The last session of Forest School of the year brings a time of reflection. The whole class thought about their Forest School experience and the IMPACT it has had on them this year. The Impact of Forest School for the children is the knowledge the children have gained from the Forest School experience. The impact can be seen through the skills, tools used, art and craft activities, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learning how to play Forest School games.
YOU – Has Forest School affected how you feel about yourself and your well-being? If so how?
I feel energetic and happy…I like the fresh air”
“It makes me feel free…and happy that I can connect with nature”
“It takes me out of my life and makes me feel free”
NATURE – Has Forest School affected how you feel about nature? If so how?
“It makes me like trees more”
“I saw bunnies and it fascinated me”
“I am happy to be able to connect myself to nature”
“I already loved nature, so it is great”
“It has made us understand Mother Nature and the earth more”
“I have learned some things you can and can’t eat”
“I feel really good after Forest School, even if I am having a bad day”
LEARNING – What skills did you learn or develop this year at Forest School?
“I learned how to toast marshmallows to make smores”
“Balancing on the slack line….and how to put it up and take it down”
“I used a knife to make a mushroom out of wood”
“Fire making and crafting with wood”
“I learned how to cook and how to use a knife safely”
“I have learned how to make a pencil out of wood”
“How far I can climb up a tree”
“den building”
“How to make dandelion pancakes on a fire”
“What activities did you enjoy most or would like to do more of?
“I like playing with my friends…teamwork, creativity and aiming high”
“Making things like mud soup in the mud kitchen”
“I likes making the bricks out of clay”
“I liked making bacon sandwiches…and all of it”
“I loved digging the massive hole”
“Free play in the woods is my favourite”
“I loved making things with elder pens and pancakes”
“I like that there is a big range of activities that you can do”
“I would like to go on the swing more”
What did you like about the woodland space and Forest School environments?
“I like the trees…It is fun to climb on trees and play”
“I like my friends in the woods”
“I don’t like the nettles and thistles…you can use a dock leaf if you get stung”
“I don’t think the woodland needs to be improved, it is amazing enough as it is”
So many of the children were successful at independently starting a fire by the end of the session.
Once the fire was going, the class sorted some blackcurrants from their stems and leaves. We boiled up the berries to create paint and added sugar to some to make jam.
For the ink, we crushed ½ cup of berries through a sieve into a bowl. Added 1tsp of salt and 1tsp of vinegar. The vinegar binds the pigment and the salt preserves the ink. This is a traditional ink used in the 1600s. The children then used the ink to decorate fabric.
We took a jar of cream to try to create butter. The children took it in turns to shake the jar furiously throughout the afternoon and in the end it changed to make butter, which they tasted with crackers. Delicious!Then there was time to explore and play in the woodland. Oaks showed particular interests in physical risks and
challenges. They learned how to set up and take down the new slack line and hammock, thinking about the knots used to fix them safely to the trees and how to balance and manage their risks safely.
