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Welton Free Rangers - Forest School Nursery

The Mill Barn, Millards Hill
Midsomer Norton, Banes, BA3 2BW
+44 (0)1761 411328
Holistic Experimental Learning

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Welton Free Rangers - Forest School Nursery

  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
    • OUR HISTORY
    • Our Story So Far
    • THE SITE
    • FOREST SCHOOL
    • Policies & Documents
    • Our Staff
  • WHAT WE OFFER
    • Session Times
    • Clubs and Courses
    • Fee Structure
    • FAQs
    • Early Years Entitlement
    • Tapestry
    • Free Rangers Nursery App
  • MAGAZINE
    • About Free Rangers Magazine
    • Buy Digital Copy
  • OUR BLOG
  • Our Shop
  • Food at Free Rangers
  • Contact Us

Bringing the Outside in

May 21, 2019 Lucy
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As an Atelier based in a Forest School nursery, we aim to create an environment where children can use nature and natural objects as provocation for exploration and learning. To do this we bring the outside in by providing our children with sticks, stones, pine cones and shells, as well as raw materials such as soil, sand and clay.

FINDING INSPIRATION IN NATURE

We begin our Atelier sessions by taking a walk around the yard, before heading inside to get creative. Spending time in the fresh air not only helps the children to use up any extra energy, but also provides them with inspiration as they look around at the wide range of colours and shapes that the outside world has to offer. We stop to closely inspect the flowers and insects along the way and encourage the children to talk about the things that they see. When our free rangers find natural and interesting objects on these walks, they take them back to the Atelier to use in their own creative ways – literally bringing the outside in.

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WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PAINTING STICKS AND STONES

Sticks and stones have been collected and brought back to be painted. It’s quite tricky to paint a large stick with many small branches, as this requires a steady hand and good hand eye co-ordination, as many of our children have demonstrated. Painting on 3D surfaces, such as the large stones, also requires a different technique and often a different angle or grip upon the paintbrushes. As well as paint, some children have spread glue over their found natural objects, which when dry has been found to create a new shiny surface.

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DANDELION PAINTBRUSHES

When out on our walk, some children were drawn to the bright yellow heads of the dandelions growing within the grassy areas. After picking a few, (obviously leaving lots for the bees and other insects!), we brought them back and used them to paint with – a brilliant natural paintbrush! One of our older children showed huge focus and concentration as she glued dandelions in a row across a piece of paper. She then painted a scene around her dandelions. When speaking to her about her painting she said,

“I’m making my garden”

This is a lovely example of how children use nature as a starting point (provocation) and then use their own imaginations to create something beautiful.

I’m looking forward to planning more creative activities outside to see what our children’s imaginations will do with the natural things that they see and find.

 

Lucy

In the Den

← Forest School in the HiveThe Very Hungry Caterpillar visits the Atelier →
About Free Rangers Magazine
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All profits will go towards building a forest school for primary aged children at Free Rangers!

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THE LATEST FROM INSTAGRAM


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🌍 🌍 🌎
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“A world where children and adults need time, time to stop and take a breath, to be bored, to not be on call every moment, to be quiet, thoughtful, joyful without the need for things, to be at one with the environment, to be content.
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🌲 🌳 🌲
See the world from your child’s eyes and embrace a different perspective.
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If they are a baby lie on your back next to them and babble away.
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If they’re a toddler, crawl under tables and toddl
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If we’re warm we can play. .
Gloves, hats and scarves

SEE MORE

Free Rangers
The Mill Barn
Millards Hill
Midsomer Norton
Banes
BA3 2BW
01761 411328

Who We Are
Our History
Our Story So Far
The Site
Forest School
Our Staff

Magazine
Our Blog
Contact Us

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What We Offer
Session Times
Clubs and Courses
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Early Years Entitlement
FAQs
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Tapestry
Free Rangers Nursery App 

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