Learning Outdoors

While learning is traditionally thought to happen in a formal setting such as a classroom in school, this is not actually true, we learn all the time, no matter where we are or what we are doing. In schools, for example, we do learn in the classroom setting however schools also organise trips for their students to help them learn even more. In some schools they are also doing something called 'Forest Schools'.

School Trips
As mentioned above, schools organise trips to places to further help their education. One of the most popular place for school trips is Techniquest in Cardiff Bay. Techniquest is a known scientific discovery centre and caters to school trips from the Foundation Phase to Post 16 in Science, Technology, Maths and Engineering. There are more the 120 hands-on exhibits, that are ideal for child-centred learning and investigating.

There are many other places to go on school trips. They take school trips to Oystermouth Castle, the National Museum of Wales. I personally remember going on a school trip to a Nature Reserve, I found it so much better learning there then I did in the classroom. However, even though schools should organise more school trips then they currently do, they generally don't because of the time it takes to fill out all the paperwork involved.

Forest Schools
Forest Schools is something that has been around for a long time, however there are not many of them, but that is changing. It was first introduce in Sweden 1950s to teach the children about their natural environment, the first actual Forest School was introduced in 1928. A Forest School is essentially the same as a normal school, however time is set aside either every week or every two weeks, and a group of children are chosen to go and visit a forest near to the school.

When going out to the forest, the children will be free to do whatever they like, as long as it is within the boundary. To make sure the children are safe, the teacher sets up a boundary with something that is visible, for example rope, and the only rule when they go out is to stay within the boundaries. The children wear suitable clothing and footwear for playing out in the forest. No matter the weather, rain or shine, the visit to the forest is always on.

Forest Schools seem to encourage self - confidence as the children are trusted to be stay within the boundaries and if they are using something sharp, they are trusted with them. Children gain self-esteem and a sense of self.