Tuesday 28th April

This week at forest school, the children experienced another highly productive and enjoyable day in the outdoor environment. The session began with the collection of sticks and stones to continue the construction of our bug hotel, which is now half complete. The children then worked collaboratively to clear the next section of the site using wheelbarrows, in preparation for laying a weed membrane. This task required considerable effort, including lifting and removing embedded sticks; loppers were used to ensure the ground was level, safe, and ready for the next stage.

We planted a selection of seeds including radishes, marigolds, nasturtiums, and violas. These additions will enhance the site as they begin to establish and grow. Time was also taken to care for previously planted flowers. The forget-me-nots, which appeared slightly wilted, were thoroughly watered and quickly revived. Mint was planted at the rear of the site, with the understanding that it will spread readily in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, we are excited about the upcoming construction of our new shed, alongside the installation of a polytunnel in preparation for the planting season.

The day was further enriched by a couple of special visitors. The children were delighted to meet a small dog named Hercules, whose lively and confident nature made quite an impression. His owner explained he is a small dog with a bit personality! We were also visited by Steve the robin, a long-standing and familiar presence at Forest School. His appearance was warmly received, as he observed the children’s activities and, as usual, took the opportunity to search for worms nearby.

Thursday 23rd April

A Busy Day at Forest School 🌿

Today was a wonderfully productive day at our forest school site, with the children fully immersed in hands-on work from start to finish. It’s been incredible to see how the space is beginning to take shape, and that’s entirely down to the children’s hard work, teamwork and determination.

We began the morning by clearing the area, removing sticks left behind by the mini digger as well as a number of stones. Rather than letting these materials go to waste, the children made the thoughtful decision to repurpose them for our bug hotel, which is currently under construction in the workshop. It’s fantastic to see their awareness of how natural resources can be reused to support wildlife.

With the ground cleared, we moved on to laying the weed membrane. Armed with tools and plenty of enthusiasm, the children carefully hammered pegs into the ground to secure it in place. This required patience and precision and they rose to the challenge brilliantly.

Next came the big task of the day, moving bark into the area using wheelbarrows. This was no easy job and it certainly tested everyone’s strength and perseverance! Although we managed to move only half of the bark, the children showed great resilience and we’re looking forward to finishing the job next week.

To round off the day, we planted some beautiful forget-me-nots that were kindly donated to us. These have been placed along the banks and we’re excited to watch them grow over time. Hopefully, they will one day form a stunning blanket of blue, adding even more life and colour to our forest school environment.

A huge well done to all the children for their effort today. It’s amazing to see what can be achieved when everyone works together!

Tuesday 21st April

What a wonderful day we had at forest school today. We were especially excited as we knew we would have at least one special visitor and sure enough, on arrival we spotted it, a mini digger working on our site. This will soon provide a perfect space for our new mud kitchen and bug hotel, and the children already have lots of ideas for what else they would like to add in the future.

The children spent some time observing the digger before gradually moving closer to take a better look, showing great curiosity and care as they explored the changes happening around them. We then headed out on a bird hunt to see what types of birds live in our area. One child thought they had spotted an ow. How amazing that would have been!

After lunch (and a few more checks on the digger’s progress), it was time for some tree identification. The children could already name a few trees, and we know there is still so much more to learn as we continue to explore our surroundings.

We were then told we had another special delivery arriving, a huge truck bringing a load of bark for our site. The children stood safely at a distance as the truck carefully manoeuvred into position and we watched as it tipped and released the bark onto the ground. One child commented that they had “never seen anything in my life before like that!”. A truly memorable moment.

Our forest school site is really starting to come together now and it’s exciting to see it develop into a rich, engaging space for the children to explore and enjoy.

Thursday 16th April

Today marked another busy and fulfilling session at forest school with our new Thursday group. We started the day by gathering together to talk through the important jobs ahead of us. With our site continuing to develop, there was plenty to be done, and the children showed great enthusiasm in taking on these responsibilities.

Everyone quickly got involved in preparing the space for the upcoming arrival of the mini digger. There was lots of teamwork as sticks were collected, logs were carefully moved, and the area began to take shape. It was wonderful to see the children working collaboratively, sharing ideas, and supporting one another with the tasks at hand.

As always, the woodland had its own surprises waiting for us. Our work was briefly paused as we discovered snails clinging to a tree trunk, sparking curiosity and close observation. Not long after, excitement grew when a frog was spotted hiding beneath a pile of deadwood, followed by another cleverly tucked away inside a log. These moments of discovery brought a sense of wonder to the session and reminded us all of the rich wildlife that shares our space.

After our explorations, the group returned to their tasks with renewed energy. The children worked incredibly hard digging and levelling the ground, showing determination and pride in their efforts. Bit by bit, the site is transforming, and the children are playing a key role in that process.

It was a truly productive day, filled with teamwork, perseverance, and those special moments of connection with nature that make forest school so meaningful. We’re all looking forward to seeing the progress continue when the digger arrives next week!

Tuesday 14th April

This week, a new group of children enjoyed spending time at Forest School. We explored a different area of our site, where the children had great fun climbing and balancing as they discovered the space.

We were also delighted to be greeted by our favourite visitor. Steve the robin has returned from his winter adventures! He happily flitted through the bushes and trees, searching for worms that the children had just dug up. We hope he decides to visit us again next week.

The children took on several important jobs during the morning. These included moving logs and branches to help prepare for our new dead hedge. One child carefully collected sticks for our upcoming bug hotel, while others worked together to dig soil and fill in a hole we had created and all this before lunchtime!

After lunch, the children continued to explore the area and began learning about our Forest School promises. During our adventures, we also spotted a mallard and discovered a magical pond, adding even more excitement to the day.

Thursday 26th March

This week at forest school it was fire week which is always an exciting day as we prepare and cook our own food. This week was even more exciting as we decided to cook a full english breakfast!

We began the session by coming together to discuss how to safely build and manage a fire. The children shared some fantastic ideas, showing their growing knowledge and confidence. They talked about what a fire needs to burn, how to build it carefully, and how to stay safe while working around it.

Once our fire was established and burning well, we moved on to preparing our food. We decided to try something new and began creating homemade patties, which smelled delicious as they cooked over the fire. The children really enjoyed hearing them sizzling in the pan, adding to the excitement of the experience.

The smell of breakfast cooking outdoors was wonderful, and everyone eagerly waited to taste what they had made. The patties were a huge success, so delicious that some of the children even went back for seconds! As the breakfast was served, the children gazed in amazement at the variety of colours on their plates and thoroughly enjoyed every bite of their food. After lunch we had some time left which we spent in the meadow. The children enjoyed exploring the space together.

Thursday 11th March

As we wandered through our forests school site, one child found what he thought was a caterpillar on the ground but when we looked more closely we realised it was actually a catkin that had fallen from a tree. We talked about how catkins grow on certain trees and tried to work out which tree it might have come from by looking at the branches and leaves nearby. It was interesting to discover something new and learn a bit more about the trees in the forest.

Later we discovered our forest school site is littered with lots of fairy houses hidden between tree roots and mossy logs. We decided to make magical wands by choosing special sticks and decorating them with beautifully coloured ribbons. What a magical day where the forest felt like a place full of imagination and adventure.

Tuesday 24th February

It’s that time again! One of our favourite weeks, it’s fire week! The children were all very excited about cooking on the open fire and the meal of the day was cheesy toasties, corn on the cob and to finish, warm banana and pear pudding. Yummy! After lunch the children helped to tidy our poly tunnel and prepare for the upcoming season. We have emptied out our poly tunnel in preparation for something rather exciting so watch this space!

Tuesday 17th February

As we wandered onto our Forest School site, we were greeted by a large pond where anglers were quietly fishing, which immediately sparked our curiosity about what might live beneath the surface. We learned that the pond is home to some impressive fish, including perch and carp, and we imagined them swimming in the deeper water below. This led to an important discussion about staying safe near water, keeping a sensible distance from the edge, and never going onto ice. Excitement grew when we spotted a section of the pond that had frozen over, prompting thoughtful questions about how deep the water might be and how thick the ice was. It was a wonderful opportunity to combine nature exploration, seasonal change, and safety awareness through hands-on observation and discussion.

Our curiosity about the frozen pond continued when one of the children suggested breaking the ice with a stick. After making sure everyone was standing at a safe distance, a grown-up carefully tapped the surface and managed to lift out a huge piece of ice. We gathered around to investigate it more closely and were amazed by how thick it was. Each of us had a quick touch — it was so cold! The exploration didn’t stop there. Another grown-up threw a large stone into the pond while we all stood well back in preparation. There was a tremendous splash and we watched in awe as the sheet of ice shattered across the water. It was an exciting and memorable moment, helping us understand just how fragile frozen water can be while reinforcing the importance of staying safe near icy ponds.

As we continued our exploration, we found ourselves surrounded by a wonderful variety of trees, each offering new opportunities for discussion and discovery. One of the children excitedly spotted a silver birch and confidently shared that silver birch trees can be used to make paper. Intrigued, we asked him to explain his thinking. Carefully climbing the embankment, he reached towards the trunk and gently peeled away a small loose piece of bark. Holding it out proudly, he showed us how the thin bark could be used just like paper. It was a fantastic example of child-led learning — drawing on prior knowledge, making connections with the natural world, and confidently sharing ideas with the group. Moments like these truly capture the spirit of Forest School. 🌿

Tuesday 3rd February

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.

Thursday 22nd January

Today’s trip to forest school was a wet, windy, muddy kind of day and what fun we had. We started our day exploring puddles but these were no ordinary little puddles. We had to carefully walk into them to make sure the water didn’t go over our boots (no one wants soggy, wet feet)! Once on site, we were surprised by a visit from a deer! It ran very quickly up the hill but we managed to spot its white tail.

We started to set up camp and one of our grown ups had a great plan to make a different kind of shelter which would keep us really warm and dry. Everyone helped to create an amazing shelter and once inside it really was toasty.

The bouncy log remains a highlight of our trip and as you can see there is plenty of space for everyone! Today we met two dogs called Tinkerbell and Holly and they were very friendly. They jumped around us excitedly, wanting to play. They must love our forest school just as much as new do!

Thursday 15th January

This week was a very busy one in the forest. We started our day exploring our site and as usual the den and bouncy log were a favourite. Some children wanted to explore the pond and we wondered if any animals were nearby. We thought we spotted something moving in the long grasses and decided that it was time to venture away from our site to investigate. This was a little trickier than it sounded because to climb up the huge hill, we had to cross the dreaded swamp. Children from a previous group had already built a small bridge but it was very slippy and some of the bridge had been washed away. The grown-ups helped the children across and before we knew it we were on the other side of the swamp. We began climbing the hill which was really tricky.

The space became more muddy, wet and swampy but we persevered. Before we knew it, we were at the top! What an achievement. We looked down and we could see the whole of our forest school site. We ventured along the top of the hill until we came to what we thought might be a giant nest. But who could have built this nest? We decided in the afternoon that we could build our own nests to support the birds who live in the forest. It was time to climb back down the hill and have lunch. We practiced our knees bent and arms out to ensure we were balanced and could get down the hill safely.

Thursday 8th January

This week we introduced a new group of children to forest school. We headed straight to our usual site to see if it had changed since our last visit. The children wanted to get to work as quickly as possible and as usual the den and bouncing tree were the favourites however on this occasion the children found an even bigger bouncy tree. This tree allowed everyone to sit a little higher off the ground while a team of children held onto high branches and pushed the tree up and down. To their surprise the fallen tree was extremely bouncy and the children screamed with delight!

Tuesday 25th November

This week at forest school, the children had made a plan to add to their den however very quickly the plan changed when the children discovered a bouncy fallen branch. The children used the branch for a variety of activities. At one point it was a pirate ship with the children clinging on as they sailed the seven seas, occasionally falling overboard and having to swim back. It then became a slippy slide and was then used for balancing. Who would have thought that one piece of fallen tree could be so many things!

This week at forest school it was fire week. The children love to watch the flames dancing as our lunch is cooked on the open fire. We always start our fires the same way, with a discussion about fire safety. The children are aware of how to keep themselves and their friends safe around the fire, understanding the safe routes to exit the fire circle, what to do if the smoke heads your way and how to use the ‘respect position’ (how to kneel safely around the fire).

Our lunch was rather delicious and there were lots of yummy noises from the children (and the grown-ups). Our very special recipe for ‘forest school garlic bread’ was a particular favourite!

Thursday 23rd October

Today at forest school the children wanted to further explore the mushrooms and fungus growing in our woodland. We headed off to the dried up pond area and found an array of different mushrooms. We used our seek app to identify them. Some had some very strange names. We also needed to have a discussion about our forest school rules as one of our grown-ups decided to touch one of the mushrooms (don’t worry, the children were on hand to explain to her how we do things at forest school). The children know our forest school promises and are able to support others with them. For the remainder of the day, the children supported the grown-up with our promises. Even grown-ups need some help sometimes!

The children were intrigued to think that our forest may be filled with fairies who live under the mushrooms. One child thought the biggest mushroom had a door underneath. What an amazing imagination!

 The afternoon continued with mushroom searches and the best construction of a den we have ever attempted! Team work makes the dream work! We sat under the shelter eating our lunch all snug and warm as the rain fell around us. What a magical day!

Thursday 16th October

This week, we headed into forest school and were keen to explore the old pond area. Now dried up, this space provides excellent opportunities for balancing and negotiating pathways through the many stones which lie there. One of the children found a beautiful shell. She was intrigued by her find and wondered why there was nothing living inside. What kind of creature could it have been and where could it have gone?

The children wanted to explore the vast space around them and see how far they could go. As the area is flat, the children were able to spread themselves out and discover the freedom our forest school provides.

We headed into a denser part of forest school where we discovered a huge variety of mushrooms. We even spotted red ones! We wondered who might eat or even live under the mushrooms. Tales of fairies and magic began to appear in our thinking. The children were fascinated by the different sizes, shapes and colours. We wanted to view the mushrooms from different angles so some children lay on the floor whilst others bent their heads down and looked underneath. Roll on next week when we plan to venture deeper into the woods to explore.

Tuesday 7th October

This week was fire week and the children were very excited to cook on our open fire. We began our ‘three course’ meal with garlic bread. This is always a favourite! For our main we had loaded wedges and wow were they popular! Dessert was rice pudding. With our tummies full, we decided to head off into forest school for an explore. Our trolley was very heavy this week as it was laden down with our dishes ready to be cleaned back at nursery so it was all hands on deck to get the trolley through the forest. The children, as usual, were amazing and supported the adults by helping to push the trolley over the big bumps along the way!

Tuesday 30th September

This week at forest school the children were intrigued by the discovery of yet more acorns! But this time we noticed something a little different. Some of the acorns were beginning to sprout roots. We chatted about what that could mean and what could happen in the future. After identifying trees in the morning, the children were all aware that if we planted the little acorn, we may grow our very own oak tree. Now this would be an amazing experiment and so we took a couple back to nursery to see if we could grow one. The other children wanted to collect the acorns together in a pile for the squirrels. We had engaged in this activity in a previous week and when the children noticed the pile was gone, they believed the squirrels had taken them and they should repeat the activity, helping the squirrels in the process.

The rest of our day was spent exploring the terrain with climbing, running and jumping games. The children found a huge stone and immediately wanted to negotiate how to get up and down it. We also played some fun chasing games in the vast empty space which the children thought was hilarious!

Tuesday 23rd September

This week the children began their day exploring a small ditch they had discovered. The ditch provided lots of scope for problem solving skills as the children tried to work out how deep and wide it was and how they would cross it. 

Our afternoon explorations found us in a wooded area where the children got to work building dens. Again, lots of problem solving skills were used to work out how to build a roof and walls which were secure. The children attempted building the den with various lengths of branches. They soon discovered that the longer branches were easier to build with but some were a little bit bendy which led to more discussions about how to make the walls secure enough so we could (in the words of one child) “live inside forever!”.