Our new term of Forest School designed especially for families of home education children began today - and what a messy start it was!

Our Forest School tutor Anna, lined up a range of incredibly fun and engaging activities for week 1, including a minibeast hunt, salt dough modelling and mud painting. The free flow nature and child-led approach of Anna’s session meant that pretty soon into the session the children found their passion for today – mud!

Plenty of time was spent at the mud painting station and pretty soon it wasn’t just the canvas that the children were painting. Take a look at Anna for yourself! Everyone left week one with a smile on their face and very much looking forward to their next session next week.

For families who are home-schooling their children, forest school can be an excellent addition to their curriculum, providing a unique way to socialise with like-minded families, whilst learning new skills and gaining new experiences. Spending time in nature has been linked to reduced stress, improved mood, and better cognitive function. In addition, forest school can help children develop a sense of responsibility and respect for the environment, which is becoming increasingly important in a world facing climate change and other environmental challenges.

Forest school promotes a child-led approach to learning, which means that students are encouraged to pursue their own interests and passions. This helps to build confidence and self-esteem, as children are able to take ownership of their own learning and make their own decisions. In addition, the hands-on, experiential learning that takes place in forest school can help to build problem-solving skills and encourage creativity and innovation. Overall, forest school is a powerful way for children to learn and grow in a natural, supportive environment.

Want to join in next time? Keep an eye on our Forest School page for upcoming dates: www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/forest-school-home-education-families