It was really difficult to hear. My Forest Schoolers rarely dishearten me over things they might mention during the sessions but one had stopped on the Timber Trail on one particularly wet Forest School session.
Read moreLeaf Crowns
It’s my favourite time of year. There’s something very comforting and familiar about Autumn. The kaleidoscope of colour. The falling of leaves. The chill in the air. The smell of wood fires. Hot drinks and woolly hats. It's a riotous assault on the senses.
Read moreFire: Sparking their Curiosity
Fire; the one tool in my Forest School arsenal guaranteed to spark creativity, curiosity and focus. Seeing a child make their first fire is something very special. We have been harnessing and bending it to our will since time immemorial, and even now, after all the fires I've lit (a lot), it still captures my attention and draws my gaze
Read moreForest School in the Den
Forest School at Free Rangers is our bread and butter. It's what drives the nursery and it's our aim to get your children learning, exploring and (most importantly) playing outside as much as we can.
Read moreFood For Thought
There's something wonderful about allowing children to make a legitimate mess. It can provide such fantastic learning opportunities. It's when we apply a certain level of meaning to the mess created that we can see the magic happening...
Read moreLanguage and Imagination
Last week’s Forest School activity was focused around language and imagination. Our setting for this activity was the inside of the willow dome, a natural ‘room’ or enclosure, a cosy space perfect for storytelling
Read moreWhy We Love REAL Tools
We love working with tools at Free Rangers and they have become a key component of Forest School, providing another avenue of access to the natural world. Tools help create and inspire, they help us understand the world, as well as ourselves and help promote confidence.
Read moreThe Free Rangers Mini 3 Peaks Challenge
You may have noticed recently some of your Free Rangers staff tackled the 3 Peaks Challenge, attempting to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under 24hrs. Whilst this challenge fell at the feet of an intrepid few nursery staff, we wanted to extend the challenge to our Free Range kids as well, and set about challenging them to their own sponsored mini 3 Peaks.
Read moreDo You Need a Hand?
Forest School offers a lot of freedom. Freedom to explore. Freedom to imagine and create. Freedom to move. Sure, they get these element elsewhere too, but being able to do this throughout the outdoors, largely unfettered by the nuisance grownups sticking their oars in, makes their learning and development meaningful and memorable.
Read moreMacho Macho Kids
Forest School this week has looked at what it means to be STRONG! Against popular belief, I haven't been secretly training my own little army of Forest School minions ready to over-through Midsomer Norton at a moments notice, so I can final establish my Red Fox kingdom! (although that does sound like fun).
Read moreA Healthy Dollop Of Risk and Challenge
When observing play/learning situations on Forest School, I have to weigh up a lot of decisions in my head. Is their play safe? Should I step in here? How could I extend their learning? Which direction is that child taking their play?
Read moreForest School Holiday Club - Red Fox Report
Another Holiday Club has zipped by faster than your wild children down our zip-line. It was another fully booked week of absolute madness and fun. Here's what we got up to!
Read moreInCredible Edibles - Making Wild Tea
Bottoms Up!
Little pinkies out! Let's have a cuppa! Anyone fancy a brew? Our Forest Schoolers however haven't been drinking any old builders swill. We've been foraging for the freshest most delicious greenery in our paddock to make some delicious conceptions to sample!
Read moreFebruary Forest School Club
Firstly, I would like to say a very BIG thank you. Thank you to all you parents for supporting the work we do at our Free Rangers Holiday Clubs.
Read moreCrafting for Christmas' Sake
When dressing the Harding family Christmas Tree, I smile when unwrapping the brightly coloured Papier-mâché hearts and stars that have been so carefully crafted by myself and my siblings in our earliest educational years...
They came. They conquered.
Forest School: Igniting fires of curiosity to inspire children to explore, play and thrive outside.
Free Rangers once again opened it's doors to what can be only be described as a HORDE of children to come and play, learn and thrive at Free Rangers Forest School Holiday Club. It not only proved to be the busiest Holiday Club we've ever run, but also the most fun!
Read moreStories from Beneath the Apple Tree
The mystery! The intrigue!
Picture the scene: a gaggle of giggly preschoolers sit attentively under the shade of our bowing apple tree. The sun streaks through the leaves leaving dappled sun spots on the ground, as the children create collective stories from a mismatch of natural resources. Not bad.
Read moreForest School at Free Rangers
We've made a Forest School video to highlight why we at Free Rangers think Forest School is such an important activity for us to share with your children.
Read moreSee how strong I am?
Strength and Cooperation. Learning and playing together through self discovery. Is there anything better?
When you ask a child: who thinks they are strong? you will without doubt be faced with the smallest line up to the Mr/Mrs Universe contest, as they flex their muscles and faces in a visual show of their perceived ability. Last week, we moved on from the Big Play activity where we learnt about safe movement over (and off!) our logs and larger play resources.
Read moreBig Play
Yeah. That's right. I climbed to top. On my OWN!
Muddy bottoms. Bruised knees. Smiling faces. THIS is what makes all Free Rangers children awesome. I'd like to say that I have a big part to play in this awesomeness (at least that's what I tell myself), but to be honest they do it all on their own. And this week's Forest School in the Den was no different...
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