Benefits Of Forest School
Cognitive Development
Fostering love of learning is our goal, we don’t want to just give information to the children we want it to be enlivened. Children ask questions, the natural world around us spark imaginative play. Sticks become wands or fishing rods, rocks become muffins, trees become boats. There are natural patterns that occur in nature, colors, shapes series all the necessary skills needed for kindergarten can be found in the woods!
Social Emotional Development
Children learn to balance their own will forces and desires with others around them. We have a rhythmic day that consists of the same tasks at roughly the same time each day every week, this helps the children create good habits and will forces. There are ample opportunities to engage with peers in free play and spend time negotiating play amongst themselves. We allow the children to work things out independently as much as possible, this gives children the opportunity to experience cooperation, disagreements, conflict, compromise and resolution on their own. This balancing act helps them develop emotional resilience.
Physical Development
Being outside children get in touch with their own body, they build resilience through challenging risk taking experiences. vigorous physical activity that we engage in develops the children’s senses of movement, balance, and touch.Once these senses are fully integrated, children are better able to control their bodies and come to stillness—a critical capability in grade school where children are asked to sit still in their chairs and engage in fine motor tasks for a good part of each day.