If you go down to the woods today….

We are so lucky that the village school our children attend has their own forest school. They are a small school on a big adventure and it was one of the reasons we chose it for our kids.

It’s Arthur’s turn for the next two terms. Each Thursday they walk to the forest and spend the entire day there. I think it’s fair to say that Arthur adores it. The first session he had I didn’t recognise him but for his glasses, he literally swam in the mud.

The growth in confidence of our eldest is evidence of the benefits. He was bullied at his old school which chipped away at his confidence. Now he can deal with change, different social situations and has the confidence to be the smart, funny, intelligent and creative human he’s always been.

So why is forest school so important? There are a plethora of reasons and I would (and could) bore you all senseless with the limitless benefits of being outdoors. It helps children, both physically and mentally, by tapping into the benefits of educating children outside the classroom and I’m sure, for some children, it’s the only time they get to spend outside, away from their various devices. Some of the benefits include:

• mental health
• physical health
• building confidence
• learning independence
• empathy for others and nature
• learning life skills (how to use a saw, light a fire)
• learning about nature and working together
• benefits them academically
• exposure to manageable risks
• better sleep
• better mood
• happier children
• builds leadership skills

I don’t think there are any downsides (my washing machine might disagree 😂) and I love that they do it in all weathers, rain, shine, snow, cold etc.

Arthur, who it is normally hard to rouse in the morning, was out of bed jumping around and chanting “forest school” at 6.30am this morning. If you have a school near you that offers forest school, get your child in there and watch them fly.