Egg rolling gets everyone in a bit of a spin!

You could tell that it’s the end of term by the hyper group we started with today.  After much excitement from egg rolling in the afternoon it took a little time for everyone to calm down.  We started with the animal name game as we had two visitors, mums of two of the boys had managed to get an afternoon in the sun off and wanted to come and see what FS was all about.  We collected fire wood for the last time for a while today as next term the group have decided to have squash instead of hot chocolate as the weather gets warmer and they were reminded that a sun hat would be a very good idea to keep the rain off.  The three eldest boys build the fire and then lit a corner each with the fire steels, ready to cook pizza wraps for everyone.  The hot chocolate was made extra special with mini marshmallows and the feast was finished with a biscuit.

The children had decided that we were going to play hide and seek and then after the feast, play on the slack line and rope swings.  One of the mums was impressed when two of the boys who had not been caught answered to ‘123 where are you’ straight away.  A lot of what we do at FS is standing back and letting the child get on with it.  A good example came at the end of the session a small group had started working on a circus routine last week on the slack line and today they performed their show using the line in lots of different ways.  This creativity could so easily been crushed by me saying you just balance and walk along the line from one tree to the other but they took it to a completely different level working as a team, with individuals working out what they could do on the line and then getting the whole FS together to watch their impromptu show.

Next term we are going to take the slack line and rope swings farther as we look at building an assault course.  I’m already thinking about making a net to crawl under, rope ladders to climb up and a problem solving bridge exercise in

slacking off

It’s interesting how ‘I don’t want to do that it’s boring’ turns into ‘just a minute I just want to finish this bit’.  One of the favoured activity at FS is hide and seek but on a playing field there are not many places to hide so today’s activity was to build some structures to hide behind.  We had five to build and so we ended up with randomly chosen groups of three working on each structure.  We already had willow, which could be woven onto the structure and then it was a case of finding what you could.  One of the boys had the idea of stripping the bark from the logs that line the entrance to the FS to use to build into his structure.  Soon we had what appeared to be a gang of beavers working on all the logs, so now we have naked logs and somewhere to hide.  I hope we will keep adding to the structures over time but very much like the den design it's up to the kids.

After a drink we set up the slack line, which is a length of webbing strop that goes between two trees and then is pulled tight through a ratchet.  Whilst some children were still working on their structures and some playing a game of tag we had a small group balancing along the line.  

Its great when we have lots going on and the children can dip in and out of activities and also start to lead on the activities.  With the slack line we started off by walking across it then someone decided that they could balance in the middle and then jump up and land back on the line.  Once one had had a go then someone else wanted a go and so on.  When this happens you just step back and watch the self directed play - great!

Today’s session was a bit of a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows.  We started in the school hall as we needed to sit down and talk about behaviour at FS as there is a small disruptive element who keeps pushing the boundaries and behaviour has been slipping over the last couple of sessions.  FS operates an open door policy, which means we will do our best never to exclude anyone, we work on trust, you gain it and you lose it, but you can always gain it again.

Once outside in the fresh air we had three new fire builders putting together the tipi of sticks ready to boil the kettle while everyone else collected wood for next week.  With the kettle over fire and the boys divided the hot chocolate powder between the cups ready for snack time. 

To enhance the FS site we planted primroses along the entrance to the Forest School as one child called them ‘leading lights to bring everyone into our special area’.  It is interesting how the group are gaining a real sense of ownership of the site, as they worry about the rest of the school damaging their hard work.

Last week we decided to play games this week and I said I would teach the group a new game but when it came down to it only a handful wanted to play.  The group divided up some going off to build a new den, some to play hide and seek and some to kick about in the leaves.  This is great though, we are all about being child led and we plan activities but sometimes the group have different ideas. By the time the session was drawing to a close most of the group were back together playing hide and seek. We finished the session inspecting the new den with as many of the group as possible hiding inside. 

  

When the rope touches the ground there is one to many on it

Back after a week in a forest in Devon training for me to this weeks knots and rope walks.  We take a vote on want we are going to do at the next session and last time it was more rope swings and a ropewalk and learning the knots we would need to build these aerial constructions. 

We had some good stick collecting although one or two have forgotten the no thicker than your thumb and not longer than your arm rule so next week we will just go over the rules again.  We had three new fire builders today and their fire went very well, the kettle was boiled before we had finished our knot revision.

We have not looked at knots for a whiled so we started with a stopper knot and then the figure of eight.  Then to get everyone working together we learnt a new knot; the sheet bend.  This is made by first tying it in our own cord then standing in a circle we tied our cord to the person standing on our right.  Once we had a complete circle of cord we tested our knots by holding onto the cord then leaning out with everyone supporting each other, we then stood inside the circle and leant back on the cord using it as a seat.

After hot chocolate and a biscuit we started on the rope bridge.  Between two trees we tied a low rope and a rope just above head height using round turns and two half hitches at each end of the bridge.  To get the rope tight enough there was a lot of pulling.  With too many children on it, it did touch the ground in the middle.  Once we had made a bridge just off the ground we went up a foot, but still with too many on the rope it touched the ground.  Next time a less stretchy rope we think.

Flying the flags

It felt like spring today at forest school as we returned after half term.  The sun was out, it was warm and not dark when we finished.  After reminding ourselves of the forest school rules we had a round of the name animal game.  Most of the group went off to mulch the trees we planted at the end of term while three of the group helped build the fire for boiling the water for the hot chocolate.

Once back together we started making flags to decorate the forest school site.  Using charcoal to draw with, everyone drew pictures of their animals and used watered down clay as paint to added colour.  We threaded sticks through our flags and then using round turns and two half hitches we tied string to them so we could hang them in the trees.

After hot chocolate and biscuits we built two rope swings using our new climbing ropes.  Once again using our round turn and two half hitches (it’s a very handy knot) we fixed a piece of wood to one end of the rope and the other end was tied around the tree.

Next week there is no forest school because I’m off to Devon on a forest school course.  The following week we will be looking at knots and spending more time on the rope swings and building a rope walk between two trees.

Hot dogs and trowels

Last session of the term, which must mean a cook out.  Before we could cook we needed a fire, so while everybody else went is search of wood the three eldest children set to building.  Each child was sent to the wood store to find different lengths and thickness of wood.  When they returned to the fire pit they built a raft and then added newspaper and the matchstick size sticks crisscrossed on the top.  Then around the outside they built a giant tipi of pencil and thumb thick sticks.  I was not allowed to use matches today but told to get the fire steel out and with one spark the fire was alight and then promptly went out but it was soon roaring away after the initial false start.

While the hot dogs cooked and the water boiled for hot chocolate we went tree planting, not the easiest task as the ground was only just unfrozen but they were trees from the Queen to celebrate her jubilee. A sterling effort by everyone as they planted 60 trees one for each year of service and an extra one grown from an acorn from one of the oak trees in her garden.

Hot dogs eaten we started making toasting forks for marshmallows.  These forks are based on a Swedish design where you twist wire on to a stick ending up with two prongs.  Of course two prongs mean two marshmallows once these were eaten it was time to go.

Next term we are going to return to knots, as there has been a request for rope swings and we may have a go at making a rope bridge too.  Although it is snowing as I type this spring is just around the corner so we will also be planting some wildflowers into the Forest School site.  We might also make a wood and clay totem pole.

Behaviour Policy

I've been asked about what behaviour is exspected at Forest School so below is our policy taken from Tinderbox Forest School Hand Book.

Tinderbox aims to support children to:

• Develop self-esteem, independence and motivation to learn whilst always maintaining a safe environment.
• Develop in both children and adults a pride in their achievements.
• Develop awareness of acceptable and responsible behaviour in the outdoor environment.
• Promote respect for and care for the individual, those around them and the natural environment.
• Working together.

Tinderbox Forest School will show continuity in expectations of behaviour and behaviour management during Forest School sessions.

Tinderbox will promote positive behaviours through role modelling, positive reinforcement, verbal praise and the opportunity to undertake additional responsibility.

For the Forest School community to achieve these aims we all need to demonstrate a certain standard of behaviour through the following expectations:

The role of the Adults at Forest School

·        Create a positive environment that encourages and reinforces caring, nurturing and acceptable behaviour towards one another, the environment and the equipment.

·        Provide a positive role model for all in the Forest School.

·        Keep in mind that we need to be safe at all times.

·        Maximise individual success and raise self-esteem by placing at the centre of the Forest School the needs of the children such as learning styles, social and behavioural needs

·        Make sure that individuals know when they have done well.

      The role of the child

·        Listen carefully and respond to instructions and requests, especially those concerning safety.

·        Develop and maintain an acceptable attitude towards everyone at Forest School, the environment and all equipment.

Sanctions

When sanctions for inappropriate behaviour are need, the Forest School leader will ensure that the following steps are taken, escalating as required.

1.      Talk to the child in a calm manner and find out what caused the behaviour.

2.      Child is taken to one side and a verbal warning is given prompting them to think what is acceptable behaviour at Forest School.

3.      The child is given breathing and thinking time away from the main group (time out to calm down).  The child can return to the group once calm and will be supported to rejoin the activity.  

4.      If three lots of ‘thinking times’ occur during a session then the child will miss out on the next session.  A letter explaining what has happened will be sent to the parents and the head teacher will be copied in.

If the child’s actions have put themselves or others in danger the matter will be dealt with as follows:

·      The child’s emergency contact will be called and they will be asked to come and collect the child.

·      A letter will follow and be sent to the parents and the head teacher explaining what happened.

·      The child will miss the following Forest School session if the behaviour is deemed to have been very unsafe.

·      If the behaviour is deemed to be less severe, the child will be expected to produce a piece of work explaining why what they did was unsafe to bring to the following session.  Failure to turn up with the work and they will miss the following session.

·      In all cases the Forest School leader will complete an incident report.