Wayfarers Outdoors
'Going to the woods is going home.' (John Muir)
Learning and living in nature
The Benefits of Den Building
I remember when I was a small child, aged five or six, building dens on the margins of the school field. There was a long privet hedge which had a series of well- worn gaps in it; children would vie for control of one of these dusty hollows in order to build a home for the play times during that day. Long grass would be plucked and used as a . . .
Fantastic Fungi
As you wander through the woods you will have seen fungi on the ground, on fallen branches and rotting stumps. Their fascinating shapes and colours have given rise to all sorts of stories and beliefs. Most of us can summon a picture of a gnome sitting on a red toadstool with white spots- the very poisonous Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria). That . . .
Winter Night Hike
If you’ve never taken your children out for a walk in the woods after dark, this is the perfect time of year to do so. There is a special magic in being out on a frosty or snowy night with the frozen stars above and the ground crunching underfoot. The night sky with its constellations can be explored. There is a good chance, if you stay . . .
Learning from Risk
Acquiring Skills for Life and for Learning through Risk and Challenge
Those of you who already in the forest school way of thinking will appreciate that a significant part of what we do involves children learning how to assess risks. We use sharp tools, we climb trees, we make use of fire, we discover what we can and can’t manage to do on our own. Much of the press coverage of forest school is fixated with this . . .
Climbing Trees and Why Everyone Should Do It
Up into the cherry tree
Who should climb but little me?
I held the trunk with both my hands
And looked abroad in foreign lands.
I saw the next door garden lie,
Adorned with flowers, before my eye,
And many pleasant places more
That I had never seen before.
I saw the dimpling river pass
And be the . . .
Book Review: ‘Playing With Fire’ by Mike Fairclough
In a departure from my usual ramblings, this month I’m reviewing Mike Fairclough’s new book, ‘Playing With Fire’.
In this slim volume Fairclough advocates a refreshing approach to primary education which raises expectations through the handing over of responsibility for some projects to the children and the provision of outdoor . . .
Dressed for Adventure
We want your child to be happy at forest school.
One of the aspects of preparing for forest school which falls to the parents or guardians of the children is the selection of appropriate clothing and footwear. From where I stand, often up to my ankles in mud and surrounded by brambles, it is clear what a child at forest school needs . . .
Cover image credit: http://image: Wayfarers Outdoors
