The 3 Questions Every New Forest School Parent Needs To Ask
Today I’m looking at three questions every new Forest School parent needs to ask.
The questions are;
What should they wear?
How long are the sessions?
Would you like me to stay with them?
So let’s get into each one of these in turn:
What should they wear?
Possibly as far as a child is concerned this is the most important question and piece of advice to carry out.
The quality of clothing your child wears is crucial to their enjoyment. Now by quality Idon’t mean Gucci clothing or expensive clothing. Not at all!
I’m talking about picking the right kit for the job.
Whether it’s the summer or the winter, the right clothes for the job makes everything else effortless and the children can get on with enjoying their learning through play.
Through picking the wrong clothing or even choosing something based on simply a brand name and not looking into if it does the job well, your child will get cold, wet or too hot and all together just not comfortable.
Self regulation is a huge part of a persons basic needs.
If their basic needs like this, alongside things like hunger, thirst and breathing are met then they can get on with enjoying the learning opportunity.
If these are not met learning and enjoyment for that child becomes very difficult.
As always I would recommend and point any parent in the direction of Spotty Otter, a children’s outdoor clothing specialist company.
Immense kit, value for money, longevity and ample choice.
These are the ‘Who’ you need, when thinking about outdoor kit for your children.
How long are the sessions?
Forest school unlike a traditional child’s learning activity is the minimum duration of 2 hours.
Play, the key learning tool at Forest School, is a complex thing.
For it to really develop and for children to get lost in the psychological state of flow, they need time.
Flow is that feeling where you’re doing something so enjoyable that you loose track of time and when you look at your watch again you can’t believe where the time has gone.
Ideally the longer the session the more opportunity a child has for their play to develop to levels beyond, perhaps ,what they may normally be use to.
This is what gives rise to all the benefits I have spoken about in previous episode and blogs.
It’s really all about the process to higher destinations as apposed to chucking knowledge at a child and hoping it sticks.
When given time, space and play, concrete like learning happens in the most natural of ways and that is so beautiful to behold.
That’s why during holiday periods Forest Schools like Eco Ed love putting on day long sessions of around 6 hours for children who may not be able to attend during traditional term times because of school or other commitments.
Play can be extensive, ideas explored and taken to a high level of thinking.
By surrounding a child in this fertile environment, the scattered seeds of knowledge and skills begin to germinate and flourish in the flower garden of the mind, through that holistic approach Forest School uses — an approach that concentrates on the whole child.
Time also allows children to become relaxed and also to bond with the Forest School Leader and other children in the group.
Forest School encourages co-construction of knowledge, simply finding out things by playing alongside and talking through their thinking with others, which having time to do, is a favourable outcome for all involved.
This question could also relate to the length of the Forest School process.
Ideally if a family chose to attend a Forest School they should attend weekly over a minimum period of over 3–4 months to ensure the huge value and benefits of forest school are achieved.
Would you like me to stay with them?
Most of the time its parental choice if you wish to stay and learn alongside your child.
If a parent chooses to there can be a huge range of benefits to this and indeed if a parent chooses to leave there can also be huge benefits in allowing a child time and space from their primary caregiver.
It ultimately is down to the parental preference and knowing your child and their needs.
Some Forest Schools however ask for parents to remain with their child and I know during out youngest explorer session; Eco Tots this is certainly the case, so it’s always good to just check to ensure that.
Indeed if you do stay, who knows you may actually find Forest School so appealing you yourself start a path into the movement or you will just enjoy those 2 our more hours to let your mind, body and spirit to be free from the rigours of life.
So there you are three questions every new Forest School parent needs to ask
What should they wear?
How long are the sessions?
Would you like me to stay with them?
You’re one session away…
