Forest School Methodology

 

Illustration Joey Chu

Forest School Methodology: A Transformative Approach to Early Childhood Education🌳

Can you imagine a childhood where books coexist with the scent of wet wood, where notebooks share space with branches and leaves, and where every lesson feels like a small adventure? 🌱📖

This is the essence of Forest School, a methodology that invites children to learn through nature, exploring the world at their own pace and developing their skills with a holistic approach.

Born in Scandinavia in the 1950s, this educational philosophy has spread worldwide, emphasizing the essential connection between children and nature for their overall development. In contrast to an increasingly digitalized, confined, and fast-paced educational model, Forest School seeks to rebalance learning through practical, emotional, and physical experiences in outdoor environments (MacEachren, 2013).

🌳Foundations of the Methodology

Forest School is based on an experiential pedagogy where children learn through free play, exploration, and problem-solving in natural spaces. This approach promotes autonomous learning, tailored to each child’s individual pace. According to Roberts (2017), this methodology enables children to develop confidence and resilience by facing real challenges such as building a shelter, crossing a stream, or identifying plants and animals.

The role of the educator in Forest School is more that of a guide than an instructor, facilitating opportunities for children to connect with their environment and with one another. This model encourages active learning, in contrast to the passivity that often characterizes traditional educational settings (Forest School Association, 2023).

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🌳Benefits of Learning in Nature

Numerous studies have documented the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of this methodology. Among the most notable is its positive impact on gross and fine motor development. Activities such as climbing trees, collecting natural materials, or building structures strengthen muscles and improve coordination, which are essential for future skills such as writing (Early Impact Learning, 2023).

From a cognitive perspective, natural environments offer complex and changing stimuli that enhance attention and promote critical thinking. Recent research suggests that children exposed to nature demonstrate better problem-solving abilities and greater creativity—key elements in both their academic and personal development (Wellcome Open Research, 2022).

Emotionally, Forest School acts as a natural stress regulator. Being outdoors reduces cortisol levels, the stress hormone, while connecting with the environment fosters a state of calm and emotional connection (Roberts, 2017). Socially, collaborative activities such as building shelters or tending to gardens promote teamwork skills and strengthen bonds between peers (Moore, 2014).

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🌱Relationship Between the Forest School Methodology and the Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Waldorf Approaches

Although the Forest School methodology is unique in its emphasis on outdoor learning, it shares fundamental principles with well-established pedagogical approaches such as Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Waldorf. These educational models, while differing in their practices, converge in their commitment to child-centered learning, autonomy, and connection with the environment.

Forest School and Reggio Emilia: Nature as the Third Teacher
The Reggio Emilia philosophy, developed by Loris Malaguzzi, recognizes the environment as the "third teacher," a concept that resonates naturally within the Forest School methodology. In both approaches, the environment plays an active role in learning. In Forest School, this "third teacher" is nature itself, offering challenges, resources, and dynamic stimuli that foster curiosity and creativity (Strong-Wilson & Ellis, 2007).

Forest School and Montessori: Autonomy in a Prepared Environment
The Montessori philosophy, created by Maria Montessori, emphasizes the importance of a prepared environment that allows children to act autonomously, explore, and learn on their own (Montessori, 1912/2023). In Forest School, the prepared environment is outdoors, where nature provides limitless resources for experimentation and hands-on learning.

Forest School and Waldorf: Connection with Nature and the Natural Rhythm
The Waldorf approach, developed by Rudolf Steiner, shares with Forest School a deep connection to nature and a holistic view of child development. In both models, the child’s natural rhythm is respected, and learning is valued through play, hands-on activities, and sensory experiences (Nicol & Taplin, 2017).

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🔍My Personal Opinion

In 2021, as part of my Bachelor's Thesis in Early Childhood Education, I was tasked with creating an educational project that would address the needs I identified at the center where I was doing my internship. It was a small preschool in a town in Pontevedra, with a small yard between buildings, three classrooms, and a common room without windows. I was deeply moved by the situation, as right across the street was a large park full of trees, a natural space that could have been utilized by the children.

From my professional and personal experience, I knew it was essential for the children to enjoy that outdoor space, especially those between the ages of 3 and 7, who spent the most time at the center. I was convinced that this natural environment would benefit them physically, cognitively, and emotionally, especially because there were already moments in their routines that could be adapted to this change, such as free playtime, TV, or crafts.

At first, information on outdoor education methodologies was somewhat limited, but I relied on sources such as the Edna Association, Forest School, and some scientific articles, as well as talks by pedagogues like Katia Hueso and Heike Freire, who helped shape my project.

I remember my project tutor, an exceptional teacher whom I will mention in another post for her innovative approach and teaching techniques I want to share on this blog, suggested I reflect on the feasibility of choosing this methodology, as I would need to substantiate it solidly to avoid falling into an idealized or "utopian" discourse. I replied that I was willing to dedicate all the time and effort necessary, because I was convinced it was the proposal that would best address the needs I had detected during my internship months.

I took advantage of every visit to the school to observe the children's knowledge of nature, and I was surprised to see how many of the older children couldn't identify insects or plants, despite living in a town surrounded by forests, rivers, and parks. This made me reflect even more on the importance of connecting children with the natural environment, especially in such a rich community as ours, Galicia.

I gathered all the information I could about the Forest School methodology and designed activities both inside and outside the classroom, adapted to different age groups, from the youngest (0-3 years) to the oldest. As I mentioned before, I integrated elements from methodologies like Reggio Emilia and Montessori, as they are not exclusive; incorporating them and adapting them to the school context seemed essential to me in order to offer a complete educational experience.

After weeks of research, work, and a lot of love, I presented my project. Although I received a 10, what satisfied me the most about that work was not the grade, but my self-awareness, my educational vocation, and the decision to study Pedagogy.

This project not only marked the beginning of my journey in Pedagogy, but also reinforced my belief that children deserve an education that connects them deeply with the world around them, preparing them to face the challenges of the future with curiosity, autonomy, and empathy.

References

• Clouder, C. (2008). Educating the whole child: Waldorf education and the growing child. Steiner Press.
• Early Impact Learning. (2023). 14 Benefits Of Forest School. Recuperado de earlyimpactlearning.com
• Edwards, C. P. (2012). The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education. Praeger.
• Forest School Association. (2023). Forest School principles and values. Recuperado de forestschoolassociation.org.
• Lillard, A. S. (2013). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.
• MacEachren, M. (2013). Play in natural outdoor spaces as a context for learning and language development. He Kupu.
• Moore, R. (2014). Developing social competence through nature-based education. Child Development Research.
• Nicol, J., & Taplin, J. (2017). Understanding the Steiner Waldorf Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. Routledge.
• Roberts, A. (2017). Forest schools and mental wellbeing (Tesis doctoral). Canterbury Christ Church University.
• Strong-Wilson, T., & Ellis, J. (2007). Children and Place: Reggio Emilia's Environment as Third Teacher. Theory Into Practice, 46(1), 40-47.
• Wellcome Open Research. (2022). How nature benefits children’s learning and health. Recuperado de wellcomeopenresearch.org