Maple class set off in the autumn sunshine for their first ever Forest School adventure to the woods. Stop-ping off along the way at the Wellie tree the class felt the bark “it’s squishy”. Then as a class they all held hands to see if they could make it all the way around the tree, they only just made it.
Making their way further the class squelched through mud, kicked through leaves and found long sticks that they then used as walking sticks. They also learn that we shout ‘Pedal Power!’ when we see someone coming so that everyone know to move to the left and let them pass.
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 gained, tools used, art and craft activi-ties, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants and trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learning how to play Forest School games.
Once in the woods some children chose to go on a leaf hut looking for as many different shapes of leaves as they could find. They had an ID sheet that they could compare the leaf to so that they could work out what tree their leaves belonged to, they sound some Hazel, Holly, Oak and Silver Birch leaves. They also found a leaf that was longer than their faces; this one belonged to a Sweet Chestnut.
Others chose to go off and explore the site indecently. They took it in turns to swing their friends in the hammock; they also paddled their wellies in the small stream that runs through Forest School. A small group of children made some improvements to an existing den, working together to lift part of a long pallet and adding it to one side of the den. They then took it in turns to climb the den and slide down the pallet.
Maple class finished their session by listening to each other say what they had enjoyed most from Forest School today-
“I loved the hammock”
“I loved the walk”
“The slide”
“The woods are so peaceful”
