During today’s forest school session, the children spent time exploring the woods, fully immersing themselves in the sights, sounds, and textures of the natural environment. Despite it being a chilly first week of forest school, this did not stop us from exploring and having fun. With the colder weather in mind, we decided to head out on an adventure and explore further afield than our usual site.
One of our first discoveries was a HUGE mountain, which quickly became an exciting challenge as the children set their sights on reaching the very top. With determination and perseverance, everyone had a go. The greatest challenge came when finding a safe and careful way back down, encouraging problem-solving, teamwork, and resilience. With gentle guidance from the forest leaders below, the children made it safely back down with only a few wobbles along the way.
As we continued our adventure, we stopped to observe catkins hanging from the trees. The children eagerly shared their ideas about what they might be, suggesting everything from avocados and cucumbers to caterpillars and worms. Close by, the children discovered three large boulders and, leading their own learning, set off to explore. Some played with sticks, others carefully observed the moss growing over the rocks, but a common theme throughout was imagination. The woods quickly transformed into scenes of pirate adventures, fishing trips, and superhero missions.
While walking, we paused to listen carefully to our surroundings and heard the sound of running water. After a short discussion, we discovered it was a river. This led Kirsten to guide a conversation about managing risks in the woods, focusing on potential dangers such as steep drops, uneven ground, and the importance of being aware of water and the risks around it. Together, the children thought about how they could keep themselves safe by slowing down, watching where they were going, staying within agreed boundaries, and listening carefully to instructions. These conversations supported the children in developing confidence and independence in assessing and managing risk. Some of the children asked if we could follow the river, and that is exactly what we did. To our surprise, the river seemed to move from our left side to our right, prompting another thoughtful discussion. The children shared their ideas, wondering if the water flowed through a tunnel, a tube, or under a bridge. One child even suggested that the river might flow all the way to her house.
After lunch, we found a small clearing where the children continued their imaginative play, alongside climbing trees and balancing on fallen branches. The children were also eager to search for signs of wildlife. We talked about animals that live in the woods and those we might be lucky enough to spot, such as birds, squirrels, deer, and other woodland mammals. The children enjoyed playing a game where they took turns giving clues while the rest of the group guessed which animal was being described. This supported the development of descriptive language, questioning skills, and confidence in sharing ideas.
Although we ended our day a little earlier than usual due to the cold weather, the session was filled with exploration, learning, and fun, and we are already looking forward to more forest adventures next week.