Sycamore class Week 1

What a fantastic first Forest School session today! We met at the welly sheds with very high energy and lots of excitement.

As many of the children experienced Forest School back in Year 3, it was lovely to see how much they remembered. They quickly recalled routines, rules and expectations as we headed down to the site, thinking about and revisiting the nature names they had created two years ago.

Once on site, the children chose their Forest School jobs for the next six weeks, helping to set up and care for our camp. Roles included handwashing, hanging fire blankets and hazard flags, washing up and more – all helping to build responsibility, independence and teamwork. We also spent time reintroducing the site and reminding ourselves of Forest School rules, as lots has changed over the last two years.

The activities were buzzing! Woodwork was especially popular, with children carefully using tiny nails and pieces of wood to create some fantastic models. Tree climbing was a hit too, with a brilliant pulley system being built in one of the trees. Some children got creative with cornflour and chalk, making oobleck and paint to decorate the trees, while others made dens and explored the site.

Fire striking was another favourite, with many children remembering skills learnt in Year 3. Some made keyrings and decorated them with their nature names, showing great focus and perseverance.

We also took a big step up in independence by learning how to make our own hot chocolate – building confidence, resilience and practical life skills. We finished the session with classic tug-of-war and energetic gross motor games like Giant Wizards and Dwarfs.

A brilliant first session with fantastic listening and teamwork  – all under bright blue sunshine  We’re really looking forward to the weeks ahead!