Imagine a circle of children huddled beneath towering pines, eyes sparkling as they reveal beetles tucked under a mossy log. That sense of discovery sits at the heart of a high‑quality Forest School experience.
This guide will walk you through how to design a flexible forest school curriculum that integrates outdoor learning, academic standards, and a deep love for the natural environment.
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What Is a Forest School Curriculum?
A Forest School Curriculum is a long‑term, child‑centred learning framework that takes place in a natural setting. Rooted in the Danish concept of friluftsliv, an open‑air culture that prizes fresh air and curiosity, it fosters holistic development through play, risk, and reflection. Sessions move from season to season, so children build a meaningful connection with their site and watch it change over time.
Unlike a traditional classroom scheme, Forest School follows a cycle of planning, observation, and adaptation. Educators note children’s interests, design provocations, then step back to let a learner‑centered process unfold. Over months, the group grows from strength to strength, developing confidence, resilience, and a genuine bond with each other and the land.
Key Principles of an Effective Outdoor Learning Curriculum
Before diving into lesson plans, it helps to recognize the common threads that make a Forest School thrive. In essence, great programs balance freedom with responsible risk and nurture the children in a community with nature and peers. Key principles include:
- Foster self‑directed play within safe boundaries, honoring the developmental ethos of childhood.
- Build core problem‑solving, observational, and oracy skills that translate into future employability skills.
- Strengthen positive relationships between children, adults, and the natural world.
- Offer inclusive, therapeutic sessions that support SEND children and overall social, emotional, and mental health.
Aligning With the National Curriculum
Yes, mud and moss can sit alongside math and reading! Map each woodland experience to the targets you already track:
- Year 1 - Year 2: Identify living things, record weather patterns, sequence events in stories using found objects.
- Key Stage Two: Investigate forces by building mini zip‑lines; collect data on leaf decomposition for Science of Nature projects.
- Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4: Use Bush craft skills like fire lighting and shelter building to study energy transfer or discuss survival skills relevant for GCSE courses.
Document learning with photo portfolios, reading materials, and reflection journals so you can evidence educational outcomes.
Age‑Appropriate Forest School Themes and Goals
Early Childhood (ages 3‑5)
Focus on sensory exploration and open‑ended storytelling:
- Bark rubbings: give each child a wax crayon and paper to capture tree textures, then compare patterns to develop descriptive language and early science concepts.
- Miniature world construction: provide sticks, leaves, stones, and clay so learners design tiny habitats, boosting fine‑motor control, imaginative play, and problem‑solving skills.
- Journey stick storytelling prop: children tie natural treasures onto a stick during a walk; afterwards, each object becomes a cue in retelling the adventure, strengthening sequencing and oracy skills.
Elementary/ Primary School (ages 5‑11)
Spark curiosity with skill‑building challenges that tie into science and geography:
- Tree climbing: teach safe harness use and limb selection, then invite students to measure tree height using simple trigonometry, linking to math reasoning.
- Slack lining: practice balance and core strength while discussing forces and tension; record progress over weeks to nurture problem‑solving skills and perseverance.
- Collaborative map‑making: groups create large‑scale site maps with natural symbols, reinforcing spatial awareness, compass use, and respect for the natural environment.
Middle School (ages 11‑13)
Deepen resilience and leadership through complex, applied learning projects:
- Advanced knots & lashings: build tripod seats or gear racks, integrating physics concepts of load and leverage, and employability skills like teamwork.
- DIY water filtration: construct charcoal‑sand filters, test turbidity, and debate global water issues, underscoring the Science of Nature and social responsibility.
- Expedition planning: students design a mini‑trek using adventure education principles: route mapping, risk management, and kit lists; present findings to younger peers to grow oracy skills.
Seasonal Forest School Activity Plans
Spring
- Bugs on bushes: Guide children on a mini‑safari, tallying insects found on different shrubs; afterwards graph the results to practice numeracy and pattern recognition.
- Wildflower chromatography art: Collect colorful petals, place them on filter‑paper strips, and watch pigments separate to introduce basic chemistry and color theory.
Summer
- Solar ovens for s’mores: Craft foil‑lined pizza‑box ovens, measure internal temperature changes, and enjoy a sweet treat while discussing renewable energy and heat transfer.
- Pond dipping: Use nets and trays to sample aquatic life; identify creatures with classification keys, reinforcing food‑web concepts and observational skills.
Fall
- Leaf‑litter biomes: Scoop layers of forest floor into clear jars, observe decomposers over several weeks, and log changes to grasp decomposition and nutrient cycling.
- Natural Art mandalas: Gather fallen leaves, seeds, and twigs to design radial patterns that celebrate biodiversity, symmetry, and seasonal color palettes.
Winter
- Mammal track detective: Hunt for footprints in mud or snow, cast plaster molds, and match prints to field‑guide images, honing tracking abilities and biodiversity awareness.
- Fire lighting circle storytelling: Teach tinder preparation and safe ignition techniques, then share myths or personal tales around the flame to nurture community bonds and oracy skills.
Essential Forest School Resources
- Durable tarps, ropes, and kelly kettles
- Loose parts like sticks, stones, and cones for open‑ended construction.
- Quality online resource banks such as the Forest School Association in the UK and Woodland Trust.
- Digital tools, such as Pembee's Forest School Booking Software, to manage regular sessions, sign‑ups, and payments, freeing you to be a present Forest School Provider.
From Curriculum to Growth: Putting Your Resources into Action
With your curriculum map complete, your toolkit packed, and your staff freshly trained, the focus shifts to three practical questions: How will we capture learning? How will we keep every explorer safe? And how will we share the journey, while caring for the site that makes it all possible?
Assessment in a Natural Setting
Replace grades with narrative observation sheets, voice notes, and reflection circles. Encourage practitioners to add a quick reflective log after each session (what worked, what needs tweaking), so staff learning evolves alongside the children’s. Over time, you’ll see a rich tapestry of growth from agility to empathy, while maintaining a dynamic, data-light feedback loop to keep the curriculum responsive.
Safety and Risk Management
A robust risk-benefit assessment keeps freedom and security in balance. Pair that with ongoing woodland first-aid and tool-use CPD to ensure every adult feels confident. Build site stewardship into safety briefings (model low-impact travel, leave-no-trace campfires, and weekly habitat checks), so children learn that protecting their outdoor classroom is part of staying safe.
Building Community Engagement
Invite families for monthly campfires, partner with local charities, and celebrate student projects at an annual Forest Fair. Hands-on conservation days, such as clearing invasive species or planting saplings, double as service learning, deepening ties among learners, neighbors, and the land itself while showcasing the program’s wider impact.
Final Thoughts: From Roots to Results
Designing and sustaining a quality Forest School and learning environment isn’t about copying someone else’s teaching methods. It’s about creating child-centered learning methods, trusting young people as capable theorists, explorers, and stewards. Start small, iterate, and watch your curriculum grow from sapling to canopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 6 core principles of Forest School?
- Regular, long‑term sessions in a wooded or natural environment that change through the seasons.
- Commitment to holistic development—physical, social, emotional, and cognitive.
- A fully child-centered, inspirational learning process driven by play and self-directed inquiry.
- Supported risk‑taking to strengthen resilience and problem‑solving skills while embedding safety awareness.
- Delivery by a qualified Forest School Provider who reflects and adapts each cycle of planning.
- Promoting a lifelong, positive relationship with nature through sustainable practice and stewardship.
What do children learn from Forest School?
In addition to curriculum links, children gain:
- Bush craft skills like fire lighting, shelter building, and basic tool use.
- Fine‑tuned observational skills such as spotting wildlife, reading weather, and identifying plants.
- Strong oracy skills through storytelling circles and peer coaching.
- Cooperation, leadership, and employability skills nurtured by teamwork challenges.
- Confidence, creativity, and intrinsic motivation rooted in authentic success outdoors.
