Forest Kindergarten Approach
Professional Development Resource
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
What is a Forest Kindergarten approach?
Regular play opportunities
in woodland or natural
setting.
Promoting creativity,
imagination and problemsolving skills.
Opportunities for re-visiting
problems.
All year round in almost all
weather.
Using stimulus offered by
nature.
?
Free play and childcentred.
Carefully selected real
tools and resources to
challenge thinking.
?
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
What is a Forest Kindergarten approach?
Regular play opportunities
in woodland or natural
setting.
Promoting creativity,
imagination and problemsolving skills.
All year round in almost all
weather.
Using stimulus offered by
nature.
Free play and childcentred.
Carefully selected real
tools and resources to
challenge thinking.
Document title
Opportunities for re-visiting
problems.
Think about your
own setting.
What would you
add?
Transforming lives through learning
What can adults do?
Observe carefully children
during play.
Respond sensitively in play
to enrich the experience for
children.
?
Listen to and value
children’s ideas and
suggestions.
Allow time for children to
explore and investigate
their environment.
?
Provide additional
materials and resources to
provoke creativity, inquiry
and imagination.
Use effective interactions
to scaffold children’s
learning and development.
?
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
What can adults do?
Observe carefully children
during play.
Respond sensitively in play
to enrich the experience for
children.
Listen to and value
children’s ideas and
suggestions.
Allow time for children to
explore and investigate
their environment.
Provide additional
materials and resources to
provoke creativity, inquiry
and imagination.
Use effective interactions
to scaffold children’s
learning and development.
Document title
Think about the
role you play.
What would you
add?
Transforming lives through learning
Example from practice – April’s story
April participated in two blocks of visits to the forest and would use
her time in there to consolidate her learning from previous weeks.
One of April’s most significant achievements was learning different
ways to use ropes to solve problems. She learned to tie knots, to
climb trees and make tightropes.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Example from practice – April’s story
As part of their approach, staff at Newmains are keen that children
develop important life skills. They teach children how to safely build
fires and talk to them about the importance of managing risks.
When on holiday, April demonstrated that she had learned these
essential skills by gathering appropriate materials to start the fire and
by keeping her little brother safe from harm.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Let’s talk about planning
How do you plan for children’s experiences
outdoors?
In what ways does your planning support the
purposes of a Forest Kindergarten approach as
set out in slide 2.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Let’s talk about progress
In your own approach, what skills do you look for
children to develop over time?
In what ways have you shown that your forest
kindergarten approach has contributed to
children’s progress and development?
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Example from practice – stick dogs
Staff at Newmains have found the Forest Kindergarten approach to
be effective in providing opportunities for children to engage in more
imaginative role-play.
For example, staff noticed that children wanted to use sticks and
ropes to create pretend pets. Now each time they visit the forest
children immediately make an imaginary pet to play with. They talk
to each other about their pet and even discuss the similarities and
differences of their pets. As a group, children take their pets for
walks and make up games for them to play.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Let’s talk about challenge
In what ways do you use prior learning and
interests developed by children when outdoors to
offer motivating, challenging indoor experiences?
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Examples from practice – James’s Story
Newmains staff believe that the Forest Kindergarten approach has been
instrumental in helping them to meet the needs of one of their children.
James is a little boy who was selective mute, spending considerable periods of
time on his own while at nursery and at home. However, when at the forest
James gradually started to initiate play with an adult. He would communicate
by touching them or looking at them to catch their gaze.
Staff noted this as a significant progress in James’s development and
concluded that the forest provided for him a safe, secure environment that they
could use to support his communication skills.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Examples from practice – James’s Story
Staff agreed a number of strategies to support James’s keenness to interact
when at the forest. They would sit close to him and imitate his play.
They used communication techniques to help James gain the confidence to
interact with adults and other children. Staff narrated their actions, gradually
involving James in the narration by complimenting him on his play and
achievements.
Staff were delighted when after a few weeks James, through vocalisations and
laughter, showed that he was beginning to enjoy the company of others.
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Let’s talk about supportive environments
What was it about the forest that provided such
an enabling environment for James?
In your own setting, do children play differently
outdoors? Is it better? What do you think are the
reasons for this? Is there learning in this for you?
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Want to talk some more?
Sign into Glow and then
http://bit.ly/earlylearn
Use #learningoutdoors
Document title
Transforming lives through learning
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Document title
Transforming lives through learning
Document title
Transforming lives through learning