What are the benefits of Forest School?
The benefits of Forest school are becoming more well known as research shows how outdoor activities can have a huge impact on the holistic development of children. Forest school:
- Promotes children being active and allows them to develop physically. As they move through the woodland they improve their stamina and gross motor skills. Using tools to make things helps them develop their fine motor skills
- Helps to build confidence and self esteem in children and young people. Forest school is child initiated and child led, and this allows all children to succeed as tasks are small and manageable.
- Enables children and young people to develop improved social skills though communication and problem solving with their peers and adults in a non threatening environment.
- Promotes sensory development. The outdoor environment contains many things to awaken our senses e.g. the feeling of mud between our fingers, different smells, and wildlife noises.
- Allows children and young people to develop knowledge and understanding, e.g. identifying flora and fauna, increased respect for the environment, using tools and tying knots.
- Helps children and young people to learn to manage risk and the safety of both themselves and others by learning simple safe procedures under the close supervision of the forest school leader.