmentally friendly on a daily basis. (WAG 2007)

8. Links to theory: • Piaget (1967) constructivist theory relates closely to the Forest School ethos as it encourages the active, hands on participation of learners who are able to reflect on their personal experiences, meaning that the learning experience of Forest School is much more than the passing on of information from teacher to child, but rather the provision of an environment where learners are able to learn independently, by constructing their own thinking, learning and knowledge base.

9. Vygotsky's Social Development Theory stresses the fundamental role of social interaction in the development of cognition. He believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of "making meaning’’. Vygotsky believes that young children are curious and actively involved in their own learning and the discovery and development of new understandings/schema.  McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

10. Forest School serves as an appropriate setting as it provides opportunity for active social experiences where new ideas are able to formulate. Vygotsky saw children’s natural curiosity as an important factor in social development. As Forest School is believed to foster this curiosity and active involvement in independent learning, as well as contribute towards a sense of community.

11. Forest School activities: • Practicing getting dressed • Collecting natural materials • Building shelters/life skills • Making fires/cooking with fires • Exploration • Minibeasts • Charcoal drawing/mud painting • Dragging/rolling/climbing logs and branches • Weather/seasons • Multi sensory • Team work/independence/risk taking • Fine/gross/cognitive/social/emotional skills • Using tools/ropes/knots/weaving • Wildlife/woodland/nature conservation

12. Activity: • Forest School not only links to the Personal and Social Development, Well-being and Cultural Diversity area of learning in the Foundation Phase, but many others too. • Watch the following video and observe closely to identify which other areas of the Foundation Phase curriculum you can see the children participating in. Discussion to follow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjzFfU43wuQ Creative development Welsh language development Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Mathematical development Lanaguage, literacy and communication

13. References • Welsh Assembly Government (WAG 2009). Foundation Phase Outdoor Learning Experiences 2009 Report. Available: http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/090916foundationolereporten.pdf. • McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html • http://www.woodviewplymouth.org.uk/forest.html • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjzFfU43wuQ