1. The domino effect

Participants take their Forest School experiences home, sharing them with family and friends. This could spark an interest in nature in others and so the benefits of Forest School can be spread far and wide!

2. New understandings

Forest School is for all, including adults. For teachers, participation in or leading Forest School can highlight new aspects of interest and help develop a new understanding of teaching techniques and student support.

3. Utilize your green spaces

There are green spaces all around us and so it’s a waste not to use them to our advantage! Even a small area with a few trees or plants can have hundreds of amazing opportunities.

4. Motivate your staff

Being outdoors comes with a host of benefits not just for young people but for staff as well! Being in nature as well as the additional physical activity promotes mental health, focus and overall well-being.

5. Healthy lifestyle

Just by heading outside, young people will benefit from additional physical activity, whether that’s running around, climbing trees, crawling around etc. This helps promote a healthy lifestyle, showing students that even if they don’t like sports exercise can still be fun.

Moreover, Forest School sessions can help students understand where their food comes from and so promote healthy eating habits!

6. Connection with nature

More than ever, we spend our time in the digital sphere. Whether that’s for work, homework, research or fun. Technology is an incredible tool that has opened up millions of opportunities for learning, connection and more but this means we’ve lost some of our connection with nature.

Forest School sets aside a few hours every week to reconnect with the natural world and most importantly disconnect from the digital one. Finding this balance helps support our well-being.

7. Slow and steady wins the race

Nature doesn’t rush its processes so why should we? Forest School enables learners to dictate their own learning at their own speed. It can be a refreshing break from the structures of a classroom – for adults too!

8. Environmental impact

Forest School sessions help raise awareness of the importance of sustainability. By being within nature, young people have the opportunity to see first-hand as well as the impact climate change has on their local area. This can help them understand why and how to protect the environment going forward.

9. Enjoyment for all

The Early Years are all about focusing on learning through play, as young people advance through education this is often lost (even though play and enjoyment continue to be one of the most effective learning tools!). Forest School allows this to be brought back in, giving the student the opportunity to learn and develop.

Thanks for reading! Are you considering registering for Forest School training? Click here to find out more!