26/04/2026
The magic of the 'long term' aspect of the Forest School approach 🌳
One of the six core principles of Forest School is that programmes should be 'long term'.
This means offering frequent and regular sessions, spanning across different seasons.
Providing the consistency and continuation for children to return to the same site week after week, month after month, season after season, is one of the greatest gifts we can offer.
Alongside all of the skills that develop over time, each visit reveals new features in a way a 'one off' visit never could.
When children build that familiarity and ownership over a place, their confidence grows and when they can slow down and truly get to know a place they will see how the colours shift, how the birdsong changes, sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, how the light moves differently through the trees, how the textures, the smells, the feel of the space, is always evolving.
The sensory feedback from the woods is infinite and every session unlocks something new.
When we started sessions here back in November, the trees were bare.
The space felt wide open, quieter, almost still.
Now?
It’s alive.
Green, full, bursting with growth.
Birdsong filling the air.
A completely different environment, in the very same place.
And this week, we were given something extra special.
Sitting quietly, taking it all in, I noticed a tiny bird flying in to a small hole.
I jumped up to take a closer look…
Inside a cable reel drum was a nest and six tiny eggs. 🐦🥚🐣
And this is exactly why 'long term' matters.
Because now, this becomes part of the journey.
Over the coming weeks, our young people can observe the changes, follow the story of the nest, learn how to protect and respect wildlife, experience real, meaningful connection to the natural world.
This will weave gently through our sessions and develop skills that can't be achieved at a desk or through worksheets.
Moments like this are made possible, by returning, noticing, and giving nature the time and space to unfold 💙💚🐦🌳.
