Mulberry Bush Montessori Forest School

“Let’s go outside” is where it began. Intrigued by how often we heard & saw evidence of our children’s enthusiasm for the outdoors (with no weather permitting clause), we began to discuss as a staff team, how, if our children love our extensive garden, would they love to be in a wild forest all day?

Two of our Montessori teachers are now trained Forest School Practitioners to Level 3. Complete Risk Assessments & Site Assessments on our Forest School site, located a short distance from the nursery, are carried out prior to our daily visits that see us preparing with the children for their day at the forest, leaving at 9am & returning for 4pm. Sessions are child led as well as having themes which are linked to their current interests.

 
We know that we face challenging pressures such as increasing building & value of land with a concomitant reduction in access to the outdoors, so we are fortunate that through staff training in Level 3 Forest Schools Education, Mulberry Bush Montessori has secured use of two wooded areas & forests locally, to develop an MB Forest nursery school as of August 2015 for our children, where they can spend all day outside with:
 

• Plenty of wood to coppice & to use for activities
• Trunks to climb on to extend physical skills for confidence
• Rotting wood for discovering mini beasts
• Space for exploration & adventure
• Light open environment promoting early confidence
• Long trails of ivy, useful for creative activities
• Range of trees, plants & flowers to investigate
• Central glade for easily identified base camp, rest & eating area
• Secure from roads & access by general public

 
As well as den building, exploring tracks, laying trails, using simple hand tools to make wooden objects, cooking on fires, creating art, playing, climbing, developing an understanding of the properties of earth, wood, water & stone, finding wildlife, understanding echo-systems, creating & following maps, learning bushcraft skills, stories & songs………what else do our children get from being outside?

 

• They are more active & empowered with explorative & physical learning predominates such as physical challenge & competence, coaching sessions like whittling, the thrill of drama/role play. They learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning;
• Their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised;
• It is an natural environment of relative change & is stimulating on a sensorial level; temperature, light, movement, smell & texture which add to emotional & spiritual wellbeing. They develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.
• Children have increased freedom with rules & limits they understand that “keep them safe” with a social dynamic of being alone or wandering within the sight of adults. They gain confidence in and control of their bodies;
• They become more excited about being outdoors than the television, iPad or any screen games! They are muddy, carefree & playful.

 

 
Nature, in its infinitely resolute glory, from dewy lichen to a proper rain storm, lifts children up where they belong; allows them to explore magical, stimulating, mysterious, relaxing, exciting, amazing, interesting, educational, safe & fun activities. For more information, call us!