What is Forest School?
Forest school is an educational approach that was developed in the 1950's in Sweden and Denmark. In forest school, children spend time outdoors in local woodlands, county parks, prairies and any space that is wild and green! Forest school is essentially a classroom without walls.
Forest School Principles:
Takes place in a variety of spaces, including local forests, creeks, meadows, prairie grasses, natural playgrounds, and outdoor classrooms.
Is a long-term process of regular, repeated sessions in the same natural space.
Is rooted in and supports the development of engaged, healthy, vibrant, and diverse communities.
Aims to promote the holistic development of children and youth.
Views children and youth as competent and capable learners.
Supports children and youth with knowledgeable educators who help them identify, co-manage, and navigate risk; opportunities to experience risk are seen as an integral part of learning and healthy development.
Requires qualified Forest and Nature School practitioners who are committed to FNS pedagogical theory and practical skills.
Requires educators to act as facilitators rather than experts.
Uses loose, natural materials to support open-ended experiences.
Values the learning process as much as the outcome.
Requires the use of emergent, experiential, inquiry-based, play-based, and place-based learning approaches.
What Happens at Forest School?
The happenings at forest school vary from season to season, day to day, and hour to hour! Experiences are shaped by the children’s ages, the natural landscape, recent weather, how long the group has been learning together, teacher-designed provocations, and most importantly, where the interests of the children lead the morning. On any given day, you might see children collecting rocks, building dens, working with clay from a creek bed, weaving branches, balancing on logs, writing their names in mud or snow, or painting tree stumps. Playful learning in a forest school environment means that all domains of the Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress are supported each day.
A sample daily routine:
Arrival, song and story, safety talks
Hike to base camp
Uninterrupted, child-directed free play and discovery
Gather for storytelling
Hike out of camp
The Benefits of Forest School Field Trips
When children spend time outdoors, they develop a meaningful connection with the natural world. This connection helps reduce stress, strengthen self-regulation and self-concept, support physical development, and increase overall happiness. By fostering a relationship with nature, we help nurture the next generation of environmental stewards. The benefits are endless!
Potential Benefits of Participating in Forest School
Increased confidence, social skills, communication, motivation, and concentration
Improved physical stamina, fine and gross motor skills
Positive identity development for individuals and communities
Environmentally sustainable behaviors and ecological literacy
Greater knowledge of the natural world and increased family engagement with nature
Healthy, developmentally appropriate risk-taking
Enhanced creativity and resilience
Improved academic engagement and self-regulation
Reduced stress and increased patience, self-discipline, attention, and recovery from mental fatigue
Strengthened higher-level cognitive skills
Who Will Participate in Forest School?
Forest school is offered as an optional enrichment program for eligible students who demonstrate readiness based on safety and developmental considerations. Families who choose to participate will receive a weekly schedule so they know which day(s) their child will attend forest school. Led by our experienced forest school teachers, children travel by bus to local county parks for hands-on, nature-based learning. These off-site experiences support curiosity, independence, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
Families of participating students pay a forest school program fee of $20 per month, which is automatically withdrawn along with regular tuition on the first of each month. A Forest School Scholarship Fund is available to ensure all children can participate if their family desires. Additional program details will be shared prior to the start of each session.
Forest School Readiness Considerations
To ensure a safe and positive experience, the following factors are considered when determining a child’s readiness to participate in forest school:
Must be 4 years old by December 31 of the current school year session
Demonstrates stamina for a full morning outdoors
Able to hike distances typically covered at the county parks
Able to listen to teachers and follow safety instructions
Fully independent in bathroom use
Able to independently put on and manage outdoor gear
Feels ready to ride the bus
Able to remain within designated areas and not wander away
Forest School
