Forest School focus

Our sessions recently have focused on campfire cooking. Many of our classes have been learning about food as part of their enquiries, so we have taken some of that learning outside into a practical focus. Our eldest children cooked a vegetable chilli which they devoured with nachos and dip. Everyone peeled, sliced or chopped fresh vegetables which were added to the recipe and cooked in a large pot on the open fire. Several classes, as part of their enquiry, made Damper Bread, which they toasted on whittled hazel sticks over the fire and sweetened it with honey or jam. The children made their own bread dough before toasting; it was tricky getting the bread  to just the right consistency. Other year groups toasted popcorn in our specially designed popcorn toasting sieves.

Some of our children had enquiries that required them to be engineers. During their Forest School sessions, they designed and engineered shelters for woodland creatures. I also witnessed building skills creating an obstacle course, which they changed and adapted to make the game more of a challenge.

Our youngest children went on an Easter egg hunt, having to find eggs of different colours and patterns. They were also set the task to find my well-hidden Easter bunny. As Spring has been their focus, each child decorated a compostable plant pot and sowed flower seeds.  Spring is the time for new life and fresh beginnings. The children are now tasked with caring for their seeds, which should start to grow over the Easter holidays. Look out for either marigolds or cosmos, which can be planted out once the frost has passed. Around the fire, the children enjoyed hot chocolate and an Easter treat from the Easter bunny.

Annette Griffin, Forest School Practitioner