Posted on: October 25, 2011
The following activity guides have been developed by Rachel Tomlinson for the Forest of Avon Trust to help groups and families to use their senses to explore and discover natural spaces that have trees growing in them. Whether it is a woodland, park or an open space with a few trees growing these activities can be used during a walk, picnic or as a more formal education session to learn about the natural world.
The first two activities relate to Kingsweston Estate in Northwest Bristol and are set out to be part of a walk to explore some the area around the house. However the spaces to play and explore guide has activities that could be used elsewhere. For more information about Kingsweston Estate, a public park based around a private house that has a cafe and hosts weddings and conferences, there is a new community website being developed.
Kingsweston Estate Activity Guides
Tree Treasure Hunt at Kingsweston Estate
Spaces to play and explore around Kingsweston Estate
Exploring and Discovering sensory games and activity guides
Woodland Collecting Game
Woodland Bingo – Natural Textures – page1
Woodland Bingo – Natural textures – page2
Woodland Bingo – Natural Shapes – page1
Woodland Bingo – Natural Shapes – page2
Woodland Bingo – Looking – page1
Woodland Bingo – Looking – page2
Woodland Bingo – Listening – page1
Woodland Bingo – Listening – page2
Posted on: October 18, 2011
Some quiet time to reflect.
Children playing outdoors and groups being taken in to natural spaces is nothing new. Forest School in the UK has been developed over the last 15 years through influences from Scandinavia but also from a long history in the UK of groups playing and learning outside.
What is starting to develop now is a wealth of both informal and formal observations and case studies of the benefits of supporting groups of all ages to access nature. Anyone who has come across Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods will be more than convinced by the need to get children out in to green spaces. Over the last 10 years Forest Research, which is part of the Forestry Commission, has expanded its research to explore in detail the ways in which trees benefit wider society. The breadth of evidence presented by Forest Research of spending time in woodlands along with books such as Sara Knight’s Forest School for All helps to establish the importance of these experiences for all of us.
Common themes emerge from Richard Louv’s overview of global research and of the work of Sara Knight and researchers at Forest Research. Experiences in nature, particularly but not exclusively for children, have the potential to provide the following key benefits: Increased confidence; Increased social skills; Improved language and communication; Improved motivation and concentration; Improved physical fitness and ability and increased levels of interest in and concern for nature. An important point as highlighted by Richard Louv is that if society does value the benefits of spending time in the natural world then it is important that children develop a lasting and caring relationship for it as they will be its future stewards.
Locally the work of the Natural Connections project, at the Forest of Avon Trust, and Rowena Kenny, of Forest Foundations, have explored these themes through case study projects in the Bristol area.
Rowena’s in depth Exploratory Case Study of Forest School in the Early Years Foundation Stage and her wider work can be found online here.
Jon Attwood’s case study project in partnership with Twerton First Steps Nursery in B&NES can be downloaded here.
Posted on: October 14, 2011
Exploring natural colours in the woods and creating a Natures Palette
Sessions run by Natural Connections to work with Adults with Learning Disabilities are being further developed through a new project ‘Into the Woods’. The development of a new partnership with the Silvanus Trust and the Faculty of Education at the University of Plymouth has made it possible to extend this work and explore in more detail the potential benefits. The project is being developed and run by Nicola Ramsden and Rachel Tomlinson for the Forest of Avon Trust and has three main aims:
- To explore what people think and feel about their involvement in woodland activities and how their experiences contribute to their personal and social wellbeing;
- To help people providing these activities to establish the benefit they have;
- To share the results and any lessons for best practice, with other people who provide woodland activities, as well as funders and researchers.
Information and feedback will be collected before, during and after the six sessions being run with the groups, from Shirelink day care centre and City of Bristol College. A report will be produced evaluating ‘Into the Woods’ and findings will be used to inform best practice.
Posted on: August 18, 2011
You’ve heard about Forest School – now come and experience one! This course offers the opportunity to develop confidence, skills and knowledge in order to work with groups in an outdoor setting. The course will be taught at Lawrence Weston Community Farm in North West Bristol by Jon Attwood from the Forest of Avon Trust. 
Over the two days you will:
- Experience a Forest School session
- Explore the benefits of using a Forest School approach with groups of all ages.
- Learn practical skills and activities to use with groups in an outside setting.
- Develop an understanding of how to work safely in a woodland environment.
This level 1 course is suitable for anyone with an interest in leading and supporting groups in a natural outdoor setting. The cost of the course is £190.00.
This course also provides a stepping stone for those who want to go on and take the Forest School Leaders Course Level 3 (due to be delivered in July 2012- Please call for more details)
For further information please contact Jon at the Forest of Avon Trust: jonattwood@forestofavontrust.org 0117 9633383. To book contact Kerry at Lawrence Weston Community Farm: kerry@lwfarm.org.uk 0117 9381128.
Comment from previous delegates;
“I loved the experience of being outside, this has made me really enthusiastic”
“Meeting others, fun practical activities that allowed me to be a child again”
“The resources that have been brought in are fantastic and have supported the activities brilliantly”
introductiontoforestschoolnovember2011
Posted on: June 30, 2011
Inside The Wild About Tree Tent, Crowds gather to sample the activities.
On Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June 2011 The Forest of Avon Trust took part at the Festival of Nature in Bristol. Preparations began on Thursday to dress the marquee. Our marquee, called “Wild about trees” was shared with Bristol City Council and Avon Gorge and Downs project based at Bristol Zoo. Huge thanks go to John Lewis Cribbs Causeway Visual Merchandise Team who very kindly brought to life our visions for the sensory woodland and produced the displays, signs and interactivities for our woodland trail. Activities were on offer such as feely boxes filled with forest material, sounds & smells from the woodlands all designed to tempt visitors to share with us their views and feelings when in the woods. A memory tree shown above, invited those who had gone through the sensory boxes to share their memories that were prevoked as a result by writing them down onto a sticky flowerpad. These were then placed onto the branches of the tree. Some of the memorable experiences written down were:-
“Discovering wild strawberries in a wood in Yorkshire when I was 9″
”Walking up a river through the woods in our boots”
“Playing hide and seek in the woods with my friends and coming home smelling of forest”
Thanks also to Almondsbury Garden Centre for the loan of some fantastic plants to decorate the marquee and to Timberland from The Mall at Cribbs Causeway who eagerly volunteered to help run the actvities. They also donated a pair of Earth Keeper Boat shoes that were used as a prize draw for those who completed a feedback form and were won by Matthew Hanbidge from Bristol.
Posted on: March 1, 2011
Natures Pallet Carousel
Following on from the success of running the OCN Level 1 Forest School Training the Forest of Avon Trust will be offering the Forest School leader qualification in partnership with Lawrence Weston City Farm this summer. The Level 3 OCN qualification allows you to develop and lead Forest School activities and is comprehensive in covering a broad range of topics for safely and effectively running activities and using and looking after our woodlands. More »
Posted on: November 12, 2010
Following a tree top walk
The first partnership OCN Forest School training course between Lawrence Weston Community Farm and the Forest of Avon Trust took place on a couple of damp autumnal days at the start of November. The training covered some background information about the development of Forest Schools and the benefits of this approach along with a range of practical activities that could be used with diverse groups. The activities explored how to connect people with their natural surrounding through the use of their senses as well as a range of games and exploration.
Woodland perfumes shared by the group.
More »
Posted on: September 15, 2010
Level 1 Forest School Training in Bath delivered by Rowena Kenny
The Forest of Avon Trust are working in partnership with Lawrence Weston City Farm to deliver Forest School training to teachers and other education workers. It will help those who are interested in developing their own practice and setting up their own Forest School and other outdoor learning projects. The training will explore the benefits of the Forest School approach and introduce you to a range of hands on activities that you can use with your group straight away. This course is an OCN (Open College Network) level 1 accredited course and is an excellent starting point for those interested in developing outdoor learning activities in any setting. The cost of the course will be £150 for two days of training at Lawrence Weston City Farm.
Please email jonattwood@forestofavontrust.org or call 0117 9633383 if you want further information or would like a pdf poster to promote the course. This course will lead on to the opportunity to undertake a level 3 course that is being planned for Spring 2011.
Posted on: August 16, 2010
Exploring natural colours in flowers
A group of adults from Lanercost Day Centre visited Ashton Court and undertook a range of activities to tune in to their natural surroundings. The group explored colour and collected a range of found materials to create a natural collage in the woods. One of the highlights of the day was using a Kelly Kettle to make tea and getting to grips with using fire steels that were used to light the fire in the kettle. It is hoped that this session will be a starting point for more days that will help the group explore and learn about the natural world.
Posted on: July 23, 2010
Since June, Co-ordinator Jon Attwood, has been working with a group of 4 year olds First Steps Nursery in Bath undertaking a range of activities and exploratory play in Carrs Woodland in Twerton. The project is running for six weeks and will aim to explore the range of benefits this Forest School experience might have on the children involved. Activities such as using natural materials in art, making dens for animals, and cooking wild food will bring children directly in to contact with nature. In addition there will be time and space for creative child lead play.
Natural Connections has also worked with community leaders from the Black Environment Network to demonstrate the value of trees and woodlands as a way of introducing people to local green spaces. To find out more, email: jonattwood@forestofavontrust.org .
