Stick Play And Forest School

Today, I’m going to be looking at stick play and Forest School.

So in a recent session as I held a stick in my hand swooshing it at thin air, running about partaking in some pulsating forest role play, pretending to be Voldermort, true story!

It inspired me to take an indepth look at stick play. You might ask well why?

Sticks; The Vilified Objects Of Parents!

Stick play and use of sticks as creative resources are a big draw for children at Forest School.

However, sticks are an oddly vilified toy in the world of modern parenting, and yet I cannot think of another item from the natural world, so abundant and available, that delights a child as much.

Children gravitate to sticks instinctively from a young age, and yet parents are quick to banish them as soon as a child gets their hands on one.

When a stick comes out at a playground, you can literally hear the collective gasp from parents nearby.

What is wrong with kids playing with sticks? Is it really that horrible?

Sticks As A Developmental Resource.

Playing with sticks is better than any toy you can ever buy at the shop. A stick’s batteries don’t run out.

Children don’t get bored of them and it ignites children’s imaginations because they are such a great open-ended play item meaning they can be anything to anyone — and allows children to express themselves freely.

Maybe it’s a lightsaber, a fishing poll, a spade to dig for treasure, a picture frame resource or like my use on Friday and all powerful wand.

The possibilities are endless when imagination, which children have in abundance, is used.

Sticks also have therapeutic benefits. Branches and long sticks can build strength and muscles as children lift, drag or carry them from place to place.

Also, it takes teamwork when a stick is too big for one child to move by themselves.

Children develop their communication and social skills as they engage their peers to help them move sticks around to build things.

I pity every child who is not allowed to use them. How do you fight off monsters or check the depth of puddles?

Managing The Stick Play For Its Benefits.

There are some smart suggestions for how to manage stick play. One is that all children must agree to the game and understand that there’s a risk of injury.

But within risky play there is huge developmental benefit to be gained and such play is encouraged at Forest School. I wrote and spoke more in depth about this in a previous post and will link them in the description below.

At Eco Ed Forest School at least children are happily encouraged to play with sticks and are informed of how to do this safely for all involved or with ‘manners’, in a way that encourages children to think about our three rules of the forest; take care of yourself, take care of others and take care of nature.

By having sticks totally off-limits, much like tools, children never get to learn how to do just that, use them safely and appropriately.

Sticks as Tools And Not Weapons

Through this process sticks, tools or whatever are seen as not inherently dangerous, but that its riskiness is determined by the way it’s used, as is the case with every toy I suppose.

It trusts the child to learn how to manage themselves appropriately or else find themselves, others or nature in a painful predicament which in itself is a learning opportunity.

This isn’t to say I haven’t come across times where children have found it difficult to self regulate, manage their emotions or their bodies when using sticks.

The intention at these times is predominately never with malice but ill judged moments that can be forgiven and present rich learning moments full of value that will see a child well into their life.

These moments, for the benefit of our children, should not be shyed away from but embraced and spoken about .

Indeed, I myself have been on the receiving end of miss-manged moments. Tantalisingly, an all-or-none approach would sometimes be a heck of a lot easier .

But how else will children learn if they are not allowed to make mistakes and make right on these going forward?

The Freedom Of Stick Play!

A single notion in Forest Schools multi sided approach is to allow our children greater access to the world so that they are able to test their limits and push boundaries before the consequences get too dire.

It challenges children instead of sheltering them, and turns out young adults who are not afraid of everything once pushed out into the world on their own.

So, let them play with sticks. Stop fearing every possible scenario and let them learn what it feels like to swoosh, swipe, and swerve with a stick in hand.

There’s nothing quite like it, trust Volder-I mean me on this.

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