With 20+ years of teaching experience across Europe, I bring extensive expertise as a Reception Teacher and Forest School Practitioner. Passionate about play-based learning and the outdoors, I've developed a dynamic environment that fosters children's exploration and connection with nature. Here you'll find some of my outstanding resources to support your own teaching and learning!
With 20+ years of teaching experience across Europe, I bring extensive expertise as a Reception Teacher and Forest School Practitioner. Passionate about play-based learning and the outdoors, I've developed a dynamic environment that fosters children's exploration and connection with nature. Here you'll find some of my outstanding resources to support your own teaching and learning!
This lesson plan/ activity will guide you through having a fire with your children. It is intended for children aged 4-8 but can easily be extended for slightly elder children.
The activity follows the Forest School approach to fire making and is an ideal means to introduce fire to children. the fire making is in a Kelly Kettle (Storm Kettle) and the plan guides you through the process of getting the children involved (gathering fuel) in order to boil water for their own hot chocolate! I have found this to be one of the most enjoyable sessions taught outdoors but I recommend it only be carried out when the practitioner has complete confidence in the behaviour of the chidlren. This suits nicely towards the end of a series of Forest School sessions and feeds beautifully into cooking on an open fire, which should follow the following week as a means of extending and imbedding the learning.
6 Lesson Plans/Activities including Art with Natural Resources, Bug Hunt, Building a Bug Hotel, An Introduction to Fire, Cooking on an Open Fire, and Small World Story Making with Faries (Fairy World). Also included is a Risk Assessment for having a fire and an Introduction to Forest School.
This is an ideal introduction to get you on your way to confidently leading a group of children outside.
The activities are designed for children from Reception up to Year 2 but they can easily be adapted for Nursery and older year groups.
Please be aware, these are designed for teachers and are there to be interpreted. True Forest School does not follow lesson plans. These resources are designed to give ideas and act as a back up for the practitioner to deliver a catalyst and prompts for learning whilst being prepared to follow the children in their learning journey! Forest School should be led by the children.
