The Forest Kindergarten - It's messy, it's risky and loads of fun!

                 

It  looked like the elves had gone out for the day 

-Image with thanks from Ina Z.

 Dear friends, I have been away for the last couple of months, something I hope to tell you more about later, but among the more positive experiences was an encounter with a Forest Kindergarten. These are really BIG in Germany, but have started to take off in other countries too.

I came upon the Forest Kindergarten movement quite by accident when I stumbled upon one in a German wood. Being vacant at the time, it looked like elves lived there. It had a garden with thriving tomatoes, a swing made from a round log and ropes or twine, a well stocked toolshed with diminutive spades, places to eat even when the sun wasn’t shining, lovely mobiles made of twigs snd found objects and a path decorated with mosaics which led through the garden. 

Visual Calendar of Activities

-Image with thanks from Ina Z.

 Forest Kindergartens or Waldkindergartens are a kind of daycare that takes place outdoors whatever the weather. The emphasis is on experiencing nature, using natural materials and feeling at home in the forest. 

It all began in Denmark in the 1950‘s after one Ella Flatau began taking local children into a nearby forest as she had done with her own children. So popular did this informal kind of daycare become in her community that parents came together to establish the first Forest Kindergarten (Waldkindergarten).  

Creativity is fostered through craftwork involving natural materials and found objects and learning to use tools safely - yes. even sharp knives for carving. Children also experiment with all kinds of construction. Cooperation and imaginative play are also encouraged as are counting, looking out for mathematical patterns in nature, making pictures, drawing, getting wet, getting dirty and of course, climbing trees, exploring and simply enjoying unstructured play. Although most such kindergartens develop in their own way there are a number of common elements as you'll see from the following clips.

For an outline of the core principles, see the following video by the UK Forest Schools Association

Countries with close connection to their forests such as Germany and other Scandinavian countries have taken the Forest Kindergarten up in a big way. Germany for example, has established more than 2000 of them since 1990, but they are catching on in many other countries as well. 

In this German Forest Kindergarten the focus is on the environment and how natural elements fit together.

 In Norway, nearly one in ten kindergartens is outdoors, despite subzero temperatures in the North and the sun disappearing for two months of the year. You can see a bit of one in Tromso below or watch the whole video here. In Canada there are 45 Forest Kindergartens, mostly in British Columbia and Ontario, catering to around 1000 children. In the USA, around 240 Forest Kindergartens have sprung up in places such as Oregon, Washington and New York. They are also popular in parts of  Scotland, Australia and New Zealand and the UK is seeking to incorporate nature -based education into the normal curriculum.

Listen also to a Canadian educator talking about the other benefits of Forest Schools besides their emphasis on resilience, exploration and self reliance. The Japanese and Korean experience suggests that they improve learning outcomes in other areas as well. An urban Forest Kindergarten can be just as much fun and even more necessary than those which have access to real woods. Watch this longer video from Eastwood Forest School in London to hear about how it helps children's mental  health. They don't necessarily have to be just for pre -schoolers.

 

Japan and South Korea with their strong nature - based traditions are at the forefront of this type of education in Asia, but interest is also growing in China as a counter to intense academic pressure faced by students and to encourage a more play - based holistic education.

In India and South America, the Forest Kindergarten movement is still in its infancy, but several innovative programs have begun in India, Brazil, Argentina and Patagonia.

While the idea may appeal to other developing countries, the challenge of  providing basic education or a preference for more formal education, have this far limited adoption. However, as industrialisation and urbanisation become more intense and sanitised, the need for connection with nature becomes more urgent than ever. While I am a bit sad that the experiences previous generations were able to take for granted now have to be organised, it is a great way for children to rediscover the the great outdoors, break away from electronic entertainment and trust in their own ideas.

Here's how to start your own Forest Kindergarten

If there's no Forest Kindergarten near you, you could start your own -see Forest Lou's tips for example, or the website of the UK's Forest School Association for help, and while you are waiting, you could try some of the activities from the Woodland Forest School. 

Here's how you make a stick person for example, but let your child decide what it should look like. You or they might find some ivy strands instead of coloured string. The head could for instance, be of grass or clay and your little person might enjoy making up a story about their creation. Kids will delight you with their own ideas, but in case you run dry the Forest School Facebook Page has some nice ideas too.