Bring your class to the forest to learn and play!
Take your primary school class to forest school so your students can learn in and from nature.
Flexible to suit your class
- For children age 2-12
- Sessions 2-4 hours long
- Led by a certified Forest School Practitioner
- Adapted to the Programme de formation de l’école québécoise (PFEQ) pour l’enseignement primaire
- French or English
Learning goals
- Practical hands-on learning for biology, ecology, conservation, physics, math, and more
- Motor skills and physical activity
- Mindfulness and mental health
- Respect and love for nature
*Available year round*
Why learn outside?
Children today play outside in nature less than children ever have, and it has serious effects on their physical and mental health as well as on their understanding of and love for nature.
Playing outside helps children build a real relationship with nature, contectualize classroom learning, get more physical exercise, learn mindful practices that support mental health, and grow up into thriving adults who protect the planet. This is especially true for children may have difficulty learning in a classroom for any reason.
Forest school gives children the opportunity to do all that while learning outside!
Research suggests numerous benefits for children who learn outside. Here’s what some recent studies have found:
- Learning in natural outdoor settings has measurable socio-emotional, academic and wellbeing benefits, including: increased student engagement and ownership of their learning, some evidence of academic improvement, development of social and collaborative skills, and improved self-concept factors.
- Nature-based learning also has been shown to improve subject-specific learning, wellbeing, and nature connectedness.
- Physically active academic lessons have been found to improve academic performance, as well as physical activity and motor skills.
- Nature-based environmental education increases nature connectedness, which is correlated more closely with ecological behavior than environmental knowledge alone.
- Children with ADHD who play regularly in green play settings have milder symptoms than children who play in built outdoor and indoor settings. For hyperactive children, the apparent advantage of green spaces is true only for relatively open green settings.
Nature-based learning that supports your curriculum
Forest school activities change every day based on what our environment provides us. Every session is a new adventure! Possible activities are endless.
We have a lot of flexibility to adjust the activity to the needs of your group. You can choose one of the guided activities below or offer your students an opportunity to learn through discovery and free play. If you wish, we can match your forest school experience to your curriculum to support your students’ classroom learning.
A few examples of what we can do and learn at forest school
- Catch, handle, and identify insects, frogs, or more (fine motor control, pattern recognition, ecology, animal needs, respect for animals)
- Track and identify animal prints in the snow (pattern recognition, physical activity, ecology, animal behavior, imagination)
- Collect and identify different plants and leaves (pattern recognition, matching and sorting, plant biology, ecology, fine motor control)
- Climb logs, trees, rocks, or more (gross motor skills, planning, problem solving, math and physics concepts)
- Explore trails, create maps, and discover ecosystems (physical activity, math and physics concepts, ecology, observation, memory, writing)
- Build shelters with sticks, rocks, or more (fine and gross motor skills, planning, problem solving, math and physics concepts)
- Role play and imaginary play (endless learning possibilities!)
Field Trip Menu
Select one of the below options or create your own!
🐞
Love for animals
We look for frogs, insects, and animal tracts. Where do the animals live? Why do they live there? How many types of insects can you see? How many types of birds can you hear?
Learning: Observation. Ecology. Zoology.
🍃
The power of plants
We search for plants in the forest. The students identify different species. We talk about how to organize and classify plants. What are the similarities and differences?
Learning: Observation. Geometry. Botany.
🪵
Construction challenge
We challenge the students to build a shelter (a large one of a small “fairy house”) with material found in the forest. What shape is the most stable? What material is strongest? Because of their irregular shapes, natural material gives students a new challenge.
Learning: Mathematics. Teamwork. Physics.
🧘♀️
Mindfulness in nature
We practice mindfulness techniques in the forest. We begin with silent observation. What do you hear, see, smell? Each student chooses a small zone to observe. What’s interesting in this small area?
Learning: Mindfulness. Observation. Curiosity.
🔎
Scavenger hunt
The students search the forest for natural items in a scavenger hunt. To find each item, they must consider where that animal, plant, or item could be found in the forest. Each item comes with thought-provoking questions that encourage students to learn about the item.
Learning: Observation. Ecology. Teamwork.
🔬
Microscope marvels
Students use microscopes to study the natural world. They begin by searching for items they would like to look at, such as bugs, feathers, sand, leaves, and more. They learn how to prepare the samples for the microscope and how microscopes work. Then each student has a turn to try different types of microscopes and examine different samples.
Learning: Science. Biology. Observation.
To learn more, contact Valleyfield joue dehors
What if the weather is bad?
Forest school happens rain, snow, or shine. In fact, rain and snow create great new learning opportunities for children! The only time we would cancel is if the weather was dangerous, for example extreme heat or cold, high winds, or ice.
How do you handle risk?
Forest school sessions are led by a trained and certified Forest School Practitioner who assesses and manages risk both before and during the session. Risk is assessed at three levels: location, activity, and dynamic. The practitioner can share all risk assessments with you in advance. Forest school embraces risk because it increases confidence and learning for children, but we ensure that serious injury is extremely unlikely.
Where and when can we do forest school?
Forest school does not require large wilderness! We can do it in any local park with a forested or nature area. Beaches, creeks, and fields are also great. If you’re not sure where to go, we can figure it out together. Forest school is available in sessions of at least 2 hours and maximum 4 hours, any time during the school day.
What is the pricing?
The pricing is custom for each field trip. Contact us for a quote.
Can the children eat lunch or snack outside?
Absolutely! Eating outside is another great learning opportunity for the children.
How many children can come?
One class at a time can come to forest school. Your school is welcome to bring multiple classes on different days! Valleyfield Joue Dehors will provide 1 Forest School Practitioner for your session. We recommend that you bring enough adults (teachers, parents, etc) to keep the ratio at 1:8 (1:6 for kindergarten).
Rain, snow, or shine… we can learn outside!
Take a look at some Valleyfield Joue Dehors field trips.
